Year: 1866

The Battle Field.


VIVID DESCRIPTION OF ITS HORRORS.
People often wonder how one feels in bat.
tie. All men are not affected alike. Some
are cool, determined and courageous; some
lose all judgment, and will, single.hand,
rush upon hundreds; others are entirely
unnamed, tremble like aspens, seem dead
to every emotion of honor or feeling Of
shame, and will stink into coverts or run
from the field. Lord Forth, in the Crimean
war, is an instance If skirmishers engage
prior to a general battle, and desultory
fire is kept up for while, one becomes
used to it, and, as the battle warns, it fire.
quently becomes exciting, and men who
tremble at the first few shots, now rush on
like heroes. I remember we'll my feeling
during the first battle in which was en-
gagged. The night before we received or
ders to prepare to attack the enemy early
on the morrow. ~


All was now hurry, hustle aDd anxiety.
Guns we're cleaned, ammunition inspected,
straps adjusted, canteens filled, knapsacks
lightened, letters written, We'had several
men in our company who had openly boast
ed of their bravery and prowess-men who
had been "spoiling for fight" as they
said. These we're now still as mice; they
didn't chirp. One of them who had taken
a masters degree in all kinds of profanity,
now borrowed Bible, sat down and read
it for some time, and intimated 70 his mess
mates the propriety of praying before going
to sleep that night. 1t is not your bluster-
ing, profane bravado that is your brave man
on the field of battle-it is your patient,
retiring man.


I confess that feeling Of dread and anx.
iety stole over me. Battle was certain; the
enemy was strongly posted, and we had des.
perate work before US. I wanted to 60 into
battle, yet dreaded it like death. Islept
but little that night. The morning came,
and our columns moved quietly and sterrly
forward through a wood. The first intima-
tion we had of the enemy, was the skirmish-
Ing between his outposts and our vanguard,
the former falling back as the latter advanc.
ed. We passed out of the wood and rap.
idly deployed into line of battle, gradual.
ly slopiDg hill hiding the enemy from our
view. A part of our force had been sent
around to make flank and rear attack on
the enemy, and while so doing, it was of the
utmost importance that we should hold his
attention in the front. We marched stead
lily up the hill till the whole line of the en-
emy burst upon our view; there We halted,
and for some minutes not gun was fired
on either side.


There stood the two armies, each waiting
for the other to begin the work of death.
The faces of our men looked pale and de.
termined some of them looked like statues
or nervous and uneasy. Itwas the time to
test their courage, A line of cannon was
bearing directly upon US. Death to many
of Us was certain. Who will it be z thought
I. A singular feeling came over me, a
confused image of mother and sister ap-
peared fitting and floating before my imag-
ination like dissolving shadows-whlle the
tremendous reality in front opposed me with
dreadful forebodiugs.


A few moments passed, like those that
intervene between drawing the cap over the
criminals face and letting fall the trap, when
puff of smoke shot out from one cannon
followed bya crash, and a shell went scream.
ing over US. Our men ducked their heads
like geese. Fire was now opened upon US
along the enemy's entire line. Their first
shot was aimed too high. They gradually
lowered them. Every discharge brought
their balls fearfully nearer. We we're i'm
patient to return the fire, but dare not till
the command was given. Our Colonel
passed along in front Of the line and urged
Us to stand fru till the proper time, and all
would be ours. It is task to hold men
exposed to the enemy's fire without allow.
ing them to return it. They will run one
way or the other.


The enemy's shot began to howl around
us, plough through our ranks, and tear up
the earth about our feet. A six. pound ball
cut off the bayonet of my mess.mate on my
left; a moment more and one struck him in
the breast, severing him almost in twain.
The hot blood from his heart spirited full in