The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-12-28
CHAPTER XXI.
The Battle in the Shenandoah.

To me II has always seemed re-
markable that after all my other bat
tie periences-Antietam, Gettys-
burg, the Wilderness, ayl even in
cluding that first fierce baptism of
fire at Manassas-no action in which
l 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
personal participant, rises before me
as / write, and | doubt not | could
trace to-day 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 I could hear
the horses already moving uneasily at
their picket-ropes, and observed here
and there the chilled figure Of a sentry
leaning upon his gun, oddly distorted
In form by the enveloping mist
Directly in advance Of 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
oamped 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 It's brown
hand, and I could penetrate none of
its mysteries. II was like gazing
down from some headland into a ST.
lent, unvexed sea. But directly across
from where / stood, apparently along
the summit Of another chain Of low
hills similar to those we occupied. l.
could perceive the flames of numerous
camp-fires leaping up into sudden
radiance, while against the brighten.
ing sky great flag lazily flapped It's
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 | gazed, other fires burst forth to
left and right, as far as the unaided
eye could carry through the gloom,
and | wss thus enabled to trace dis
tinctly those advanced lines opposing
US. Experience told me their position
must be a strong one, and their force
heavy.
AS turned to mark our own forma-
tion, the roll OF drums rang out,
while the Quickening notes Of the
reveille sounded down the long lines
| of slumbering men. Life returned, as
II by magic, to those motionless forms,
and almost In a moment all below me
became astir. and l could clearly
| ulbllHBulbn inc NhTlOub DIduCucb VI
the service as they stretched away
oommingled upon either hand. We
were evidently stationed close to the
centre of our own position. The In
tervening ground sloped 80 gently TOR
ward, while the hill crest was SC
thickly crowned with trees, 1t looked
an ideal position from which to
advance In line OF attack. Upon my
right there appeared 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 ravine and, march
Ing steadily forward, filled the gap
could distinctly mark the weariet
manner In which the men composing
II flung themselves PROSTATE on thu
hard ground the moment they wer'
halted--doubtles all through thu
long hours of the black night the!
had been toiling on TO be In tims.
ITO Be Continued)