How A Battle Is Fought

How a battle is fought ? With tretnendous volleys, the ranks standing firna and stoady as on dresa parade - with enthu8Íasm, with deafcning cheers, with mu9Íc, aud finished by a glorious bayonet charge? Nothing of the kind. Hare aro simply some thousands of me, oa either side, who have been marohed out this pleasant day to butchcr eacli other. Modorn fire-arms aro horribly effective weapous - a good Springfield riflo will kill at a thousand yards ; and by Iher time you have drawn these opposing forcfes to within two hundred yards of eaoh other, or about the distance ocrosa a good-sized wheat-field, the battle ia resolved into a simple problem : wbiob army can stand the most killing or wounding without breaking up. Wheü that quesiion is answered you oan teil which aide will be victorious. Tbe business of the officers is to hold the mea to work - to compel them to load and fire until 80 many of the enemy are put hors de combat that he 9 fnrced to withdraw. ïakeyour regiment into battle aa orderly as you may, beforo it has beeii under fire half aD hour, it will become resolved into knots and grtups, from tlie drawingtogether to 611 the places of thofe Btricken down, and the survivors willba lyiug or kneeling, forced dowa by the irrcstible instinct of self-preservation. ïho sights and sounds of battla are well-nigh mdiscribable. Noise, tumult, dangar, excitement, all blend to maka a sceno whiuh I thiuk can have no parallel on the hither side of the infernal legions. During his first butilo, perhaps the Dovelty of the thing may lili the reeruit with genuino enthu3Íasui, and put foar in the background ; but after tliat be will find the poetrv of the battle-field somewhat overdone in " Hohenlinden," aud fighting-, itself, rather a prosaic and dangerous butchery. There is nothiiig less like a pageant, I vei ily believe, than a battle. The arras are oot poliebed huí' shiny now, for the dew of lastnight's bivouao in the grass has tarnishtíd thetn ; very plain blouses have taken the place of Mlraight-bodied, corsety coats; belts are loot-ened, or iu the fury of tb o figbt are thrown at-ide altogether ; ehoulderstraps and epauleta are discarded, out of whnlesome regard for the enemy'seharp-shooteri; ; aud tifter the fight has progresed an hour, you will find those who are stíll fightinp, dirty, grimy, aud laboring to kill llia onomy with about as bard manual labor eb your woodsawyer employs on your wood-pilc.