The shells with their trailing white smoke
ceased to interest him, and his eyelids grew heavier. It was now about
2:30 o'clock and as his eyes were about to close a sudden shout made him
open them wide and then spring to his feet.
"Look out! Look out!" cried Sergeant Whitley, "The Johnnies are coming!"
The Union forces in an instant were in line, rifles ready and eager.
The gray masses were already charging across the fields and hills,
while their cannon made a sudden and rapid increase in the volume of
fire. Their batteries were coming nearer, too, and the shells hitherto
harmless were now shrieking and hissing among their ranks, killing and
wounding.
Dick looked around him. The members of the slim Winchester regiment were
all veterans; but thousands of the Ohio lads were recruits who had never
seen battle before. Now shell and shot were teaching them the terrible
realities. He saw many a face grow pale, as his own had often grown pale,
in the first minutes of battle, but he did not see any one flinch.
The Northern cannon posted in the intervals and along the edges of the
woods opened with a mighty crash, and as the enemy came nearer the
riflemen began to send a hail of bullets.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378