Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-01-24
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
Whistl1nE Bullets, Bright BayO-
nets, Bursting Bombs. bloody Bat
ties, Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc.

The heat and passion and strife of
the day had passed and now the cool,
gray twilight was creeping down the
Maryland hills and across the meadows,
stained and Scared with battle. Along
the river the night birds were already
beginning to call in soft, plaintive
notes to one another; the wind sighed
YEARLY among the trees and tall sedge
grasses.
Yet, sadder to hear than wind or
bird, were the means of the wounded
whom that last wild charge had left
behind; sadder even to see than the
still, white faces of the dead, were the
pain-darkened eyes lifted in mute APP
peal to the sky while they waited with
keen anguish of mind and body for the
sunrise in this world or the dawning
Of the next.
The young spring moon hung low in
the west, where the last faint crimson
glow was paling and one who watched
her thought wistfully that even so she
must hang above the pine-clad noun
tains of his beloved Vermont.
He was only a boy. Something of
the trusting innocence of his childish
years still fingered in his eyes and
about his pale young mouth But the
look of joyous freedom that should
have been there too was lacking. In
! stead were great WEAKNESS and pain
and longing.
Only boy and this his first battle.
That morning as they lay waiting in
the trenches, every faculty alert, life
had seemed so good, so desirable a
thing for those who were young and
brave and strong. He had watched
their colonel ride up and down and
thought that some day he, too, might
sit a horse and wear a cleaning gold
eagle upon his shoulder and
now it was twilight and the battle was
| fought and won and he was lying
| there on the damp, cool sod with a
| ragged hole in his breast from which
! the warm blood trickled down and
stained his blue coat darkly with Grim
son. The gray-haired colonel had fall
en- with a word of command on his
lips Many a cheek had paled as he
went down and for an instant the
whole regiment faltered visibly. Then
on-on as one man, straight against the
solid wall of gray. How they fought
! Like gods rather than men. The boy
! felt a faint stir along his feeble pulses
| Of no 1h1nT fret H.
envy had stood immovable, sternly re-
sisting Then little by little they fell
back, every inch of ground yielded a
forced accession, until Wavering, I'M
certain, they broke into confusion and
victory was again in the hands of the
| North.
But, ah, the hiss of the bullets, the
sullen growl of the cannon belching
forth fire and smoke and destruction,
the loud shouts Of command, the shrill,
frightened neigh of the horses, the
| grOans of the smitten, and above all the
thin, clear notes of the bugle lifting
! themselves out of the confusion Of
sounds-one moment to be keenly alive
to all this, the next to fall in the midst
of sudden, rushing overwhelming dark
ness with a bullet in ones breast.
IL
A single star came out beside the
moon-a tiny point of light that trem-
| bled timidly against the opalescent
west SO still was it that one could
| hear the waters of the river tapping
| In ctn hny
moistened his parched lips with his
feverish tongue Then he felt about for
his canteen, found it and lifted it
| feebly. It was empty and yet 1t had
never before been so heavy in his hand.
He let it fall despairingly and closed
his eyes to KEEP back the quick, hot
| tears from escaping down his cheeks.
"Watah, massa--watah
He looked up. Standing beside him
was the wretchedly-cl figure of an
old negro, bending under the weight of
| a back-load of canteents. His jaws were
toothless, his gray wool protruded in
| tufts through the ragged crown of his
| hat. he mumbled when he spoke and
his eyes rolled frightfully, but to the
wounded boy he looked a very angel
of mercy.
YES" he said, family.
The old man stopped with difficulty
lifted the canteen and swung it upon
| his shoulders.
Wait" the boy whispered, Il will
pay YOU"
He drew forth little worn morocco
purse and tried to open it, but it Slip
ped from his fingers. The old man
unfastened the simple clasp. Within
were folded paper or two, scraps of
| home letters maybe, lock of silken
brown hair lightly sprinkled with
gray and a single gold dollar. The boy
put the money into the negro's reluct-
| ant hand.
Take it." he said, "and bring the
! water soon-oh, very soOn.'
| The old man shambled awkwardly
| away and the boy dropped his head to
| one side and closed his eyes.