Year: 1863

tie of Malvern Hill, the final scene iii the
drama enacted before
the beleagured city of Richmond, which, !
commencing with the last day of Spring,
:,t ihe Seven Pines. and marking each |
day with bloody incidents in skirmis hes
or battle, closed in the darkness Of night |
on the 1S of July, leaving our valiant /
army the master of the field, and may |
alas cold and stark in the .embrance of |
the master Of us all-Dsath
One of the actors in the scene, in the
humble capacity of private lay upon
comfortable bed at the house of friend
in the city, two days after the fight.


Z. Chester Fielding, that was his name,
had passed unscratched through every
battle in which the Army Of Northern
Virginia had been engaged. He was all
the afternoon before the enemy's bate
ries at Malvern Hill and, though the can
mister tore up the ground by his side,
and bursting bombs and shrapnel show
cred their fragments and bullets around
him; though comrades who lay next to
him were killed or wounded, some even
whilst they spoke to him, yet he'was un-
harmed. He fired until the darkness
closed about the enemy and their posi-
ton could be only discoverc from the
occasional flashing of gun. The smoke
hung around the field, or wound in wreaths
through the wood every object was be-
coming involved in ebscurity but the
firing still went on, the frightful din be-
ing now and then heightened by the
bursting of an enormous shell from the
xunboats. Chester had reloaded his
musket, though it had become so foul
from frequent firing that he could hardly
get the bullet down; but seeing nothing
to fire at except dim masses of smoke,
he looked afuund to observe as much to
his next neighbour when; to his surprise,
he found himself alone. He knew moth
ing of the result of the fight. He had
lain down when he was ordered, and had
fired as long as he could see anything to
fire at, and had noticed the withdrawal
of his company, which had been deploy-
ed III advance of the regiment to which
it was attached


ger, and so dizzy and stunned by the con-
tinual explosions which had filled the air
for the whole time, that he hardly knew
which course to take to rejoin his COM
panions.


Shots continued to fall about him as
he slowly and cautiously walked back to
the wood from which his regiment had
gone into action. As he neared the wood,
congratulating himself that he had es-
. capped such frightful peril as that to which
he had been exposed, he remembered
that his musket was still loaded. He
turned toward. the enemy; or where he
supposed them to be, levelling his piece
carelessly,. and had scarcely fred when
he felt jar in his left wrist, and the
musket was knocked violently from the
grasp of that hand.


AT lastp he said aloud.


Who goes there? halt! came from
the thicket near by.


Friend in distreSsp answered Ches-
ter, almost too much taken up in trying
by the uncertain light, to discover th'
extent of his wound, to answer the chal
lsnge. The order from his challenges
to advance aroused him, however
when it suddenly struck him that h,
might have struggled into the enemy's
lines, and that it was necessary to u.s.
SOIuc OOlOlO RubLiuS
in the power Of the unknown and un.
seen person who challenged him.. For
getting his wound as this new DANCE
presented itself, Chester bethought him
self of what hee should do in case tn
. man in the thicket should prove an enc
my lie regretted bitterly that he ha
discharged his musket, not only becaus
he would have escaped being wounded
and bad wound it might prove to be-
Ou. because he was at disadvantag
with his empty gun, and he, could M
make O movement towards loading


without being seen by the person, frien
or foe. ....|-


Of course but q moment was occupie
in resolveinS the matter in his mind, an


before Chester had come to any plan


action the voice in the bushes cried ou


EFF you ar a friend in distress thro


down your gun and come in"


.. But who are you ? inquired Cheste


Never mind bout who am, you je


throw down that gun or you're gol


chicken; I've got bead draw'd on y


now


On this pleasant fact being announce


Chester saw that there was no time
parleying, but he shrewdly suspect


from the dialect that he was going