Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-12-23
A Soldiers Ghost
torlginall

III preventing me. 1t was not TIL the
close of the struggle that I enlisted,
Just in time to participate in the last
campaign of the war, and probably the
most terrible-the battles of the Wilder
ness. had neither smelled powder nor
seen blood and was obliged to stand
my ground among men who were all,
or nearly all, veterans. 1t was the
trial of my life.
My initiation ON the firing line was
in withstanding a cavalry charge. A
long line of horsemen, the color of the
dust they stirred up, emerged from the
edge of wood and, making hasty
alignment, dashed forward to the mu-
sic of the rebel yell. AS soon as they
got within range we opened fire on
them. They came on and attempted
TO ride over us. Right in front of my
company young officer led his men,
lie was handsome fellow, with long
WaYy hair and eyes black as Goals.
look deliberate aim at him and shot
him. He saw me do so. and as he fell
gave me look that l shall never for
get 1t seemed to me that the feature
most predominant in it was reproach
Had it been hate or revenge | think
l could have borne it with more euua-
nimity. As it was, it filled me with
remOrse. l felt like murderer. /
dreaded lest the face of the man had
killed would haunt me through life.
The charge was repulsed, and we
stood at rest where we had received
it. | was obliged to remain for an
hour right where l could look at the
dead body of the man l had killed.
Then, when we were ordered forward,
| marched over it. The sightless eyes
looked straight up at me, and, whether
it was imagination or not, l saw again
that horrible look of reproach-a look
that seemed to say: "At my home there
are loved ones who will look for me in
vain to return to them. You have pre-
vented"
a few days later we were fighting in
the woods-the wilderness it has been
justly called t and when the ground
was covered with the dead and dying
horrible flame and smoke swept down
on us, burning the dead and wounded
together My regiment had been much
cut up, and 1 had become separated
from it. | was searching for some of
my comrades, hurrying along, when,
looking down, l was paralyzed with
horror, There beneath me was the Of
ticer | had killed staring at me with
that same look of reproach.
Are you going TO let me be burned
to death here2" he said.
l struggled with two impulses. One
was to get away from a reincarnated
ghost that had come back to life to re-
proach me for his death, the other to
make him some atonement for having
killed him. The latter prevailed, and,
STOPPING, l raised him and, throwing
him on my shoulder carried him be-
yond the reach of the flames While
doing so had no view Of his face, and
it was fortunate that l had not, for bis
reproachful look would have rendered
me DOwerless. | lowered him upon the
grass near a rlvulet and, understand
ing the craving of the wounded for wa
ter, was starting to get him some when,
glancing at him, saw that he was
dead.
Had he been alive?
Under other circumstances | might
have fingered near him from curiosity,
but, as it was, / had but one desire
to get away as soon as possible And
yet he, or, rather, at" fascinated me.
| hurried away to a short distance and,
turning, looked back. There was the
same reproachful look that l had seen
before. l did not for a moment at
tribute 1t to imagination, though
knew the power Of that faculty. 1
turned and fed from the corpse ghost,
or whatever it was, and found the roar
Of battle relief.
/ was present at the final surrender
when General Lee and the remnant Of
his army laid down their arms and
peace came again after four years OF
fratricidal war. We were all glad at
the prospect of getting home, but for
me there was another reason of far
greater moment. The man / had killed
could not again haunt me, at least on
the battlefield. He might visit me at
home In the dead of night, but hoped
that having been soldier, now that
peace was attained, he would rest
peacefully in bis grave.
Our army was drawn up to receive
the surrender. Perfect silence was
maintained throughout the ranks. The
men stood waiting. | was In the front
rank, where | would be able to see
plainly the Confederates who were
about to march past. Presently !
heard their tramp, and In a few min
utes the head of their column came
along. There were infantry, artillery
and cavalry. l was not fifty feet from
the line of march. My eyes rested on
the face of man marching at the head
of a few men who were supposed to
compose a company.
He was the man had killed.
My captain, seeing that something
was the matter with me, ordered me
to fall out, and l staggered to camp.
My brain was in a whirl. Would this
only man that l knew l had killed
never cease to haunt me?
The next day was passing a camp