The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-04-15

ish dreams of his wife and child. No
doubt he issued up to heaven fervent
prayers for them. Of himself, he
took no reckoning, for he, Like all
soldiers, trusted to fate, and the
DEGREES of the God Of battles. He
thought seriously Of the conflict on
tomorrow. Rising from his rude
couch he went out to where the ne
groes were talking. "You look blue
to night Marse Jake, what de mat
ter you can't sleep,' said Cage. The
other servants having withdrawn: to
their quarters. After drawing deep
sigh Col. Baldwin said he had a pre-
sentiment of death on the next day,
that something within kept whisper
ing to him, "You die tomorrow y
"You fall in tomorrow battle, >
and 80 persistent was the silent
warning he could not shake it off.
He was NO coward, spoke of death
with calmness and uneoncern. Waen
he began telling Cage what he must
10 Wien his master was dead, the
credulous, superstitious child OF na-
ture, looked at his master with ave
and torror, trembling in every Ebef
of his body, as if he had seen q
shade. Great tears rolled down his
black; cheeks, not douoting for m'
lent that his master had really re-
oeived mystic warning of his death.
"Oh for Gaud sake Marse Jake, don't
talk date er way Then, as bright
idea struck him, continued, "git be-
hind tree, git behind tree, Marse
jake" Paying no heed to Cages
childish suggestion he continued:
"The parting of the ways is near and
I want to do all I cam for you while J
am still alive.'' Taking his purse and
watch, he handed them to Cage, say
ing: "Take these, and a few miles
over the mountain is the land OF
freedom. AS soon as am dead take
Shoestring and ride north, and in a
few hours you will be as free as I
am today Cage looked at him
long and earnest. ''No, no, Marse
Jake, I ain It low down, if I is a mig
ger. I can't left my white folks
like dat. I is got all de freedom I
want, and I is gwine back home to
hep take care Of Miss Calline and
her baby" And dropping his head
in his hand he wept bitterly. The
look and tone Of his boyhood COM
now his faithful servant and
friend, pierced Jake Baldwin's heart,
like a sharp sword cuts through the
maze and web of temptation and
treaehery.
The Light Of the moon paled at
the coming Of the suns reflected ray
against the mountain side, and both
camps were active. Troops were
in the front, batteries
planted on every eminenee, wagon
trains moved to the rear, while the
tramp Of Thousands of feet were
heard, preparing for the coming
combat. Longstreet, with his back to
the mountain, was awaiting the on
slaught.
The signal gun was fred from the
right, noe came from the far away
left, then the centre belched forth.
Longstreet's cannoneers were not
slow in accepting the challenge, and |!
their guns rang out in unison with
those of the enemy. Salvas after
salvas were fired, the noise of the
guns echoing up and down the val
ley, reverberating along the noun
tain sides, rolling away like the
Of distant thunder. Gen.
Longstreet knew and every othcer and
private knew and felt, that the safety
IF Lees army and the fate Of the
Confederacy depended upon each in
1ividual soldier. There were thous-
ands in those ranks that day that
had promised themselves 'glorious
victory or hospital gravy" and Jake
Baldwin was of that number, DOOM
ed man as he felt. The earth trem-
oled and the very air seemed to vi
orate from the incessant and deafen-
ing roar of the blazing cannon.
Great shells from the guns on the
hilltop came blowing their way
through the ranks of the Southern
but they stood, as Jackson
had stood at Manassas, like "stone-
wall" One rim of blazing fire en-
veloped both armies, each trying to
silence the batteries Of its opponent,
a great black cloud of smoke lifting
and falling from the roaring guns.
Away back behind the declivitles Of
tho hiMs Mcclellan was marching MS