Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/311

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artricliM-s, clothing, crackers, pork, wagon-wheels, caissons, cannon, and broken-down wagons, whilst the little pines and broom- straw were broken and beaten down in the track of the fleeing army as if a cyclone had swept over its pathway.

SHOUTS OF VICTORY.

As we halted for a moment on that hill I looked back at the one we had just left, and saw the whole Confederate army advancing in battle-array, stretching out to our view, for a mile or more, in per- fect order, with flags flying and filling the air with shouts of victory. It was a thrilling sight, and my blood even now leaps through my veins as I think of it, as if I had not known the chilling influences of thirty-three winters since that day.

We followed the enemy about six miles to Sudley Church, at which point they had left many of their wounded. That night my company was detailed to take a large number of prisoners to Manas- sas Station, and we had to pass over the battle-field again. The horrors of the day were intensified by the shadows of the night. Stiff figures of dead men, lying here and there on the plain, dimly seen through shimmering moonlight dogs and human ghouls that might be seen prowling amongst the dead and dying, and slinking away into the bushes as we passed the shrieks and moans of the wounded, as yet ungathered into the hospitals all these things pass before me again as I write. These last are the ghosts that I would lay if I could, but I cannot; they will linger and mingle with the glorious visions of our first triumph.

Twelve miles that night we marched after a long day of battle. When at last we reached our destination and turned over our prison- ers, we fell down on the ground to sleep where we stopped, and knew no more till the morning of the next day was far spent. When I awoke I was lying on my back, with the rain beating in my face. The rain had already laid the dust yes, laid it on my face and clothing. What a sight I must have been, if I only looked half as badly as my comrades lying around me! The thunder of that Sabbath day shook from the battlements of high Heaven to the earth some of the tears that angels are said to weep over the antics of men.

Our first battle was over the telepraph had spread the news far

and wide, and some men who had hardly taken time to acknowledge

the enemy's first salute, spread themselves over the interior, telling

tales of dire disaster to all save themselves. For a little while, until

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