Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

DEAD ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE.
THE artillery, on the battle-field, presents a spectacle that
gives rise at the same time to a feeling of surprise and terror.
To see that long train of horses and wagons moving, at a sign,
from one end to the other, and with a tremendous racket dashing
full
speed across fields, roads, and vineyards, climbing and descending,
and turning with the greatest rapidity, crossing ditches,
banks, overthrowing and crushing hedges, plants,
and furrows
in their impetuous course, and finally disappearing in
a whirlwind
of dust and stones among
the distant trees. Then after
a few moments to see it
reappear on the top of a hill, break
and draw up in line, raise an immense cloud, and fill the valley
all about with a loud booming ;
to see these formidable mouths
recede at every discharge as if
frightened by their own shouts,
and far away in the distance houses destroyed, trees split, and
dense crowds of the enemy broken up and scattered over the
country, is really a sight that causes surprise and terror.
From the knowledge of the terrible and marvellous strength
of weapons, the artillery soldier draws his peculiar character for
pride and seriousness, that never leaves his soul or face even
after a lost battle, when all the others are prostrate from sadness
and despair.
Thus, serious and thoughtful,
but not disheartened or
dejected, did the carnoniers of a battery of the Piedmontese