Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-02-23
.l..3.'s..s'.s..s..s Observation-Disclosures.
+ A REAL BATTLE. !.
'f..{. !. .s..$.
..s..s. .s.3..i..i. .s..s..!..t..i.

Edttor Keowee Courier: l have
been asked by my friend, John A.
Ansel, Of Walhalla, to write up a
real battle. That will be hard to do,
from the fact that one engaged in
the deadly conflict must necessarily
keep his eye on the fellow in front of
him. But for the high regard that
| have for my friend, 1 will do my
best fE'H
In reading Of war, and even after
Gazing upon photographs and
sketches taken during the actual ope-
rat1ons of battle and the written
details concerning the same, at is
impossible to grasp the awfulness Of
battle" We have heard men talk
OF war and battles, and have been in
them and have gone over the ground
on which the fiercest battles ragged,
and where ten thousand men, with
the machinery Of war, made desuer-
ate havoc. At the approach OF bat
tie the old veteran knows by the ac-
customed signs and activity about
headquarters, strictness along the
picket lines, that the war cloud IS
gathering. The men are not told
that the battle Is ahead Of them,
They know the first duty Of soldier
is to obey orders, and COOL soldiers
are prompt to do this. But the men
gradually guess pretty close when
there Is going to be music in the air
NO one knows the hour wien the long
roll will beat, nor the bugle and
drums and shouts Of officers and the
dashing here and there and eyery
where Of conriers bearing tidings and
orders to be ready for the battle will
come. There will be marching and
counter-marching before the conflict,
or 1T may be immediate, without fur
ther warning. The fatigue, mental
strain and heartache Of battle are
difficult to be realized by those who
nave never seen or been engaged in
one. There is often halt and the
men are held In eight of battle in
dread expectancy and suffering, un-
der bursting shells, to be called any
moment to plunge into the vortex.
This Is most dreaded by men who
have been In battle. All old soldiers
Will tell you that they would rather
hight five bates, and be in the hottest
OF the fray, than remain for fifteen
minutes just outside the firins line
and endure the trials that the posi-
tion entails
battles open in many different
ways. When | use the word battle
refer to collision Of magnitude
one that has been deliberately plan
ned and all the details worked out
by generals and engineers. Skirm-
lshes are liable to occur In some
what haphazard fashion. Usually
the cavalry brings on the battle, and
the artillery Is used mainly to hold
Off advances and to protect the in
iantry. At some points of the bat
Tie cavalry, infantry and artillery are
all engaged. The energy displayed
III battle is like the supreme display
or mental and physical powers of
man. When ball and shell, sabre
and bayonet are mingled in din and
smash and clash there is no time
no, not moment-for the exercise
OF any other law than that OF self
preservation, which begins with the
individual soldier and goes on until
1t reaches the entire corps. When
the operations Of a battle have in
cluded the fullest meaning of the
violent collision men are inspired nv
varying emotions, from self-preser-
Vation to the highest claims Of chiy
airy.
For some time the battle has been
going on, firm and steady. Now It
Is war to the knife" There Is the
mad rush for position, the din of ex
piosion from rifle to cannon, the
neat, the smoke, the dust or rain.
the ice. fair and calm--no matter
what-the men fight on amid the
shrleks or pain and the groans OF the
dying as they are trampled upon.
mere are appeals for help when
Tina 10 .f<
to give help. Cries for water come
from the wounded and dying, but
there Is no water near, and there IS
no time to stop 1t IS a matter Of
!:fe and death-victory or defeat
and on they plunge into the veritable
hell.
There Is a charm. too, in this ex
citement-the thrill of hope and VIC
rory, the love and pride of country,
nome and self-the surging to and
fro while comrades fan, and with
the fate Of battle hanging heavily.
Ihen come the yells OF officers and
the shouts Of the leaders every
where, urging the men, in the name
or country and seH, to fight to the
last ditch and to the death. "War
means fighting, and fighting means
Killing said Gen. Forrest.
The hours Of lighting have been
iirm and steady; the time has come
to charge with the bayonet. 1t may
De with the cavalry or of weary in
fantry. Rcpulse! Retreat? No, in
God's name, No! Rally! And the
command rings out all along the line,
Charge with the bayonet!" The
Doys-brave little felows-rattle in
win their drums and roll out the
rally, and on go the surgine masses
shells bursting, bullets sineins, mis-
silcs whistling, but on they 90
sweeping the field with the bavonet
Then comes the yell which for deem