Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-06-11
HEAT OF BATTLE REAL
is NOT A MERE
FIGURE OF SPEECH.
Confederate Soldier Tells Of the Effect
That Combat Had on Himself and
the other Members of Force
In Engagement.

The heat of battle" of which poets
and rhetorical prose writer's are SO
prone to dwell, is. according TO Capt.
Samuel Chapman, veteran OF the
Civil war, no mere figure Of speech,
but an absolute practical and physical
reality. The men now sweating In the
trenches of the fighting area in Europe
are sweating not only fguratively but
in the actual body, consumed by an
actual, physical heat that only the
fierce fire Of battle can incite.
Capt Chapman, who is now pastor
OF the Baptist church at Covington,
Va, was during the Civil war one OF
the most daring cavalrymen In the
Confederate service. He served in
every campaign in Virginia from the
first battle of Bull Run until three
weeks after Appomattox, never miss
ing a chance to get into a fight. His
commander often said that he would
fight a circular saw. Accordingly his
testimony as to the reality of the heat
of battle is both valuable and timely,
coming as it does when millions are
now engaged in bloody war in western
Europe.
"The heat of battle is no poetic
phrase" said Captain Chapman, when
on visit to Washington recently. 1T
is essentially physical effect brought
about unconsciously by the intense ex-
element Of battle. No man is cool in
battle; he may conceal his feelings,
but his heart is going like q trip-ham-
| t. hot hAA h.
comes intensely heated
Il had a most striking example Of
this in the winter of 1864 Early in
January of that year the command of
Confederate cavalry to which l be-
longed was ordered to make a raid
upon a Union camp of soldiers sta
toned on Loudoun Heights few miles
from Harper's Ferry.
I'VE assembled one afternoon at Up
pervlle, about thirty miles south of
Loudoun Heights-two hundred of us.
1t was the coolest day that the oldest
inhabitant of that country had ever
seen the mercury standing about six
degrees below zero. We started on
The march about three or four o'clock.
As we sailed forth, we broke forth
into song, for we were all well clothed,
having warm boots and overcoats, and
feeling jolly and comfortable.
But, after few miles, the songs
ceased. We found that, despite our
warm clothing, the bitter cold was
penetrating deep into us. Some of US
hung our feet out of the stirrups to
bring back the circulation. Others
slapped their hands against their
sides. In fact, we tried every imag-
Unable way to keep out the deadly
cold, but without avail. When we
reached the vicinity of the Union camp
bout two o'clock in the morning we
were frozen practically stiff. AS we
lined up for the attack, about two
hundred yards from the enemies lines
we had to take our legs in our hands
and lift our feet back in the stirrups,
so entirely numb had feet and legs
become; and when we came to cock
our navy revolvers we found that our
fingers we're too numb to pull back
the hammer So, holding the pistols
between our two hands, as though we
had but stumps of arms. we cooked
the pistols with our teeth
Suddenly, as we sat shiverine
there, the word to 'Charge! was given.
With the yell springing from frozen
lips we dashed forward. In less than
a minute we were in the midst of the
Union camp, shooting right and left
Our attack was such surprise that
the enemy had no chance to make any
resistance, but fed on all sides. The
fight did not last, from the time the
command to charge was given until
every Union soldier was out of range,
more than five minutes.
when l came to myself 1 was sit
ting in my saddle with one leg thrown
: over the pommel, tanning myself With
my hat. My overcoat was thrown
open, as was also the gray jacket be-
meath, and beneath that, the wooden
r undershirt was open down to the last
button, barring my breast to the cool
ing mountain breezes-which at that
, time and altitude must have been close
: on to fifteen degrees below zero. In
a word, was overcome with heat and
; tanning and painted as though 1t was
midday in the dog days. Around me
many of my comrades were engaged
in the same process of cooling them
: selves.
i And barely five minutes before we
: had all been too frozen to cock our
d pistols or lift our feet into the stirrups.
;. THAT VIII give you some idea as to
whether the heat of battle is a mere
figure of speech or a reality"