The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-01-01

'front.' OF the opposite door. lnrOu&n
this opening and the narrow window
beyond. got a glimpse outside--at a
black mass OF mel sweeping straight
toward ug. their guns cleaning
yiciously. their voices echoing in saw
age shout. II was a mere glimpse. an
internal vision. and. almost at the same
instant they came crashing against the
shattered door, beating II down with
their gun'stocks. and leaping through
into the maze OF overturned benches
littering the yestibule. The door fell In
splinters How they got through that
tangle OF death know not. Into their
very faces we poured our fire--our
own men, caught within the narrow
space. striking al them with dubbed
guns-but they were too many 20 be
held. Over the dead poured the tor.
rent OF living. firing, cursing. striking.
jamming the few gray-jackets against
the inner wall, and In two resistless
streams. hurting themselves against
both vestibule doors.
Wedged in the portals. saw all this
so clearly that each detail stands out
in memory-the Infatuated faces. the
falling bodies. the disfguring blood
stains. the savage CLINT OF steel Those
who came first were not soldiers
they were Cowan's men. gaunt, rough
fellows. bearded and dirty. their fierce
curses sounding above the uproar.
And they fought like fends, driven by
Cowan's voice, and pressed remorse-
lessly forward by the cavalrymen be-
hind. / saw him once, blood spot on
his cheek. and | fired over the heads
OF those between us, but though he
fell, he came to his feet again and was
swept 10 one side by the rush OF men.
saw all this, and no more; 1t was
like a flash on the screen--and then
everything became an indistinct blur.
They were upon us. jammed In the
narrow doorways. each man fighting
for life. l used gun and revolver. In
the red mist before me were black
shapes, hateful faces. Twice / lost
foot and fell. but was up again. front
ing them. i stepped on dead bodies.
slipped in pools of blood; falling men
caused me to stagger; a slug OF lead
tore burning through my shoulder; a
glancing knife blade ripped my fore
arm. had no time, no room. in which
to reload; my hands gripped the hot
carbine barrel. and ! swung the stock
like fail
Inch by inch they won through the
door; we could kill. but not stop them,
and they hurled us back, stumbling
over the dead. clambering across over
turned benches, but unable to stem the
increasing tide. We were all together
now--Harwood, Wharton-the sole
handful left, and we made fight OF Il,
the best we could. There was a mo-
ment's pause, the merest instant in
which to breathe, and my eyes met
Harwood's. He was naked TO the
waist. hatless. blood dripping from a
cut over one eye. the stock OF his car
bine shattered.
"Ah, gunner of Staunton," he called
out cheerily, although his voice
cracked with dryness. Didn't tell
you II you wanted a good time to jine
the cavalry"
Forward, men. forward" II was
Foy's voice, although saw nothing OF
him. "Once more. and it's over with
forward"
Now, lads, meet theml" burst out
Harwood. About me- Third Kentucky
here they comet"
They drove us in so as TO encircle
us, yet the tumble of benches served
as some protection 20 our rear. Per.
haps the fact that there were Yankees
between us and the pulpit prevented
Z firing for we met hand to hand in
death grapple | have seen battles,
yet nothing like that II was as though
beasts OF the jungle fought men strug.
gled with naked hands, struck death
blows. fred into each others faces,
trampled over writhing bodies, ours
ing. or yelling defiance as they fell.
We scarcely knew friend from foe.
blue from gray. / cannot even tell
what occurred TO myself In those
breathless moments. / know fought
madly, blindly-again and again
sweeping a space clear with my
weapon; hands gripped my throat, my
hair, and ! tore loose; fingers clutched
at my legs. but kicked free was
conscious OF blows, OF wounds;
knew when Harwood fell, and was
trampled under foot; heard others
scream; saw the hated face OF Anse
Cowan in the ruck and leaped for
him. but whom my mad blow struck /
could not tell. Some rush. some quick
pressure OF bodies. hurled me side
wise. caught me IN wise: / tripped
over dead man. staggered TO my feet
again. got footing on the pulpit
platform and held II for an instant.
my gun-barrel crashing into the mass
OF faces below. Wharton joined me.
a bull mad with rage; I saw him rend
the pulpit stand from the floor and
hurl II with all his strength into the
ruck Then twenty hands gripped him.
II n u. -.