The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-02

|while he was in camp.
was al that time attached to
18th Carolina regiment. As a cur
-5sity I send you the original, show
ing that every word was written with
punctilious care and without
scratch anywhere. This is certainly
remarkable, consideringth surround
ines he must have been facing at that
time.'
The following is an exact copy Of
the letter except the omission Of
italics:
Vivid Description Written at the
Time.
Phillips. Va, 6 August. 1862.
And YOU would have ''the grand
eur and glory Of the real battle e"-
impressions, incidents, and acci-
dents?'
The magnifcence of blood is a
theme worthy of a great poem,
and all that [ have seen written up
on it is as nothing to the truth. that
lies hid-hid to all save the eye that
has seen it all-behind those common
words. T would not if could, my
young friend, nor could I if would,
produce in your mind the feeling
awakened in mine by the tragedies [
witness: and to approach as near this
as possible is the end Of the literary
artist. Look for no such effort now.
A touch here. and touch there. and
memory would hurry from those
"a scenes to seek relief in atmosphere Of
some treasured past while hope
catches breath, Of peaceful future.
I have brother in the 9TH Texas
regiment, under Jackson, and I have
not seen that brother in fifteen years.
He is an old man-past fifty-and
very gray: .> -. -
Fridays tornado Of battle at Cold
Harbor, on Gaines's Farm, had swept
over our heads. T hadsunk down when
the signal for rest was given in the
line Of battle as we we're, too weary
to unbuckle any Of :. my trappings.
With gun in hand /. slept broken
sleep Of the battlefield, drenched as
I was in perspiration, fasting for ov-
er day, and almost covered with
mud and dust. Momently came from
the plain around us, imperfectly aud
ible in that troubled slumber, the
deep sroan Of piercing pain-wrung of
some friend or foe or-brother.' Ip
various directions over the field
passed, passing and recrossing each
other, many delights Of the infirm-.
mary corps and the ambulance corps
seeking the wounded. The cautious
hail and the low reply barely broke
the horrid silence.
Morning came at length with its
peculiar train Of things to shudder
at: but let us pass that, and with
broad daylight look over the field OF
yesterdays agony.
Impelled by a feeling I could not
control, though exhausted by such la
bor as I had undergone and almost
prostrated by a chill during the
NIGHT strolled over the field Of gore
after I had eaten cracker and b1t
of bacon. The area Of the field is at
least five square miles, partly plain
and partly woods. No burial had yet
been made. (Here an order to strike
tent and march arrested my pen and
closed my knapsack upon your letter
till this the 18th Of August, at which
time 7 resume.) In the shrubbery
we ~sGr nd few Of our own men ly-
e and there stark and still:
egan to ascend the rising plain,
our poor men thick and fear
Rngled with cannon shot and
pg at long range. Next up
pw lay the blue-vested reg
the score in lines, as fire
from our side had been
ted into them during their ad-
Ice. To the left. over five or six
res. lay the Zouaves-the dead and
e mangled-all over the plain
he scenic effect of their blue jack
cts and red trousers "a la Turque)
1 with The fez. red skullcap. was rath-
e. ornamental. But a wild. deep,
new feeling Of (maNbe it was re-
venee) anger maddened my eye and
stifled my breathing. For hours l
walked often alone among them
through wood and field and looked
mon the faces Of many dead ene-
mics and conversed with many Of the
Il, fC1n