The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-01-04
CHAPTER XXI.
The Battle in the Shenandoah.

To me it has always seemed re-
markab that after all my other bat
tie periences-Antietam Gettys-
burg, the Wilderness, ay! even in!
Guiding 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 | CHANGED to be a
! ersonal participant, rises before me
as | write, and ! doubt not | could
trace today each step taken upon that
stricken field.
The reyeille 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 sentry
leaning upon his gun oddly distorted
in form by the enveloping mist.
tn, ~ hnr
rested, 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 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, 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. Ii was like gazing
down from some headland into ST.
lent, unyexcd sea. But directly across
from whore | stood apparently along
the summit Of another chain of low
hills similar to those we occupied. |
could perceive the flames of numerous
campiires leaping up INTO sudden
radiance, while aganst the brighten
ing sky "A great flag lazily Tapped its
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 | gaaed, other fires burst forth to
left and right, as far as the unaided
eye could carry through the gloom,
and ! was thus enabled 10 trace dis.
tinctls those advanced lines opposing
us. Experience told mo their position
must be strong one, and their force
heavy.
AS turned To mark o." own forma
ton the roll of drums rang out
" nile the qnickening notes of the
of s.un,bering men Life returned as
II by magic, to those motionless forms,
ynd almost in moment all below me
became astir. and could clearly
distinguish the variol. branches of
the ser ice, as they stretched away
c0mmingled upon either hand We
we're evidently stationed close to the
centre Of our own position The IN
tcrvening ground soped so gently for
ward, while the hill crest was so
thiekly crowned with trees, it looked
an ideal position from which to
advance In line of attack. Upon my
right there appeared "A break in the
spidity Of our line. but even ms |
noted it, wondering al the oversight.
the dense front of an infantry column
debouched from rayine and, march,
Ing steadily forward, filled the gap.
! could distinctly mark the wearied
manner III which the men composing
II flung themselves PROSTATE on the
hard ground the moment they were
halteddoubtless all through the
long hours OF the black night they
had been toiing on TO be In time
Aides were galloping fnriously 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 mo was rent
aGnnder here and there by little spits
III fire. and II was curious TO OBJ
serve how those uuiet sptteful dartx