The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

138 THE MAINE BUGLE.
They seemed to be vying with each other to see who could in-
and the men were as
eagerly imbibing the ardor and the spirit of their brave young
fuse the most enthusiam into their men ;
officers, and each seemed to feel that he could whip twice his
weight in angry Rebs.
The men had not yet seen the enemy who was diagonally ap-
proaching their line, but they had not long to wait, for in a few
moments the welcome command was given and they sprung for-
ward in the most perfect order I had ever seen troops move in-
to action, and, as that long line of shining faces and bristling
bayonets emerged from the thick woods into the open field, it
presented a most gorgeous and thrilling spectacle ;—a memor-
able sight,—the last line of troops I ever s.aw move into action.
The exultant Reb's were still coming on and had already pre-
sented a flank to this line but when their eyes met this most
unexpected sight they seemed for an instant paralyzed, and
then as quickly recovering their senses turned on the run to the
rear. I have thought a thousand times how I would value a
photograph of that scene as I saw it then and as I remember it
still:—along line of armed men, for whose enslavement the war
had begun and had been continued to that moment, with a back-
ground of deep dark wood a few paces in the rear, out of which
they had just come, and bravely marching into the open fields
towards the east in the early morning sunlight, while the great
army of their once proud masters, reduced to a sad remnant,
was fleeing before them. Just then a white flag appeared before
Custer's line; a halt was ordered; hostilities ceased. The
War Was Over !
I returned to my regiment and found the men quietly rest-
ing. I looked for my darkey and he was missing again ; pre-
sumably looking for the mule; presumably he is looking for the
mule yet; presumably he will return when he finds the mule. I
have waited patiently more than a quarter of a century for his
return. During the day some of our men had permission to go
over the ground of our morning conflict to gratify their curiosity
and to pick up some trophies of value or interest from that
memorable field.