The Washington times., 1913-08-18

denly INTO the an AiOi t-'
= crest Of the other hill and
was as quickly blown aside in a great
white cloud. The report of the dls-
charge came family TO them; men
there was a nearer sound, a oulI, hot ! :
bile. sickening thud. the scream vi q
horse The colonel of one OF the req
ts noi shot into the air and fell back
with the horse, both killed by the sono
shot The men of the Second Brigaue
saw II plainly. a shiver ran through
the lines. vet there was reheI III ~
too The Yankees had begun now !.
was real fighting. There was as,Io2 nIISI,eS
surge forward IN answer "
.tSteadT steady" came warning
voices from the rear of the lines
Tbe men clamped their jaws together
and instinctively quickened their step.
In another moment they Would De 3ul uI
of hand on the run, ana Ile 'l''o ''t
that had not yet come ~
"RaCk there. back there. Dress on
the coIors,' cried the sergeants. Step.
STEM they shouted in the OLD 1arhiHar
wav as If on practice march.
Another roar came from the batteries
in front as all the guns aloIs lhe iIS ISfS
gave tongue. They were hrlng soma
shot and making great s"P"
Close up. men. close up the ranks!
Dress on the colors! Steady boys'
steady" .,,.,r,
down that valley now. Enough to dis
tort hut not sufficient to obscure. There
was no Concealment possible. no way OF
eecaoe from that hail Of iron sweeping
the hills. nothing to do but 20 on;
straight into the heart OF that ln1ernal
Cataclysm of destruction, TO oppose
fraiI human breasts to lead ana stee!
suddenly the deep apason Of the can
nonade was shattered by sharper SOUNDS
close at hand. These were shells.
long gap. half dozen files 'front.'.
was suddenly ripped out OF Grafton "
company. The survivors reeled IN cos
Ing the rent in the living line. New
bands grasped the colors from a talilns
hearer. And still the great advance
Tent on m a rain of blood and death
But this could not last. Would tnCy
never come to grapple win their enc
mics? Yes. thank God! Belore theHl
rose a series of blue dots-skirmlshers
There was a sudden popping. swapping.
cracking of small arms, sound dlf-
ferent from the thunder of the cannon
ade 1t seemed almost dlculous III tne
greater tumult Yet the sharp staCcato
was murderous. They were just DeyOnd
the F,mmttsburS road. \ word, a yell.
. cheer charge, and the blue dots
Sc. mpered up the hill. Not all or them'
rowever. for many Writhed on the grass
or law quite still. past all fighting for
ever. The gray line trampled over them
reientlessly Their eyes were hNed
ahoye AT the fiame-shOt, smoke-covered
crest They saw nothing OF "hat was
under feet There was some shelter
across the road in the little raVine.
Thank God for 1t! The line plunged lot
II, reached Il. halted painting. They mad
come two-thirds of the way-Come with
a fearful loss and the worst part was
still before them. The line was rectired
and Strengthened out, the men closed
in and made ready for tinal dash
II had been bad enough before, yet
what had passed was as nothing to
u hat was 10 come. The Confederate
guns were in a continuous roar behind
them. Yet the Federal cannon fire had
slaCkened. although now the rifles
blazed a continuous death rattle from
the intrenChments they were facing.
They knew the reason FOR the sudden
silence of the cannon; they knew that
every smoking gun would be charged
To the muzzle with the deadliest projec-
tile then known to man. canister That
So soon as they apeapred out OF their
last cover each gun would make of their
bodies a target What of that? That
was TO be expected. Battles are not
Won without death. A sunny Southland
for whose liberties we fight. we who
ar. about to die, salute youi
Belts are frightened. guns were loOke
to impedimenta were thrown aside
Hands gripped tighter the flaEstaffs.
The quick breath came moro quickly,
hearts beat faster 'Forward," The
hoa rse words ran along their contracted
lines Like the dragon teeth of Cad
mus sowing those Virrini8ns burst out
eral line, 80 near, yet So lar away.