Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-05-01
CHAPTER XXI.
The Battle In the Shenandoah.

To me II has always seemed re-
markab that after all my other bat
tie characterization, Gettys-
burg, the Wilderness, ay! even in
GLIDING that first fierce baptism of
fire at Manassas-no action in which
ever participated should remain so
clearly photographed upon memory as
this last desperate struggle for SUI
premacy in the Shenandoah Every
minute detail of the conflict, at
least so far as l CHANGED 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
| first awoke and, rolling from my
blanket looked about me- Already a
faint, dim line of gray heraldlng 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 we're 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 of where we
rested, long hill sloped gently up
ward for perhaps hundred yards, its
crest topped with a thick growth of
young oaktrees, yet seemingly devoid
of underbrush. No troops were
camped in our immediate front, and
feeling curious to ascertain something
of our formation, as well as to ex-
anime the lay of the land between us
and the position occupied by the
enemy, | walked slowly forward, I'M
hindered, until attained the crest.
The fog yet held the secrets of the
valley safely locked within its brown
hand, and ! could penetrate none Of
| its mysteries. 1t was like gazing
down from some headland into a 81
! lent unveXed sea. But directly across
from where | 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 tapped it's
! folds to the fTeshening breeze. Evil
| 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 | was thus enabled to trace dis
tinctly those advanced lines opposing
us. Experience told mo their position
must be a strong one, and their force
heavy.
AS turned to mark or own forma-
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 varioU; 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 sc
Tricky crowned with trees, It looked
an ideal position from which tC
advance in line of attack. Upon my
right there appeared a break in the
solidity of our line, but even as
noted 1t, wondering at the oversight
the dense front of an infantry column
debouched from a ravine and march
ing steadily forward, filled the gap
l could distinctly mark the wearieC
manner III which the men composing
it flung themselves PROSTATE on tn,
hard ground the moment they wer'
halted-doubtless all through thu
/ long hours of the black night the!
/ mad been toiling on to be in time.
Aides were galloping furiously nov
among the scattered commands. TIL,
: obscuring fog slowly rose from of
the face Of the valley, but all tn
. central portion remained yelled from
| view. Suddenly, as l watched, tn
brown cloud beneath me was rem
agunder here and there by little spit
, Of fire, and it was curious to OF
! serve how those quick spiteful dart