Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-06-14


him, but just as was getting nay sight.
poor Janers staggered back, shot
through the stomach, and fell over at
my feet. That unsteadied my aim
little, and l missed; but / reckon the
pill must have come awful close, for
whitehall didn't show himself so much
atterward.
i suppose he killed as many as eight
of our crack shots, one time and anoth
er. 1t made us mad, l can tell you
but he seemed to be bewitched, some
how, so that we couldn't hit him.
AT last one of our lieutenants came
along and asked what we were doing,
all huddIed together that way. told
him and he laughed.
Can't hit him, boys?' says he;
s~.u aan'. tLinL .,,a.h Of .e~- ei.a-,.
ing just then whitehall showed
himself half a second. 'There!' = says
the lieutenant, 'why didn't you fix him
thrn? You've got to be spry; that's
ALL
'It's pretty long range, SIR says I.
/ was a little nettled at the way he
spoke, for | thought I'd made some
very Iiair shots and then again, I
never liked him much. lie was dan
ditied looking fellow, with curly hair,
and always had his chin shaved clean,
and his moustaches waxed, and new
unifoim, and patent leather boots and
clean gloves, no matter how ragged
and dirty the men were. He was only
a second lieutenant, but was rich, and
I always thought he wanted to put on
airs.
Yes said he, it is good long shot:
but some of you ought 60 make 1t out.
Now suppose | try it myself! Who'll
lend me his gun p
I picked up poor Janers' rife and
handed it to hun.
You can have that to keep says l,
sif YOU want it. The owner'u never
cali for it sir.
He smiled but locked sort Of sor-
rowtui, and examined the sights like
man who'd seen q rifle before, any
way.
Shall load it for you, sir5' said |,
little impudently, you'll spoil your
gloves?'
II. didn't answer me, but did bette.
He pulled OF his goyes-nlce wash
leather ones, white and clean as could
be-and handed them to me to hold,
like Ia been bis servant, while he load
ed, the rifle. That stopped my mouth.
when he'd got the piece loaded and
capped very carefully, he went right
out where Janers had stood when he
was hit.
Thinks I, shere's bad go for the
tailors and bootmakers!
A bullet kicked up the dust within
three feet of him; but he kept steplng
around, so that nobody could have
drawn a bead on him, to save his life
while he looked sharp for the man with
the white hat, through a doubie-bar-
relied field glass.
Directly, he dropped on one knee,
let the glass swing on Its strap, raised
the rifle and fired. 1t took about Two
seconds.
He came back to the place where
l stood, between the trees, and looked
for some time through the glass again.
I don't believe he'll trouble you any
more says he. i could only see his
shoulder blade above the parapet,
when he was STOPPING over to load +;
but I rather think | hit that! Ii l
didn't, You'll hear from him again in a
minute /
L didn't like to believe that he had
succeeded; but couldn't judge very
we'll then, for the rebels came pouring
ont of the fort within. a few moments,
something like ten thousand strong,
and tried to cut their way through our
lines to the left.
Our troops were driven off, as you
know sir, nearly half mile, and had
to be reinforced before they could make
a stand. When they did, the rebels
began to retreat in their turn, and our
troops to follow. My regiment was Or
dered to join in this pursuit, and we
had place near the head OF the col
umn.
srhe rebels fought mighty well there;
there's no use denying that; but we
fought better, and after standing their
ground, falling back only an inch at a
time, for about two hours, we got them
fairly in motion.
The further we drove them, the tas-
ter they went; and when their ranks
broke we gave them good dose, tell
YOU. We took back Schwartz's bat
terry, and turned it upon them, That
started them on the run, and it became
rout.
some officers, more plucky than the
rest, wanted to make stand at the re-
doubt, when they got to it; but We
/ crowded them g little too hard, and