The St. Mary banner., 1912-03-16

tfem down tenderly beyond the nerce
zone of fire. Then the heavier pieces
Of artillery farther down the line
burst into thunder. and We silently
watched large force Of infantry
move slowly past us up the long slope
until they halted in line Of battle Just
behind its summit. the advanced files
lying flat upon their faces and peer
ing over. But no orders came for us.
Nearly noon By the red sun hiding
behind the drifting powder cloud. The
ever-deerening roar Of ceaseless con-
test had moved westward down tie
valley when an aide wheeled his
smoking horse in front of the Colonel.
spoke a dozen hasty words, pointed
imretuousiy to the left, and dashed
off down the line The men leaped
to their feet in eager expectancy. and
as the Fall in, fall in there, lads
echoed joyously from lip to lip. the
DICED unmistakably the soldier spirit.
We moved westward down the long.
bare slope in the sunshine. through a
half-dozen deserted, desOlate fields.
| and along narrow, rocky defile lead
ing into a deep revine. At the mouth
broad valley. and halted. Just in
front of US. scarcely a halfmile dis
tant. were the fighting lines. partially
enveloped in dense smoke. out from
which broke patches OF blue or gray.
as charge succeeded charge. or the
wind swept aside the fog OF battle.
The firing was one continuous crash.
while plunging bullets. overreaching
their mark. began to chug into our
own ranks. dealing death impartially
to horse and man. The captain Of the
troop next mine wheeled suddenly. a
look Of surprise upon his face. and
fell backward into the arms Of one of
his men; with an intense scream Of
agony. almost human, the horse Of my
first sergeant reared and came over.
crushing the rider before he could
loosen foot from stirrup: the Lieuten
ant-Colonel rode slowly past us to the
rear, his face deathly white, one arm.
dripping blood. dangling helpless at
his side. This was the hardest work
Of war. that silent agony which tried
men in helpless bondage to unyielding
discipline. ! glanced anxiously along
the front Of my troop. but they re-
,.uired no word from me: with tightly
set lips. and pale. stern faces. they
leld their line steady as granite. clos
ing up silently the ragged gaps torn
by plunging balls.
Captain" sale Colgate. riding to
where ] sat my horse. you will see
that the paper gave you reaches
home safe If fail to come out of
this?"
reached over and gripped his hand
Lard.
1T will be the first thing l shall
remember. Jack" l answered earnest
ly. But we may have 1t easy enough
after all-it seems to be an infantry
affair"
He shook his head gravely.
NO." he said. pointing forward.
they will need US now"
As he spoke it seemed as though
the sharp firing upon both sides sud.
Lenly ceased by mutual consent The
terrible roar Of small arms. which had
mingled with the continuous thunder
O. great guns. died away into an In.
termittent rafting of musketry. and
as the heavy smoke slowly drifted up
ward in great white cloud. we could
r.ainly distinguish the advancing
Federal lines. three ranks deep.
stretching to left and right in one
vast. impenetrable blue wall. sweep
ing toward us upon a run. Where but
brief moment before the plain ap-
peared deserted. II was now fairly
alive with soldiery. the sun cleaning
on fixed bayonets. and faces aglow
with the ardor OF surprise. Some one
had blundered! The thin, unsup-
ported line OF gray infantry directly
in our front closed up their shattered
ranks hastily in desperate effort to
stay the rush. We could see them JAM
ming their muskets for volley fire.
and then. with clash and clatter that
drowned all other sounds, battery Of
six black ,uns came flying madly past
us. every horse on the run. lashed
into frenzy by his wild rider. With
carriage and caisson leaping at every
jump. the half-naked. smoke begrimed
cannoneers clinging to tn cir seats like
monkeys. they dashed recklessly for
ward. swung about into position. and
almost before the muzzles had been |
well pointed, were hurling canister
into that blue, victorious advance. |
How those gallant fellows worked! |
their guns leaping into air at each |
discharge. their movements clock
work! Tense. cagel. expectant. every |
hand among us hari gripped on sabre |