Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1911-04-14
WAR WARM WORK
The Phrase "heat Of Battle' Not
a Mere Figure OF Speech.
FIGHTING FIRES THE BLOOD.

I
Morning Attack In Zero Weather and
the Change the skirmish Wrought IN
His Hall Frozen Body.
''The expression heat Of battle is
more than u mere poetic figure or
speech descriptive of the fierce glow Of
emotion the soldier feels when In the
midst of conflict" said II southern sol.
dler who was nm oibcAr under Colonel
Mosby. ut describes exactly the sen
sible. physical condition the soldier
feels, no matter what the temperature
may be.
THAT this is true was evidenced By
my own experience during the war be-
tween the states. II was In February,
1864. and Colonel Mosby. with sonae
hundred of us. was camped near Up
perville. a village In Virginia about
thirty miles south Of Harpers Ferry.
Late one afternoon our leader received
dispatch from General Lee to make
forced march that night and attack
body Of Federal troops that was sta
toned on Iloudon heights. which over
look Harpers Ferry. The weather was
bitter cold. the coldest that had been
known 10 that section for many years,
The mercury was coquetting around
zero, six inch fall of snow. half melt.
ed and frozeo again. made the roads
almost impassable. and a stltf north
wind. added TO these other evils. made
the outlook for pleasant dash OF
thirty miles a most dismally improb.
able one.
at was about sunset when, mufiled
to the eyes against the biting frost aud
bitter wind. our column left camp at
Upperviiie, For the first ten miles our
squadron. made up Of veteruns Injured
to all manner of hardshlps, did nol
suffer much. and occasionally some cue
would even essay a Joke. But 10 the
second ten miles the cola. that hGd
slowly eaten It's way through oyercoat
and Jacket and shirt. began 10 bite into
our bodies. To restore life to our numb
legs We would take our feet from thy
stirrups and let them hang until the
circulation WIS restorcd-an old trick
with those compelled to ride much In
the cold-nnd We would keep our
hands and arms In some measure
warm by beating them against our
bodies or clapping them severely to-
gether.
'"rhe second ten was bad enough. [
say, but the last WIS well. q polar
nightmare. The vitality seemed to-be
frozen out OF man and beast. For
hours the horses stumbled through
the snow bearing a troop as silent as
the dead save for an occasional
humping Of some poor DEVILS halt
frozen arms against his side as be
sought 10 restore life to the deadened
limbs. When l took my feet out OF
the stirrups to help the circulation {
would have to take my hnnds and lift
my legs up to get the feet back In
place. so lost to all sensation were
they.
AT length about o'clock In the
morning we saw the lights of the en-
emy's picket fires and could dlstin-
guish the muffied forms of the sentries
as they paced their beats. There was
small strip of woods that ran to
within hundred or less yards Of the
Federal camp, and In this we formed
for the attack. Ny hands were so
cold that | was unable to cock ths
hammers Of my revolvers with my
thumb, but was compelled 10 effect II
with my teeth, holding the pistol be.
tween my numbed Hsts ana drawing
back the hammer by gripping II IN my
teeth and pulling It back until II
caught
"At length all was in readiness Al
sat there, barely able TO grasp my
revolvers. the Charger rang out. and
the next moment we were IN the mids,
Of the enemy. who were too astouuded
at an attack on such bitter night Il
offer much resistance and for the mos
part fed down to Harpers Ferry b
the main body. Some Of them. bow
ever, put up q stout fight for mer
awakened from warm sleep to fight t
the death In the bitter night air. ant
for a couple Of minutes we had all ",
could do. but II was soon over. ans
we were IN possession Of the camp.
-When | came to myself found
vss sitting with one leg thrown owe
the pummel Of my saddle. my over
coat and Jacket iung wide open. Will
my shirt opened to the last button
allowed q grateful zero zephyr 70 pla.
upon my bare sweating breast. 1
my hand. from which had pulled tn
glove. moist with sweat. | was hold
ing my hat. with which was vieos
ousiy tanning myself
sAns less than five minutes before
had been 90 chilled that had hecn 4
Z comfortable house with q physical
ut hand be would have 6lled me fu'
Of bot drinks. wrapped me 10 blanket
and kept me In bed couple of days.
No concluded the veteran. -