. Bullet and shell. War as the soldier saw it; camp, march, and picket; battlefield and bivouac; prison and hospital. ss linewith solid shot. Here came our colonels opportunity. As yet we had notfired a bullet; and, though the men no longer stood at theirabsurd parade rest, the line was as steady as if on review. TheConfederate battery was firing obliquely across the wheat-field, and their balls were flying away from us. Dismounting,Colonel Fletcher waved his hat over his head, shouting, — Forward ! double quick ! We saw what was intended, and with a cheer every man A SAVAGE BOUT. 93 sprang fo
. Bullet and shell. War as the soldier saw it; camp, march, and picket; battlefield and bivouac; prison and hospital. ss linewith solid shot. Here came our colonels opportunity. As yet we had notfired a bullet; and, though the men no longer stood at theirabsurd parade rest, the line was as steady as if on review. TheConfederate battery was firing obliquely across the wheat-field, and their balls were flying away from us. Dismounting,Colonel Fletcher waved his hat over his head, shouting, — Forward ! double quick ! We saw what was intended, and with a cheer every man A SAVAGE BOUT. 93 sprang forward on the run. The battery was scarcely sixhundred yards away; and, as we dashed through the standinggrain, the left gun was suddenly Avheeled about for the purposeof giving us a round of grape. As the gunner withdrew hisramrod, and stepped back to his position by the wheel, ourcolonel yelled out an order to lie down, at the same momentthrowing himself flat upon the ground. We followed hisexample by instinct, and the next instant the air above uswas full of whistling missiles. Scarcely had the report of the. CAPTURING A GUN,—GAINESS MILL. gun thundered in our ears when I saw our colors rise fromamong the wheat-stalks; then the regiment resumed its head-long career. Before the piece could be reloaded, we were among the gun-ners, and had it in our possession. Our fellows having beeninstructed in the use of artillery, several of them seized the gun,and slinging it round sent a charge of grape into the body ofConfederate infantry coming up to support their battery. Adeadly volley of musketry was their reply, and I saw men fall- 94: BULLET AND SHELL. ing all around me; Captain Parton, who had commanded thecompany on the right of ours, lying dead almost under my feet,while the lieutenant-colonel had been carried to the rear badlyhurt. We were for the moment in a perilous position ; but ourwild dash had disconcerted the battery, and checked its fire,thus enabling the regulars t
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Keywords: ., bookauthorwilmerri, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookyear1883
