Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-04

concealS most of the second in column
of the blue brigades, this solitary bat
TALON in the teathered black hats and
the wake of its 5 .irmiSlers. is jauntily
proceeding to show its comrades back
on the pike how Bull Run veterans
take battery. HaU way between the
two groves. halted in the road and
watching the scene are Doubledays
three battalions. all three not as strong
as fair-sized regiment. GibOon. chief
of the second brigade, has led the Black
Hats through the wood. then. hating
at the edge has bid them go in. their
swathy little colonel waving his hand
in glad acceptance of the trust-the
last salute of his soldier life Almost
all of the blue division can be seen from
the north by the men of the south:
almost nothing of the gray division
can be seen from the south by the men
OF the north. Gazing through their
binoculars. the union commander and
stan note nQta sign ot the Zee. save
these venturesome batteries. the one
here directly TO the north, the others
SLOWLY trotting off to the northeast
beyond the range of Gibbons guns
Yet there are a few mounted officers
or orderlies squirting swiftly along that
PARKWAY skirt Of woods, and one OF
these horsemen carries the order from
Taliaferro, chief of division, ia Talia-
ferro chief of brigade, TO move into
line on the right of Baylor-the stone.
wall Others are darling from Old
Jack TO Ewell and Taliaferro, both.
with the word to pitch in.
And one of these riders. galloping
down the line, is little Ladue, brought
face TO face, as he dreamed, here on
the field of battle with the men he
had known as lad in the west. anu
though his heart is throbbing hard,
his dark eyes are burning with excite
ment With laughing confidence. the
men of the .Stonewall" spring to their
feet. the little red battle flags are lifted
on nigh, and forward goes the brigade,
sweeping in three slender lines to the
low crest in front, as their far-forward
skirmishers leap from the grass ana
Noliey their challenge at the coming
zoe. Then Georgia and Louisiana and
(he men at the guns hold their breath
and watch TO See Virginia send those
1mpudent Ianks whirling back to the
woods, or else
Wonder of wonders. SO far from
Scurrylng at sight or the "Stonewall,"
mat sombre, black-crested line halts
short at sudden word OF command; q
crashing volley, driving point blank up
The gentle rise, sends its storm of lead
square in the ''StonewalPs" face.
Down go two battle flags. Down goes
Neh, colonel commanding the Thirty
Shlrd. Down so dozens in the foremost
rank, and TO the amaze OF Starhe and
Aawton, the 'Stonewall" fairly stag.
gers. Forward" is one hoarse shout
ed order, 'Fire!" another; and with
the skirmishers crouching, crawling
rolling away TO right and left, virginia
oiaZes at wisconsin now Tamming fresh
cartridges into the smoking tubes, and
with never thought of retreat. So
Tar from sweeping the field the stone
wall is brought TO a halt and gets
another fierce volley, followed by rasp-
ing fire by file that is far more effective
than the downward aim of the COM
mand, schooled rather TO charge than
10 shoot Sol Meredith's Hoosiers ar,
sweeping at double quick straight from
the pike at the west of the. grove.
Arms at the trail, at the shoulder or
anyhow. all eyes to the front. Indiana
Is heading straight for the left of Wis
consin, and in fFe minutes more its
long front is hidden in its own fire
flashing cloud. Another fi.e minutes
and another brigade is in line for the
south, another battalion for tie union.
and still not man has thought of
retreat-save only the thicl stream
OF wounded hobbliEg painfully back
Tor the rear.
Shall iron break the northern iron
Or steel?' mutte"s Old Jack. in the
words of the prophet, his eyes filed
with trouble. his teeth firm set as once
again the cheering, banner-waving. fire
flashing ranFs of his devoted battal-
ions sweep down the gentle slope un-
I'll almost lost in the smoke of the on
posite lines. then slowly settle to a