Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-04-05
CHAPTER XXI.
The Battle In the Shenandoah.

The Battle In the Shenandoah.
To me 1t has always seemed re-
markab that after all my other bat
tie MISREPRESENTATION, Gettys-
burg. the Wilderness, ay! ever in
Guiding 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 SUI
premacy in the Shenandoah. Every
minute detail Of the conflict, at
least so far as 1 CHANGED to be a
lersonal participant, rises before me
as l write, and I doubt not I could
trace to-day each step taken pom that
stricken field.
The r~eveille had not sounded when
/ 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 a sentry
leaning upon his gun, oddly distorted
in form by the enveloping mist
Directly in advance OF where we
rested, a long hill sloped gently up
ward for perhaps a hundred yards, its
crest topped with a thick growth of
young oak-trees, yet seemingly devoid
OF u~nderbrush. 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
hindered, until l 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 ST.
lent, unvexed sea. But directly across
from where l stood, apparently along
the summit of another chain of low
hills similar to those W. occupied, l
could perceive the flames of numerous
camp-fires leaping up into sudden
radiance, while against the brighten
ing sky a great flag lazily tapped its
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 I was Illus enabled to trace dis
tinctly those advanced lines opposing
US. Experience told ms their position
must be a strong one. and their force
heavy.
AS I turned to mark our 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
II by magic. to those motionless forms.
and almost in q moment all below me
became astir, and l could clearly
distinguish the various 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 ST gently for
ward. while the hill crest was so
thickly crowned with trees. It looked
an ideal position from which to
advance in line Of attack Upon my
right there appeared 4 break in the
solidity of our uEe. but ave as l
noted it, wondering at the oversight,
the dense front CT an infantry column
debouched from q ravine and, march
ing steadily forward. filled the gap.
! could distinctly mark the wearied
manner In which the men composing
II 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
asunder here and there BY little spits
OF fire, and It was curious to OBJ
serve how those quick spiteful darts