The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-01-10

me. how quiet and commonplace ev.
erything appeared down there in the
| hills.
what has become Of Bungayf" j
questioned OF Coigats. who was lying
upon his back with eyes fastened
on floating cloud.
DO you mean the little mountaineer
who came in with us last nightr
nodded.
"oh, his mule bolted at the first
shot over yonder. and the little fellow
10 after It. He's down the field there
somewhere" M
How time dragged The battery 10
left Of US went into action. and began
firing rapidly; we could mark the
black figures Of the cannoneers at the
nearer guns. outlined against the sky
o-er the crest. as they moved quick
ly back and forth. Twice they bore
motionless bodies to the rear. and laid
them down tenderiy beyond the fierce
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 fits 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-deepening roar OF ceaseless con-
test had moved westward down the
valley, when an aide wheeled his
smoking horse In front o. the Colonel.
spoke dozen hasty words. poin I'd
fmr etuouBly to the left and dasf I'd
of down the line. The men leaped
70 their feet in eager expectancy. AID
AZ the Fall in. fall in there. lads"
ecined joyously from Up to lip. the
kir,lIng eyes and raj q movements
roiscd unnistakabiy the soldier spirit
We moved westward down the long.
,are slope in the sunshine. through a
ialf-dozen deserted. desolate fields,
ind along narrow. rocky defile lead
ng into deep resine. Al the mouth
" the ravine We came forth into the
broad valley. and halted. Just in
ron. Of VI. scarcely half-mile dis
ant. were the fighting lines. partially
snyeioped In dense smoke, out from
which broke patches Of blue or gray,
ls charge succeeded charge. or the
wind swept aside the fog of battle.
rhe firing was one continuous crash,
while Blunsing bullets, overreaching
their mark. began 10 chug into our
own ranks. dealing death impartiaIly
10 horse and man. The captain OF the
troop next mine wheeled suddenly. q
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
tbe front OF my troop. but they 70
red no word from me; with tightly
lips. and pale. stern faces. they
I'D their line steady as granite. clos
{ up silently the ragged gaps torn
plunging balls.
Captain" SAID Colgate. riding to
mare / sat my horse, you will see
lat the paper gave you reaches
some safe II fail to come out of
fhiaf"
I reached over and srippsd his hand
hard.
1T win DO the first thing shall
remember. Jack" I answered earnest
". But We may have II eaay enough
after ali-it Seems to be an infantry
affair"
He shook his head gravely.
mo-" he said. pointing forward.
''they win need " now"
As he spoke Il seemed as though
the sharp firing upon both sides sud
denly ceased By mutual consent. The
terrible roar Of small arms, which had
mingled. with the continuous thunder
Of great guns. died away into an In
tsrmittsnt rafting Of musketry. and
a. the heavy smoke slowly drifted up
ward In great white cloud. we could
plainly distinguish the advancing
Federal lines. three ranks deep,
stretching to lsft and right in one
vast. impenetrabie blue wall. sweep
ing toward us upon run Whore but
Q brief moment before the plain ap-
peared deserted. Il was now fairly
alive with soidiery. The sun cleaning
on fixed bayonnts. and faces aglow
with the ardor Of surprise. Some one
had blunderedi 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 muslets for volley fire,
and then. with clash and clatter that
drowned all other sounds. battery Of
six black guns came flying madly past
US, every horse On the run. dashed
into frenzy By his Wild rider. With
carriage and caisson leaping at every
Jump, the halfnalpsd, amoks-begrimod
cannonoors clinRinlsto their seats Mo