The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-05-12
,uAprER xxvII-contInued'

llsy Soorways, each man fighting
me-. used gun and revolver. In
"a mist before me were black
mes. hateful faces, Twice ! lost
and fell. but was up again, front.
,Som stepped on dead bodies,
NOD IN pools Of blood; falling men
sssd me to stagger; a slug Of lead
Z burning through my shoulder; a
.,,lng knife blade ripped my fore
= rbad no time, no room, in which
reload. my hands gripped the hot
nine barrel. and 1 swung the stock
b fail.
l,sb by inch they won through the
~. We could kill, but not stop them.
a they hurled US back, stumbling
Z, ,be dead, Clambering across over
,oed benches, but unable to stem the
,,sasing tide. We we're all together
or-Harwood, WhartOn-the sole
,,dhl left and we made fight Of it.
hest we could There was mo-
ants pause, the meTest instant In
bch 10 breathe, and my eyes met
H,ToOds. He was naked to the
.st hatless, blood dripping from
y over one eye, the stock Of his car
bis shattered.
.lh gunner Of Staunton," he called
IN, cheeriy, although his voice
aeksd with dryness. Didn't tell
.m 4 you wanted a good time to fine
be cavalry"
forward, men, forward" 1t was
gOIS voice. although | saw nothing of
Am "Once more, end It's over with
onardI"
Now lads, meet them!" burst out
Harvcod About me, Third Kentucky
here they comet"
They drove US In so as to encircle
hi yet the tumble of benches served
!, some protection to our rear. Per-
haas the fact that there were Yankees
hstveen Us and the pulpit prevented
adns for we met hand to hand In a
1nlh grapple. have seen battles,
nj nothing like that; II was as though
beasts Of the jungle fought; men strug,
lied with naked hands, struck death
blows fred into each others faces
tnmped over Writhing bodies, ours.
rg or yelling defiance as they fell
I've scarcely knew friend from foe
bIe from gray. cannot even tell
what occurred to myself in those
6athes8 moments. | know | fought
nsdly, blindiy-again and again
sweeping a space clear with my
Weapon hands gripped my throat, my
bait, and tore loose; fingers clutched
d ny legs but | kicked free. | was
Conscious Of blows, of wounds:
nay when HarwOOd fell, and wa!
hmpled under foot; ! heard others
Tam, ! saw the hated face OF Anst
CcBan In the ruCk and leaped fol
bin, but whom my mad blow struck
could not tell, Some rush, some quicl
pressure Of bodies, hurled me side
EIe caught me In a wise; | trippeC
over a dead man, staggered to my fee
tlan. ! got footing on the pulpi
platform, and held 1t for an instant
my gun-barrel crashing into the mas!
q faces below. Wharton joined me
Z bull mad with rage; saw him REM
De pulpit stand from the floor ant
A1Fl 1 with all his strength into thu
ntk Then twenty hands gripped him
hauling him down, a dubbed muske
descended, and the sergeant pitches
Onward like log Of wood. There wa
lhol the blow OF a rife barrel, ant
vent down, the very breath Of LII
seemingly Knocked out of me.
liell on the platform, back Of Wheru
A pulpit desk had stood, and a bod.
Y across me- II | lost consciousness
was Tor no more than an instant, ye
y whole body felt numbed and use
sA could scarcely move my finger
unclasp them from the gun barrel
w. every breath | drew was In pain
suI realized all that happened, dis
tuSned voices, and the shutting o
~ % the puncheon floor. / hear
y shouting orders, as the mad hui
eVb ceased
mats enOughl That's enough
-@' It's all over with. Here. sci
..aN round up those prisoners; Co.
~" 'here are few enough of tn
~ devils left. Guard those able {
'1A outside. Now, Herzog, carry tn
'uuuded over here. What? Why. O
saOlse, you idiot, we are not sayages-
.0's fellows fought like men, and ar
y treated deCently. No distinction
49, you Let the dead lie wher
are I'll daylight, but don't oveI
NJ. ~ wounded man. Where's Cowan
'Oes anybody known
SHOT, sir; hes here in this NIL
eneEhsre"
zee L the fellow Is alive. Who 1
V heutenantr
n, am sir my names Kelly"
49,, wen get your damn crew of scour
Ou' OF here, what's left of then
4, ,Oa hear! This is soldier worI
~ want you fellows outside"
y. w . used US all right when tina
y -, aSAtin' ter do"
'aats enough Kalv = a,5,,,1- -