Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-02-23

works, which were about four and a
half feet high, and formed in the rear Of
the Iennesseeans. They were two
deep.
was in the front rank of the Ken.
tuckians, and third man from the
breastworks We were but four deem
at this point, some half-mile from the
riyer-our right and near the edge OF
the swamp.
We had hardly formed a line when
our 'front.' guard came running in, crying
out, Success our watchword.
There was crossing place to the
ditch in front Of our breastworKs nearby.
The picke,s said the British were com
ing
/ must confess that right here was
scared The hair on my head seemed
TO stand up. But this feeling all sub
sided as soon as the battl, commenced
One OF the soldiers in front Of me said
TO the guard:
II don see them"
The guard replied
Look low down"
! bowed to level with the breast
works, aud looked under the fog that
was rising, and just as I behed them
Their white pants, red coats and black
CATERS, like cloud arising, they blew
the charge
Ihey had a speaking trumpet made Of
TIN that wound around like rams
horn, and perhaps il Strengthened would
measure ten feet. With this they could
give any signal 90 forward, stand still
or retreat
They blew and it seemed to me that
no man could speak more plainly.
Charge, Charge! Chargel
heard 1t very distinctly, three times,
when the sound was drowned 10y the
aWfulest yells that / ever heard or e er
want TO hear again.
Imagine to yourself 10000 men. at the
top OF their voices, all at one time,
shouting and yelling, and here they
come. while everything was still on our
lines not whisper, only the word Of
command from the right.
Don't shoot, pass il on
This and its counter word cease
firing were the only word OF command
given.
But, bark Listen to the big
m0uthed cannon from both sides open
ing. The enemy had charged i'm two di-
visions. and had left an open space in
the center where their reserves were
drawn up and where their commander
in chief, Pakenham, was, and where
they had placed their artillery to play
upon Gus center, supposing that all our
reinforcemcnts we're at the center.
Deluded commander, II he had been
told that all our men who could get
arms were at the breastworks, and but
four deep, and raw troops at that, what
would have been his expectation,
Well, tho battle commenced now in
fury and in earnest. The small arms
commenced, notwithstanding the com
mand don't fire" and in few moments
the hreastworks we're, or seemed TO be.
IN ilame 81 fire as FAR a. the eye could
see.
Ny bayonet was loose on the muzzle
Of my gun. and It jumped OF about
the third shot ! was anxious TO re-
cover it for looked every minute for
the enemy TO be on top Of our breast
works ! stepped IN between the SOL
ders in my front and looked and felt for
IT.. ! remember looking to my right
aud left, and the top Of the breastN orks
seemed to be a sheet Of fire
! failel, however. in recovering my
bayonet until the battle was over; but
by this time all the front rank Of the
enemy, those who had been detailed to
carry the sealing ladders and facines
punches Of sugar canel to fill the ditch,
had been cut down. They staggered
and fell back a short distance, but soon
rallied again and halted within sixty
yards OF US, where they stood and fired,
and SO exact were their movements that
one copld sec none of the fallen until
they retreated, finally, which they did
in less than an hour from the time they
blew the charge.