Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1911-05-26
WAR WARM WORK
The Phrase "Heat OF Battle" Not
a Mere Figure Of Speech.
FIRES THE BLOOD.
An Old Veterans Story of an early
Morning Attack In Zero Weather and
the Change the skirmish Wrought In
His Half Frozen Body.


the Change the skirmish Wrought In
His Half Frozen Body.
"The expression hear of battle IL
more than mere poetic figure OF
speech descriptive OF the fierce glow OF
emotion the soldier feels when In the
aidst of conflict" said southern sol
dier who was an otii'A under Colonel
Mosby. st 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 some
hundred of us. was camped near Up.
peryilIe. a village I'm Virginia about
thirty miles south Of Harpers Ferry.
Late one afternoon our leader received
q dispatch from General Lee to make
forced march that night and attack
q body OF Federal troops that was sta
toned on I.Oudon heights, which over
look Harpers Ferry, The weather was
bitter cold. the coolest that had been
known In that section for many years
The mercury was coquetting around
zero, six inch fall of snow. half melt
ed and frozen again. made the roads
almost impossible, and tiff north
wind. added to these other evils. made
the outlook for pleasant dash OF
thirty miles u most dlsmally improbr
able one.
"It was about sunset when, mutiied
10 the eyes against the biting frost and
bitter wind, our column left camp at
Upperville For the first ten miles our
squadron. made up OF veterans Injured
to all manner Of hardships, did not
suffer much, aad occasionally some one
would even essay joke. But In the
second ten miles the cold, that had
slowly eaten Its way through overcoat
aud jncket and shirt, began TO bite into
our bodies. To restore life TO our numb
legs we would take our feet from the
stirrnps and let them hang until the
circulation was restored-an old trick
with those compelled to ride much In
the cold-and we would keep our
hands and arms Ia some maasures
warm by beating them against our
bodies or clapping them severely to-
gether
"The second ten was bad enough, u
say, but the last was--well, q polar
nightmare. The vitality seemed to'be.
frozen out OF man and beast For
hours the horses stumbled through
the snow bearing troop as silent as
the dead save for an occasional
humping of some poor DEVILS half
frozen arms against his side as be
sought to restore life to the deadened
limbs. When | took my feet out Of
the stirrups to help the circulation
would have to take my hands 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 distin,
guish the muffled 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. My hands were 90.
cold TINT ! was unable to cock the.
hammers OF my revolvers with my
thumb. but was compelled to effect ie
with my teeth, holding the pistol be
tween my numbed flsts and drawing
back the hammer by gripping II In my
teeth and pulling II back until it
caught
AT length all was In readiness AZ.
I sat there. barely able to grasp my
rasolvers. the Charger rang out. and
the next moment we were 10 the midst
OF the enemy. who were too astounded.
at an attack on such bitter night to
offer much resistance and for the most
part fed down to Harpers Ferry %
the main body. Some of them. how
ever. put up stout fght FOR men
awakened from warm sleep 20 iigni 10
the death In the bitter night air. ana
for couple Of minutes we had all re
could do. but II was soon over. and
We we're 10 possession Of the camp.
when | came to myself I found
was sitting with one leg thrown over
the pumnel Of my saddle. my over
coat and jacket flung wide open. while
my shirt. opened to the last buftos.
SLOWED a grateful zero zephyr TO play
upon ny bare sweating breast IN.
ny hand. from whirh had pulled The
glove. moist with sweat, ! was hoId
ing my bat. with which ! was vigor
eusls tanning myself.
and less than five minutes before
had been so chilled that had | been IN
comfortable house with a physician
az hand be would hare hiled me. fuil
Of bot drinks. wrapped me IN htankets
and kept me IN bed a counle Of dsy<
! No concluded The veteran. -the'
i heat Of battle d something more
than . mere fienre Of speech. s-Fe~
F..<A Ftssszss