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.