Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-09

We acre graphing mp n W,yh.
what they meant. I thought it n trib.
ute to my wrestling. Men lay thick
there back of the guns-some dead,
some calling family for help. The red
puddles about them We're covered with
flies: ants were crawling Over their
faces. I felt a kind of sickness and
turned away. What was left Of my
regiment formed in fours to join the
advancing column. Horses were gal
Looping riderless. rein and stirrup flying,
some horribly wounded. One hobbled
near me-. a front leg gone mt the knee.
Shells were flying overhead: cannon
balls were ricochetting over the level
valley, throwing turf in the air. tossing
our men back Of me some twenty rods.
| staggered toward them, my knees
%quivering.
IL can never get there" I heard my
self whisper.
l thought of my little flask of whis-
Ky and. pulling the cork with my
teeth. drank the half Of 1t. That
steadied me. and l made better head.
way. l could hear the soldiers talking
as l neared them.
Look a-there." l heard man. say.
ing. See EN- come. My God! Look
at EN- ON the hill there"
The words went quickly from mouth
to mouth. In moment l could hear
| the murmur Of thousands. ! turned to
see what they were looking at. Across
the valley there was a long ridge and
back of it the main position Of the
southern army. A gray host was pour
ing over 1t, thousand upon thousand. in
close order, debouching into the valley
A big force Of our men lay between
us and them. As l looked l could set
a mighty stir in it. Every man Of
them seemed to be jumping up in the
mir. From afar came the sound Of
bugles calling retreat" the shouting
Of men. the rumbling of wagons. l,
grew louder. An officer rode by mt
hatless and halted. shading his eyes
then he rode back hurriedly.
Hell has broke loose" lie shouted a:
he passed me.
The blue coated host was rushing
toward us like n flOod-artillery, cav
airy, infantry. wagon train. There wa;
a mighty uprOar in the men behind me
a quick stir Of feet. Terror spread
over them like the travelling of fire
1t shook their tongues. The crowd be
gan caving at the edge and jamminf
at the center. Then it spread like ;
swarm Of bees shaken off a bush.
run! Run for your lives!" was
cry that rose to heaven.
Halt, you cowards" an officer shout
ed.
1t was To- past 3 o'clock.
The raw army had been OH its fee
since midnight. For hours it had beef
fighting hunger, a pain in the legs,
quivering sickness at the stomach,
stubborn foe. 1t had turned the fanl
of Beauregard; victory was in sight
But, 10, a new enemy was coming t.
the fray. innumerable. unwearied, cage
for battle! The long slope bristled witt
his bayonets. Our army looked ant
cursed and began letting go. The me-
near me were pausing on the brink O
awful rOut. In a moment they wer
off. pellmell, like a flock Of sheep. TIL
earth shook under them. Officers rod
around them, cursing, gesticulatipQ
threatening, but nothing could sto1
them. Half a dozen trees had stood il
the center of the rioting mass Now
few men chung to thcm-a remnant O
the monster that had torn away.
But the greater host was nov coming
The thunder Of its many feet was nea
me; a cloud Of dust hung over 1t. !
squadron Of cavalry came rushing b.
and broke into the fleeing mass. Heav,
horses, cut free from artillery. came ga
looping after them, straps flying owe
fOamy TANKS. Two riders chung to tn
back Of each. lashing with whip an
rein. The ruck of wagons came afte
them. wheels rattling, horses running
voices shrilling in a wild boot of terror
1t makes mt tremble even now, as
think Of 1t. though it il muffled unde
the cover Of nearly forty years! l say
they would go over me. Keeling as l
drunk, l ran to ave myself.
Zigzagglng over the field. / came upo
a gray bearded soldier lying in tn
grass and fell headlong. l struggle
madly. but could not rise to my fee
l lay. my face upon the grUund, weeT
ing like a woman. Save ! be lost /
hell, I shall never know again the bite
pang Of that moment. l thought q
my country. saw its splendid capits
in ruins. its people surrendered I
Gods enemies.
The rout of wagons had gone by.
could now hear the heavy tramp @
thousands passing me. the shrill voice
Of terror. ] worked to q sitting postur
somehow. The effort nearly smothere
mi A mass Of cavalry was bearin
down upon me. They were coming Q
thick ! saw they would trample m
into jelly. ] took my hat and covere