TOM NORWOOD: A STORY OP THE CIVIL WAR IJV JAMES P. SHAW. III. r PHK fourteenth army corps, to which oor hero be 1 longed, had leen assigned to the center of the line in the approaching battle. It had marched from the eitrcrne right to it new portion, reaching it at midnight on the Nh of September. The men were overcome with long marches, and as soon as the col umn halted, lay down in their places and were soon aound mIccj). Captain Norwood spent a couple of Imam, ere ho lay down, in writing letters and making nn-dful preparations for the coming conflict To his mother he wrot a long letter, telling her of the ex lotted battle. In closing, he said: " Tell Amy that should I fall to-morrow, my last thoughts will bo of her." He was low spirited on this night, having a foreUling that h0 would not survivo the battle. It a this that prompted hira to send the only message to Amy during the two years and a half he had been in the army. When he had finMied ho rolled him- lf in hid blankets and lay down to rest, feeling that he nmlnl 1 the strength ho could command to bus tain him in the coming struggle. The ,nn arose in all its grandeur on the memor able I'.Uh of HeptemK ISC!, dialling the denso f"g hch had hung over the valley during the night, and revcalmg a m, (,a the face of Wauteous nature Mhel,aMup to heaven to meet his bright rays. I-Mtiful bird,, with bright plumage, flitted from ! U tic c .rruping their morning songs of praise thogreat(,(,Uho had given them this lovely val. Mori Hut, oh! how was this enchant. I to I changl into a place of death, and its M.f, bU,lofthouKandsof human Wings, and the P tQ;e wring their proud and lofty branch y o llbr rud, men by th, terrible ennon ball! fnm their !.,, iy . IUli u ... . . v4iii:B UjK)a m men to "Ml in." , "b:a t! iD Mearealout w imJ rucray ouw aore, and I shall exrxW "7,"" r. i-x .on; m wj. ,mi M i rvcry mot trj," As he finished speaking, one of the men said: " Captain, in behalf of myself and comrades, let me say that where our commander leads we will follow." The firing along the picket line was scattering at first, and at times ceased altogether; then came a vol ley, as if an entire regiment had discharged its piec es. This, with the occasional boom of artillery, told plainly to old soldiers that a determined attack was being made on the pickets. The men were ordered to leave their knapsacks and everything else that would encumber them. There was now heard a steady roll of musketry, which was rapidly drawing nearer to where the Union army stood in line of bat tle, awaiting the assault Shells soon came flying through the tree tops, bursting in mid air and hurl ing a deadly rain of iron and lead upon the motion less ranks. Immediately in the rear of Captain Norwood's po sition was General Thomas, commander of the gal lant fourteenth army corps, surrounded by his staff, anxiously listening to the heavy firing, which now be came general along the line. Nearer and nearer came the awful noise, as the battle raged furiously in front, to the right and to the left Aides rode at full speed from different parts of the field, riding down men in their mad haste to report to the general some change in the line. The very air was laden with fly ing missiles, hissing and tearing through the timber, many finding lodgment in the body of some unfortun ate soldier or horBe. The latter, when mortally hurt, with eyes distended, would rear upon his hind feet and plunge madly forward, falling to the ground dead, not infrequently carrying his rider with him, who would suffer a broken arm or leg. With a dull, sickening thud, the musket balls struck their victims, who sank to the ground with the cry of "Oh!" or "My God, I'm shot !M The first line had engaged the rebels but a short time when it gave way in utter confusion, followed closely by the enemy, who poured volley after volley into its disordered ranks. On came " Yank " and " W the former endeavoring to escape the fury of the latter, and on reaching the main line the panic stricken regiments passed over it to the rear. As the wt L nion soldiers leaped over the prostrate line, the latter rose and sent a deadly volley of musketry into by JaP.8hw.