Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
Literally True.

cd EOPLE read in the so-called graphic
/ descriptions of great fights about
the heat Of battle,''' said a veteran
trooper who rode behind one Of the great
Confederate cavalry leaders in the civil
war. yet few of them understand that
this term is correct, not only in figura
tive, but also in a literal sense Men in
battle wax warm in body as we'll as in
mind.
II recall a vivid exemplification of this
truth myself one night in the winter of
1S63-64," continued the veteran. "A
squadron of us were encamped at Upper
vile, village in northern Virginia about
thirty miles below Harpers Ferry. 1t was
early in February, 1884, and the cold spell
around the zero point. Early one after
noon our leader got orders to make an
attack next morning upon the Union out
post on Loudon Heights, just above the
town Of Harpers Ferry.
I'VE swung into the saddle about sun
set, and blowing through the crunch
ing snow. headed for the point of attack
in the face of twenty-mile wind that
froze the breath on beard and mustache.
Hardened old veterans as we were, and
used to many a midnight dash in dead of
winter, the first ten miles did not bite SO
hardly into us. But on the second stretch
of ten miles the bitter cold began to eat
through boot, glove and overcoat Men
SHINeTeu Ill tJlelT SduuicS, .uuIS luclI 10y
feet out of the stirrups to restore cir
culation in the benumbed legs, and,
dropping the reins on their horses necks.
tapped their frigid hands about them
in vain effort to keep warm. The last
ten miles was an arctic nightmare. The
CHEEKY song of the march was gone, and
no sound was heard but the deep
breathing of the wearied horses and
the humping of frozen glove against
frozen glove. When I hung my feet
out of the stirrups to bring back the
blood to my legs-an old trick of the
winter-night campaigner-so numb were
legs and feet that 1 would have to take
them in my hands and lift them, like
"At 3 in the morning We sighted the
campfres of the outposts, and the SEN
tries, wrapped to the eyes and with guns
muffied close in their mittened grasp. pa
trolling the lines. In a few minutes the
hundred Of us had formed under the
friendly shadow of a neighboring wood
and our leader passed down the Whls-
pered command to draw our revolvers.
recall distinctly that my hands were
so numb that / was compelled to pun
back the hammers with my teeth IN oroer
to cock them. Then came the command:
Charge and the next instant we were
among the enemy, riding. shouting ana
shooting like demons at the half-dressed
figures that scudded from the tents and
scuttled for the woods like rabbits. In
three minutes, yes, In less than Two, we
were in possession of the camp. with not
a soldier in sight, except the killed and
wounded, for the surprise, aided by the
cold and darkness, had been complete.
Then 1 took "a deep breath, jammed
my smoking revolvers in their holsters
and proceeded to get comfortable. How!
Why, by unbottoning my overcoat and
jacket. opening the front of my shirt
so that the soft, cool night wind might
play upon my sweating breast, and, tax
ing my cap in my hot hand, tanning
brow that was well nigh dripping. And
the rest of the boys were doing the very
same thing. That short and bloody fight,
in and over in less than two minutes,
had lifted us all from icy chill to sweat
ing heat! Yes the heat of battle is
something more than a mere figure OF
speech