Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-07-17
The Heat OF Battle.

The expression, 'the heat OF battle"
often used by poets and historians, is
usually taken in a figurative sense, and
supposed to refer not 10 the actual tem-
perature of the combatantS, but to The
intense emotional excitement under
which they labor. But veteran OF The
Civil War, who ought TO know, declares
that the heat OF battle is an actual bodily
heat.
at is no mere figure Of SPEECH" says
Capt. Samuel Chapman, who was a
trooper in the battalion OF Col. John s.
Mosby, the famous Confederate cavalry
commander. "On the contrary, in hot
fight, the soldiers are often almost over
powered by the sense OF oppressive
warmth, even in the coldest weather.
81 remember that the second week in
January, 1864, was one OF the coldest
ever known in northern Virginia. A
deep snow preceded the cold spell. At
that time, the Federal troops were in
possession OF Harper's Ferry, at the foot
OF the Shenandoah Valley. They had
pushed their outposts out upon the bills
known as Loudoun Heights, and Colonel
Mosby determined TO attack and drive in
these outposts.
eve met at Upperville, thirty-five
miles south OF Loudoun Heights, about
three O'Clock one bitterly cold afternoon.
There were about two hundred OF US, all
warmly clothed in heavy underwear,
thick flannel shirts, heavy service jackets,
and warm overcoats, heavy trousers,
thick boots, and stout leggings.
"When we took up the line OF march
over the crusty snow, the mercury was
near ero,-a temperature almost unpre-
cedented in that country,-and a cold
north wind blew in our faces. The men
started out gaily, but few miles in the
teeth OF that wind silenced every tongue.
BY the time we had got halfway TO
Loudoun Heights, darkness had fallen,
and the cold grew more severe. We
tried every means to keep the circulation
active in our arms and legs; but when,
about two O'Clock in the morning, We
sighted the enemy's picket fires, and
silently drew up for the attack, had 10
lift my feet back into the stinups with
my hands; my legs were utterly dead 10
all feeling.
"As the whispered order TO draw re-
volvers came down the line,-Ior Mos
by's men used no sabes,-l found that !
could not cock my pistols with my fin
gers. had TO hold Nlem between my
hands, as if my arms were no more hian
stumps, and draw back the hammer with
my teeth until il caught.
1--WE sat a moment, literally frozen,
waiting for the word. Then came the
order, 'ChargeP and with wild yell, we
swept down upon the sleeping enemy's
camp. OF course il was an uneven fight.
Even The best OF soldiers cannot fight
unless in formation, and these poor fel-'
lows, reused suddenly from dreams by.
the crack OF The revolver and the yells OF
our men, could make only slight resist
ance, and either surrendered, or sought
safety in flight.
GAS the firing ceased, ! found myself
sitting with my leg flung over the horn
of my saddle. and the hot blood puhsiDg
through my toes. My overcoat was
thrown open, my jacket flung wide, my
flannel shirt and undershirt unbuttoned,
and my bare breast, wet with sweat, was
cooling in The icy blast. was even fan
ming my dripping face with my broad
brimmed slouch-hatl Round me others
were doing the same.
"And by actual time, il had been less
than three minutes since Colonel MosbY
had given the order, 'ChargeP to his
frozen battalion"
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