Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-23

artillery farther dowtH the Zine burst into
thunder. and we silently Watched a large
| force OF infantry move slowly past us up
the long slope until they halted in line OF
pattie Just behind its summit the advanced
| hles lying fiat upon their faces and peering
over But no orders came for us.
Inc eagerly eXpectant men moved back
toward their picketed horses in anticipation
| of hurried call, but as the minutes slowly
passed and none came, they broke into lit
| tie groups, sitting about on the ground,
seemingly careless as to the dread rumbling
In front and the continuous zip of Mimic
/ bullets through the trees overhead. One
| or two, noticed as walked about, We're
writing what, possibly they dreamed might
| be final words of love to dear ones far
away; one more careless group was play
ing poker upon an outspread blanket; while
srlZZied o!d sergeant, God-fearing man,
Dad Drawn forth his Well-worn pocket TeS-
lament and was reading over again the
familiar story of the Nazarene The sullen
boom of the great guns deep, ominous, began
10 plend with the sustained rattle of mus
Kerry, telling plainly of heavy fighting by
massed infantry; the smoke clouds, OBJ
securing the blue sky, rolled high above the
fringe OF trees; the battle-line lying along
the crest at our front swept Down the hill
out of our sight into that hail of death be-
low. but we seemed TO be. forgotten.
Nearly noon by the red sun hiding behind
the drifting powder cloud The ever-deep-
eElng roar OF ceaselesS contest had moved
westward down the valley when an aid
wheeled his smoking horse in front of the
colonel, spoke dozen hasty words, pointed
1mpetuously to the left and dashed off
down the line. The men Ieaped to their
feet in eager expectancy. and as the Fall
in, fall in there, lads" echoed ioyousy
from lip to lip, the kindling eyes and rapid
movements voiced Enthusiastically the sol
der spirit. We moved westward down the
long, bare slope in the sunshine through a
half- dozen deserted, desolate fields, and
alCng narrow. rocky defile leading into
deep ravine. Every step of our horses
brought us closer to that deep roar of surg
ing battle; the air we breathed became
pun gent with powder smoke, and once or
Twice we heard the deep hurrah of the
north, the wild answering yell of the south
as victory rolled rom flag to flag. Streams
OF wearied and wounded men began to pass
us, white-faced and terror-stricken or bag
gard and silent, but all alike seeking the
rear. The head of our advancing column
pushed them sternly aside, the troopers
chatting the uninjured without mercy, but
tender as women to those who suffered.
Back among the rocks. out of reach from
piunglng shells, a field hospital had been
hastily set up; the ground was already
th1ckly strewn with bodies, while surgeons
labored above them, elbow-deep in blood
With averted, stern, set faces, palng to the
cries of agony, we rode past, more eager
than ever to strike the enemy
forth into the broad valley and halted.
Just in front of us, scarcely half-me
distant, We're the fighting lines, partially
enVeloped in dense smoke, out from which
sue ceeded charge, or the wind swept aside
the fog of battle. The firing was one con-
tinuous crash while pIunging bullets, over
reaching their mark. began to chug into
our own ranks. dealing death mpartialy TO
horse and man. The captain of the troop
next mine wheeled suddenly look of sur
prise upon his face, and fell backward into
the arms of one of his men; with an intense
scream OF agony, almost human, the horse
of my first sergeant reared and came over
crushing the rider before he could loosen
foot from stirrup; the lieutenant colonel
rode slowly past US to the rear, his face
deathy white, one arm, dripping blood
hanging helpless at his, side. This was the
hardest work of war, that silent agony
which tried men in helpless bondage to UNI
yielding discipline l glanced anXiously
along the front of my troop, but they re-
quired no word from me; with tightly set
lips, and pale. tern faces, they held their
line steady as granite, closing up silently
the ragged gaps torn by plunging balls.
Captain, said Colgate, riding to where
sat my horse, you will see that the paper
[ gave you reaches home safe. if 1 fail to
come out Of this?''
] reached over and gripped his hand hard
at will be the first thing / shall remem-
Der, Jack" / answered earnestly. But we
may have it easy enough after all-it seems
to be an infantry affair."
He shook his head gravely.
No" he said, pointing forward, they
will need us now"
Go be continued tomorrow