The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-01-30

batteries, echoed back in terrific splendor.
The blow for liberty had been struck.
Every face was blanched, every brow was
knit. The carnival of death had been
ushered in with the cruel roar OF cannon,
and the rattle of still more cruel musketry.
The great decisive battle in the tremendous
struggle for our independence was about
to be fought. The fate of struggling
nation, whose prowess on the field of bat
tie had dazzled wondering world, whose
arms had never yet known defeat, hung on
the issue of that day.
Above the rattle of the muskets and the
shrieking shell came the order to move
forward "Forward!" "Forward -
rang down the lines from the regimentals,
and the brigade moved out upon the might
lest battlefield this continent had ever
known.
| In front of the brigade lay an open plane
some three hundred yards in width across
which they must charge the line behind
the turnpike.
s'Charge!'' and then that yell which has
baffled all description, born on the glorious
field of Manassas, reverberated back from
the valley of the Shenandoah, swelling in
its tremulous grandeur along that blood
despatched plane which stretched, alas to
Appomatox, it can not be told, it can not
be written. Conception of hope, heroic
inspiration of patriotism chivalrlc, the
heart-swell of ga storm Graded nation
that fell,' it burst forth like the glorious
dawn of our morning and faded away like
a song that is sung with the twilight OF our
hopes.
/ On they charged. The heights beyond
Numbered with the savage roar of artillery
The turnpike blazed in one lived glare Of
death. The New York Zouaves, dressed
in bright red uniforms, held the ground
behind the turnpike, and were charged by
Carter.
From the Peach Orchard a battery OF six
guns belched screaming shells and shrap-
mel through the ranks of the advancing
column, moving them down like wheat
before the sickle.
The gallant Stamps, leading the left wing
of the regiment, sword in hand, fell on the
, very threshold of the battle with bullet
through his heart. Like the wild breakers
on wide and wilder ocean they dashed
across the open field against the turnpike.
! The Red Zouaves in front began to waver.
3 "Charge!" cries Carter, in his voice the
ring of glorious victory. Another yell,
another dash of the desperate whirlwind,
another struggle for supremacy, the red
glare of another deadly volley, and the
t Red Zouaves gave way. Brave, indeed.
Y was the stand they made, but they had
! fought "not wisely but too WE'LL" for ere
:. their shattered remnant reached the ravine
- at the base of the ridge the field was liter
g ally red with their slain Carter, alas, lay
dead on the turnpike.
in the order
+ swing to the left swept the turnpike anc
, pressed forward into the bloody Peach Or.
= chard. Here he met the enemy's SECOND
line, and was swept by the deadly fire O
q the six gun battery. The dashing Gibson
= than whom no knightlier ever drew sword
: fell with shattered thigh. "Charge tina
: battery!' and they charged it,
g routed, riven,
- Reeled the foemen's proud array;
They had struggled hard and striven,
Blood in torrents they had given,
n But their ranks dispered and driven,
e Fled in sullenness away.
er Emerging from the Peach Orchard int
r, the open plateau beyond he discovers
= that the brigades to Barksdale's right ha'
> been held in check by the enemy.
ie Off to the right some 800 yards anothe
,. battery was thrown in position to enfilad
I'd his column. In flash Fright wheel
l. charged rang above the roar Of the bat
10 tie, and with the rattle of muskets, the clan
of bayonets and the shouts of victor
ze Winslow's Massachusetts Battery fell
lie prize to the sons of Mississippi. Still tn
~ battle ragged. The Federal general, Ora
ham, retreated across Plum Run and raj
g, lied his line behind battery 1000 fee
I'd away beyond the ravine.
d. If that battery can be silenced and Ora
lis ham routed again, the enemy's line will
We completely severed. If severed, victory
:" ours. Mayhap in this charge hangs tn
e. history of the Confederacy. What
1g thought What moment! The comman
er is given and the regiment moves forwar
I'D to the ravine and under its shelter reform
in line Of battle. Up the other side, o,
lg upon the plateau at the base of the ridg'
n they advance for the last and most despe1
ate charge. Sickles rode to the front
as encourage his men to resist the impendin
on onslaught. Up the slope the Mississippiar
r. advanced, undaunted by the bursting she
ed or the screaming minies.
A Trimmed by the storm which swept dow
he with such terrific fury from the ridge, tt
en- advancing line staged and began to wave
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