The National tribune., 1906-01-04

the wreathing smoke and shaken by
the deafening thunder OF musketry and
artillery, the devoted brigade pressed
forward Into the valley Of death
into the mouth OF hell" No martial
music cheered the weary ranks. Only
the wild excitement Of battle sustained
the column as the rebel batteries
vomited forth their deadly iron hail
and the terrible Zip-Zip OF the mimic
ball was quenched in blood. As we
crossed Cub Run streams of Stragglers
and wounded poured down from Bald
Hill. 4 great many OF them wore the
red breeches OF the Zouaves and their
brilliant uniforms had made them con-
spicuous marks for the enemy's rifles.
One poor fellow passed US with q
frightful wound In the face, a shot hav-
ing carried away his mouth and lower
jaw.
Our brigade now deployed into line
and advanced. guide right toward the
summit of Bald Hill. AS we reached
the crest upon which our batteries had
been posted a hurricane of shot and
shell burst suddenly upon US. causing
the line to recoil, but only momentar.
lily. Just before we entered this terri,
BILE fire stalwart. whiskered artilIerya
man, driving from the field with his
gun, drawled out deliberately: "Don'r
be discouraged, boys; were no cow
ards. but we're out of ammunition
whence the artillery had retired, for;
every piece had been withdrawn frone
the hill. Regiment after regimen1
swept forward swiftly, almost, as the
wreathing clouds of smoke that We're
carried from the field by the soutf3
wind, and flung into line of battle filled.
up the gap through which the masse6a
divisions Of the enemy were attempting
to pour.
Immediately upon reaching Bald
Hill the command "Attention.-Fix
bayonets." rang out in tones strong and
clear. Instantly the nervous click and
rattle of steel ran along the line and
the polished bayonetS reflected fiercely
the glitter of the suns rays. / mo-
mentarily expected the order TO charge
against the oncoming lines of gray, and
felt even anxious for the madderiing
excitement of such an advance. No such
orders came, the brigade moving
some rods by the left flank under
murderouS fire of musketry and artil-
lery. But it was now our time 10 re-
Fly, and Immediately our whole line
was ablaze with Spiteful streams Of fire
a., our musketry opened f1ercely on the
heavy gray masses that came rolling on
like huge, resistless billow ready to
engulf all opposition. In the face Of
our fire their lines pressed forward with
desperate courage, with their battle
flags pushed bravely to the front. The
STOuIu Hdu DecOHle oHcufnD6feu Mltn
the dead and dying. Great pools OF
clotted blood stained the Irampled
grass, while groans, imprecations and
prayers mingled with the roar Of bat
tie and the hoarse voices of the conn
batants. The rebel yell was easily dis
tinguishable from the full, round in
donations Of the cheers which rolled
from our lines. 1t was Lonystreet's
Corps massed in solid lines OF attack
and pushed forward with q desperate,
unyielding purpose that formed the
serried array in our front. Their
formation was in echelon. Line after
line came on in grand and beautiful
order, while from commanding ridges
i'm their rear batteries OF artillery
hailed into our ranks storm scarcely
less destructive than the fierce peting
of musketry that assailed us from their
immediate front.
Breast to Breast Fighting.
At this critical period Gen. Towers