Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-02-07
CHAPTER XXI.
The Battle in the Shenando ali.

To me it has always seemed re-
markab that after all my other bat
tie experiences-Antietam, Gettys-
burg, the Wilderness, ay! even in
Guiding 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 l CHANGED to be a
lersonal participant, rises before me
as I write. and I doubt not l 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 q
faint, dim line Of gray, heralding the
dawn. was growing clearly defined il
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 l could hear
the horses already moving uneasily at
their ptcket-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 a hundred yards, its
crest topped with 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 l attained the crest,
The fog yet held the secrets of tho
valley safely locked within it's 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 IF another chain of low
hills similar to those we occupied, l
could perceive the flames of numerous
camr-fires leaping up into sudden
radiance. white agains. the brighten
Ing sky great flag lazily flapped it's
folds to the freshening breeze. Evil
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 | was thus enabled to trace dis
tinctly those advanced lines opposing
us. Experience told me their position
must be 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 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 so
tiickly crowned with trees, it 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 I
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 wearied
manner in which the men composing
it flung themselves PROSTATE 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 were 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
acunder here and there by. little splits
Of fire, and it was curious to OBJ
serve how those quick anttafM darts