Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-03-15
CHAPTER XXI.

BOARDING THE LION IN HIS DEN
Over the useless slaughter of the field
of Fredericksburg it were best to draw
the veil. Far down at the left flank the
old brigade CROPPED its way through
dripping fog and lay in line of battle.
having little to do but wait orders, and
catching only occasional shots from
the southern guns along the heights
Old hands under fire, the veterans
officers and men-lay close and kept
still. Their rifles could effect nothing
against an enemy uphill and behind
entertainments. New hands. not vet
used to battle, were not so quiet, and
the gallant colonel of the great battal-
ion of Wolverines, big almost as the
rest of the brigade, thought ii neces-
sary to ride up and down his line, ex-
hOrting his men to steadiness in loud
and powerful voice. 1T lets 'em know
I'm here" said he, to the expostulant
commander OF the next door regiment.
II see." said the latter, as volley
flashed down from Early's fellows
along the crest, and 1t also let's the
enemy. Your men will be steadier
without the telling" which reasoning
the colonel pondered over and accepted.
He and his thoroughbreds we're spoil
ing for a chance to show their neigh
bors from the adjoining states that
they were quite as valiant as the
Wanted old brigade. Give us half
chance" said he, land then-you look
out for the Wolverines"
But neither Fredericksburg nor
Charlottesville, nor Virginia, nor even
Maryland afforded the longed-for OPP
portunity. Not until the midsummer
morning of the first day at Gettysburg
did their time come, but when it came
it proved test the like of which had
never been met before, even in that
hard-fghting, hardhammered COM
mand.
Meanwhile. what had not befallen
other actors in our story-notably the
Damon and Pythias of the ante-bellum
days. Benton and Paul Ladue
Seems to have bout as many friends
among the rebs as he has on our side
of the line" had the division com
mander remarked of Benton, though in
moment of exaggerated biliousness.
southern shore Fred's new general
had come in for a rasping from the
corps commander, because the lead
ing brigade took the wrong road in
the rain and darkness, and so DELAYED
matters over an hour. 1t happened
that Benton had guided the division
to its first position on the field that
he had been sent to find Gen. Frank
lin: that when he returned with
message from the latter officer, the
division was in motion, and the COM
mander had ridden off to speak with
Gibbon or somebody else, and Benton
followed, OF course, in search of his
chief, instead of staying with the head
or column. Finding himself rebuked
the general reprimanded Benton in the
presence and hearing of officers and
men. Benton's heart and temper being
both sore and tried he had replied
| with much spirit. if not subordination.
to the effect that the message he was
charged to deliver admitted of no de-
lay; that If the general had been where
he belonged there would have been no
! delay; and that sooner than submit
I
! relieved from staff duty forthwith. and
wrote that very night to his old friend
and general, then member of an i'm
| portant military tribunal at Washing
ton, begging his advice and interven-
/ ton, and telling him, OF course. the
! story Of poor Ladue
/ But, being coupled with another. that
I story was now almost an old one at the
capital, for thither had the poor lad
. been sent and Jennings with him:
/ Paul looking, indeed. more dead than
/ alive" for strange eventful history
/ had been his ever since the dreadful
morning north of Sharpsburg that
| stretched him senseless in front of Glib
! bon's furious guns Killed" said La
mar and other officers who saw him
/ borne away I'm a blanket. MORALLY
/ wounded" said the hospital attendants
! who first ministered TO him, back OF
| the bunker church. where reigned
confusion inexprcssible owing to the
appalling number OF those needing
surgical aid. How he got there or be-
/ yond, Paul never knew until long
thereafter. Tender hearted Virglnians
had concealed him until he was well
enough to move about Odd as IL may
seem, the most practicable way for
/ southern soldier to go from the Poto-
/ mac TO his own people was by way of
/ the north. Through the kind Virgin
ians. civilian clothing was bought for
I their interesting captive. and by mid
November Paul was safely under the
roof OF a well-to-do and most active
southern sympatbizsr in Baltimore.