The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-12-28
CHAPTER XXI.
Tho Battle In the Shenandoah.

To me 1t has always seemed re-
markab that after all my other bat
tie experiences-Antietam, Gettys-
burg, the Wilderness, ay! even in
cluding that first fierce baptism of
fire at Manassas-no action in which
I ever participated should remain so
clearly photographed upon memory as
this last desperate struggle for su-
premacy in the Shenandoah. Every
minute detail of the conflict, at
least so far as chanced to be a
lersonal participant, rises before me
as l write, and doubt not | could
trace today each step taken upon that
stricken field.
The reveille had not sounded when
l first awoke and, rolling from my
blanket, looked about me. Already a
faint, dim line of gray, heralding the
dawn, was growing clearly defined in
the east, and making manifest those
heavy fog-banks which, hanging dank
and low, obscured the valley. The
tired men of my troop were yet lying
upon the ground, wrapped tightly in
their blankets, oblivious of the deadly
work before them; but | could hear
the horses already moving uneasily at
their picket-ropes, and observed here
and there the chilled figure of sentry
leaning upon his gun, oddly distorted
in form by the enveloping mist.
Directly in advance o. where we
rested, long hill sloped gently up
ward for perhaps hundred yards, its
crest topped with a thick growth Of
young oak-trees, yet seemingly devoid
of underbrush. No troops were
camped in our immediate front, and
feeling curious to ascertain something
of our formation, as we'll as to ex-
anime the lay of the land between US
and the position occupied by the
enemy, walked slowly forward, un-
hindered, until | attained the crest.
The fog yet held the secrets of the
valley safely locked within its brown
hand, and l could penetrate none Of
its mysteries. 1t was like gazing
down from some headland into a ST.
lent, unvexed sea. But directly across
from where l stood, apparently along
the summit of another chain of low
hills similar to those we occupied,
could perceive the flames of numerous
camp-fires leaping up into sudden
radiance, while against the brighten
ing sky a great flag lazily flapped its
folds to the freshening breeze. Evi-
IDENTIFY our opponents were first astir.
and the headquarters of some division
Of the enemy must be across yonder.
AS l gazed, other fires burst forth to
left and right, as far as the unaided
eye could carry through the gloom,
and l was thus enabled to trace dir
tinctly those advanced lines opposing
us. Experience told mo their position
must be a strong one, and their force
heavy.
AS turned to mark our own formar
ton, the roll Of drums rang out,
while the quickening notes of the
reveille sounded down the long lines
of slumbering men. Life returned. as
If by magic, to those motionless forms,
and almost in q moment all below me
became astir, and could clearly
distinguish the varioL; branches OF
the service, as they stretched away
commingled upon either hand. We
were evidently stationed close to the
centre of our own position. The in
tervening ground sloped so gently for
ward, while the hill crest was so
tiickly crowned with trees, it looked
an ideal position from which to
advance in line of attack. Upon my
right there appeared a break in the
solidity of our line, but even as
noted it, wondering at the oversight,
the dense front of an infantry column
debouched from a ravine and. march
ing steadily forward, filled the gap.
could distinctly mark the wearied
manner in which the men composing
1t flung themselves prostrate on the
hard ground the moment they were
halted-doubtless all through the
long hours Of the black night they
had been toiling on to be In time.
Aides we're galloping furiously now
among the scattered commands. The
obscuring fog slowly rose from off
the face Of the valley. but all the
central portion remained yelled from
view. Suddenly, as watched. the
brown cloud beneath me was rent
aSunder here and there By little Bpits
Of fire. and It was curious to OBJ
serve how those quick spitefui darts