Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-07-27
Copyrisht. laOs. BY c. W. Dillingham; c.
CHAPTER XvI.-CoNTINuED.

10 our GENERALS, rest you sure
the eyes of his army have not been left
behind. Early that very morning
Johnson sends young Gather with his
gray-clad troop spiering and when our
confident courier comes galloping along
with McDowell's dispatches to Sigel
and Reynolds telling them just what is
planned for the day, Gather gathers
him in, sends the much-appreciated
programme'to johnson, who grins with
delight, and passes it on to Old Jack
himself, away on toward Sudley
Springs, snoozing with his division
commanders Ewell and Taliaferro, on
their soldier pillow-saddles-in the
snake-fence orner Here IS the chance
Of a lifetime! Somewhere to the west
must be two Of McDowell's divisions,
alone. And, even white he is rousing
his right and left bowers, Ewell and
Taliaferro, there comes word from
Stuart that Ricketts, has gone out to
Thoroughfare, and Mcdowell, with one
isolated division is marching eastward
from Gainesville. Now, Cup guards
and at 'em!" Up Ewell and Taliaferro!
Up guns and Observation-Disclosures three
and brigades just five and away they
60 at the edge Of the sheltering woods
until nearly three miles out to the
southwest, and there the dusty, grimy,
gray brigades lie down and wait for
that devoted division.
Off to the right front is a cosy farm
house and Ewell lets his wideawakes
go sampling, and takes a hearty sip,
IS q dark-eyed young aide-de-camp
rides up with a dripping canteen Of the
soothing white fluid. Thanks, Mr..
Ladue," says he. That's most refresh
ing. BY the way, you know some Of
these fellows we're expecting out yon-
der, don't your" and the general points
southwark. Ladue follows the gesture
OF his commander, and then, his eyes,
dark, mournful and apprehensive, fix
upon that vehement soldier face.
Wisconsin," he falters. 81 felt
knew it must come-sometime."
Eyes, sir, and John Gibbon COM
mands that brigade now, they say. I've
known him for years., To think of his
being there-and he a Tar Heel" And
here his kindling eyes turn to where
Trimble's men are stretched upon the
turf-North Carolina closed on Ala
bama.
Coming" They're coming!"
fSee!" are the excited whispers, and
young officers spring forward and peer
over the low crest in front. Poague,
that year-old, yet veteran, gunner, has
tipped a hand to his hugler, and low
and mutfied Attention." is sounded.
Low and muf1ed, it is repeated still
more family farther off to the east,
where the horses of Wooding and
Carpenter are grazing on the scanty
turf, and drivers and cannoneers spring
to their posts.
But Old Jack gives no sign. He is
waiting and watching. He is there in
saddle at the edge of the trees, indis-
t~inguishable in the gathering gloom.
He waits until the leading brigade of
the long column is clear of the east
ward Of the two groves. He lets it
$50 until it drops into the low ground
about Groveton, then mods to Ewell
and--the ball begins. Out on a sudden
from the left Of the massed lines,
Poague's lean horses and gaunt, sinewy
gunners spring to their work. Six black
muzzled bankers are whirled round in
battery. One-two-three-quick bel.
lowing, with vengeful spit Of flame
and sulphur smoke, the nearest bat
terry hurls its screaming challenge
across the field, and in spite and fury
the black shells burst in whistling hail
over the startled heads of the second
brigade. Out beyond the first battery
trot Wooding and Carpenter, forming
action front on the slope a little to
the northwest of Groveton, and so
three batteries are suddenly hurting
their swift fire upon the now halted
column. Now see 'em take to covert
shout the seasoned ones by the gun
side, as the left half battery echoes the
right, and all the front Of Starke's bri-
gade is now covered by flashing guns,
believing in chorus, the men, leaping
in and out to reload, dimly seen
through the billowing battery smoke.
and still, screaming and shrieking the
shells sail high across the rolling earth
sea. "See 'em take to cover" indeed!
Well might they do so, for just be-
yond the pike the woods lie thick and
unbroken, but, sudden as the shot.
each regiment has "fronted" to it's
left. The steel ramrods of the fore
most are seen flashing in air. The
shrill voice of Old Graybeard, squirting
back to his colors, has yelled the order
to load at will, and not until they're
bitten and poured and rammed and
capped does he follow that with "Lie
down." The right of their line is
fiat on its belly at the edge of the field,
while sparring, flashing and bounding,
cannoneers racing alongside like mad,
a well-handled Aattery-Gibbon's own,
as Poague and Ewell more than sus-
pect-the beloved of the brigade out
on the field, comes front into line''
at a breakneck pace, whirls without
hating Its bronze beauties about, and
In another moment the loud-ringing
light twelyes" are out-bellowing the
trio of batteries blazing there northwest
of Groveton, sweeping their sections
with spherical case" Five, ten, If
teen minutes the duel of death goes on.
ol1nuorc orn oJ1 rao,,1crc J1rac
of their trade, and old Ewell sees it
and knows it. Timber up, Poague!
Back all Of you! They are too heavy
for u guns!" is the order, and Paul
Ladue spurs to carry it. Out Of the
way, gentlemen gunners! It's onr
time now, goes the word from Starke's
eager ranks, and SO on down the long
line. Into their saddles leap the field,
stan and commanders. The u has