The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-07

In an instant nnd myself acting the
humble part of file-closer to Company
l. 9th Kentucky Infantry, with pieces
at tho right shoulder, the brigade In
route column. With the active, strong.
swinging stride of the enthusiastic,
trained soldier, they hold the double
quick over rocks, logs. gullies. under
growth hill and vale, until amid the
foliage of the trees above them the
hurting shell and kissing shot from the
enemy's field guns gives notice that II
retreating they have missed the way.
Yet there Is no command to halt DE-
rect, or unchanged course, this battle
Scared and glory-mantled battalion
of Kentucky youths continues. AS
they reach the open woods. In clarion
tones comes the order: Change front,
forward on first company etc. The
order executed. found them formed on
ground but recently occupied by bat
talon of their foes. and few of these
had left their positions. The battalion
of Kentuckians were in battle array
where once knew they, but now the
ground was almost literally covered
with the Federal dead, the entire
length of our regiment of TOO men.
Men, did I say? Soldiers is the word;
there were few men among them, they
being youths. but soldiers indeed. The
increasing spat, whirl and hiss of the
minnie balls hurrying by left no doubt
of the fact among these soldiers. They
were about to enter action again, ana
forward Is the order STEADY, men,
steady; hold your fire; not a shot with
out orders. 1t Is hard to stand, but
you must not return It, We have
friends in our front yet They are be-
ing hard pressed, and their ammuni-
tion is almost exhausted, but they are
of our proudest and best. and Humph-
ries' Mississippfans will hold that
ridge while they have cartridge.
'Tt is nearing sunset. and after two
days of fearful carnage-aye, one or
the best contested battles of the times
the enemy has been driven pellmell
from many parts Of the field. Our
losses are numbered by thousands, and
we are now advancing In battle array,
the little red flag with the blue cross
dancing gaily in the air over heads or
those who were to defend 1t. The
last rays of the setting sun had kissed
the autumn foliage when we stepped
into open ground and found that we
were amid the wreck of what few
short minutes ago had been superb
six-gun battery. The uniform OF the
dead artillerymen and the ga1iy ca.
horses proclaimed this destruction the
work of our friends. We look upon the
dead. pull our cartridge boxes litthe
more to the front, and resolve once
more to face the destruction we are
now entering. The boom of artillery
increases. The rattle of musketry Is
steady; aye, fncessant and deadly. me
sulphurous smoke has increased until
almost sitting. Only fifty yards or
space separates us from the gallant
Mississippians we are there to support;
they have chung to the ridge with a
death-like grip. but their last cart
ridge has been fired at the enemy. and
.hatn n these
sturdy soldiers of Longstreets corps
are ordered to retire.
simultaneously the support was or
dered forward AS the Mississippians
retired, the deep-volumed shouts of the
enemy told us palmer than could words
that the enemy thought they had rout-
ed them. Oh, how differently we re-
earded tho situation! If they could
have seen them as we--halting, kneel-
ing, lying down, ranging themselves
in columns of files behind the large
trees to enable us to get at the enemy
with an unbroken front, each man as
we passed throwing cap high into the
overhanging foliage In honor of our
presence--then / imagine their shouts
would have been suppressed. STEADY
in the centre. Hold your FIRE! Hold
the colors back; The centre advanced
too rapidly. We are clear or our
friends now. only the enemy is in
front, and we meet race 70 race On a
spur of Mission Ridge which extends
through the Snodgrass farm. and we
are separated by eighty yards. Thud'
and down goes Private Robertson. He
turned, smiled, and died. Thud! Cor
porai Gray shot through the neck. Get
to the rear said /. Thud! Thud!
Thudl Wolf. Michael, the gallant
Thompson. Thud! Thudl Thudl Cour-
ageous Oxley, the knightly Desha and
duty-loving Cummings And thus 1t
goes. The fallen increase, and are to
be counted by the hundreds. The pres
sure is fearful but the sand digger
is there to stay. Forward! Forward!
rang out along the line. We move
slowly to the front.