Part 42 (1/2)

The words went quicidy from mouth to mouth. In a moment I could hear the murmur of thousands. I turned to see what they were looking at. Across the valley there was a long ridge, and back of it the main position of the Southern army. A grey host was pouring over it--thousand upon thousand--in close order, debouching into the valley.

A big force of our men lay between us and them. As I looked I could see a mighty stir in it. Every man of them seemed to be jumping up in the air. From afar came the sound of bugles calling 'retreat, the shouting of men, the rumbling of wagons. It grew louder. An officer rode by me hatless, and halted, shading his eyes. Then he rode back hurriedly.

'h.e.l.l has broke loose!' he shouted, as he pa.s.sed me.

The blue-coated host was rus.h.i.+ng towards us like a flood' artillery, cavalry, infantry, wagon train. There was a mighty uproar in the men behind me--a quick stir of feet. Terror spread over them like the travelling of fire. It shook their tongues. The crowd began caving at the edge and jamming at the centre. Then it spread like a swarm of bees shaken off a bush.

'Run! Run for your lives!' was a cry that rose to heaven.

'Halt, you cowards!' an officer shouted.

It was now past three o clock.

The raw army had been on its feet since midnight. For hours it had been fighting hunger, a pain in the legs, a quivering sickness at the stomach, a stubborn foe. It had turned the flank of Beauregard; victory was in sight. But lo! a new enemy was coming to the fray, innumerable, unwearied, eager for battle. The long slope bristled with his bayonets.

Our army looked and cursed and began letting go. The men near me were pausing on the brink of awful rout In a moment they were off, pell-mell, like a flock of sheep. The earth shook under them. Officers rode around them, cursing, gesticulating, threatening, but nothing could stop them.

Half a dozen trees had stood in the centre of the roaring ma.s.s. Now a few men clung to them--a remnant of the monster that had torn away. But the greater host was now coming. The thunder of its many feet was near me; a cloud of dust hung over it. A squadron of cavalry came rus.h.i.+ng by and broke into the fleeing ma.s.s. Heavy horses, cut free from artillery, came galloping after them, straps flying over foamy flanks. Two riders clung to the back of each, las.h.i.+ng with whip and rein. The nick of wagons came after them, wheels rattling, horses running, voices shrilling in a wild hoot of terror. It makes me tremble even now, as I think of it, though it is m.u.f.fled under the cover of nearly forty years!

I saw they would go over me. Reeling as if drunk, I ran to save myself.

Zigzagging over the field I came upon a grey-bearded soldier lying in the gra.s.s and fell headlong. I struggled madly, but could not rise to my feet. I lay, my face upon the ground, weeping like a woman. Save I be lost in h.e.l.l, I shall never know again the bitter pang of that moment.

I thought of my country. I saw its splendid capital in ruins; its people surrendered to G.o.d's enemies.

The rout of wagons had gone by I could now hear the heavy tramp of thousands pa.s.sing me, the shrill voices of terror. I worked to a sitting posture somehow--the effort nearly smothered me. A ma.s.s of cavalry was bearing down upon me. They were coming so thick I saw they would trample me into jelly. In a flash I thought of what Uncle Eb had told me once.

I took my hat and covered my face quiddy, and then uncovered it as they came near. They sheared away as I felt the foam of their nostrils. I had split them as a rock may split the torrent. The last of them went over me--their tails whipping my face. I shall not soon forget the look of their bellies or the smell of their wet flanks. They had no sooner pa.s.sed than I fell back and rolled half over like a log. I could feel a warm flow of blood trickling down my left arm. A sh.e.l.l, shot at the retreating army, pa.s.sed high above me, whining as it flew. Then my mind went free of its trouble. The rain brought me to as it came pelting down upon the side of my face. I wondered what it might be, for I knew not where I had come. I lifted my head and looked to see a new dawn--possibly the city of G.o.d itself. It was dark--so dark I felt as if I had no eyes. Away in the distance I could hear the beating of a drum.

It rang in a great silence--I have never known the like of it. I could hear the fall and trickle of the rain, but it seemed only to deepen the silence. I felt the wet gra.s.s under my face and hands. Then I knew it was night and the battlefield where I had fallen. I was alive and might see another day--thank G.o.d! I felt something move under my feet I heard a whisper at my shoulder.

'Thought you were dead long ago,' it said.

'No, no,' I answered, 'I'm alive--I know I'm alive--this is the battlefield.

”Fraid I ain't goin' t' live,' he said. 'Got a terrible wound. Wish it was morning.'

'Dark long?' I asked.

'For hours,' he answered. 'Dunno how many.'

He began to groan and utter short prayers.

'O, my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning,' I heard him cry in a loud, despairing voice.

Then there was a bit of silence, in which I could hear him whispering of his home and people.

Presently he began to sing:

'Guide me, O thou great Jehovah!

Pilgrim through this barren land I am weak but thou art mighty'

His voice broke and trembled and sank into silence.