The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-30
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THE WAX sPlRlT or AMI IowAsoI
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hL WAX SFlHl1 OR IN IOWA SOL.
DIkR.
Correspondence OF the Cincinnati Commercial
1t was Immediately after the battle of
the Hatchie. The dead in that terrible
conflict had been laid bereath the mold.
while the wounded hsd been brought to
the church baildBg, or placsd in the spa
clous apartments Of wealthy disioyalists
OF Bolivar. Among the number Of un-
fortunatss was William G. Nowlon, =
sergeant in company @, Of the Sd Iowa
Infantry. n His leg has been SO badly
shattered and torn BY musket shot as to
render an amputatiou unavoidable. He
was informed OF such q necessity but
not murmnr or word of complaint esca-
ped hrs bps; nor did The intel'yeuce seem
to cass over his face the least pe,ceptible
shade Of serisusness. The table was pre-
pared-the instruments we're placed con-
veniently. ana everything put in readi-
ness for the operation. He was brought
out upon the verandah, and placed upon
the tabfe-his poor, shattered, torn and.
half fieshless leg dangling around as if
only an extraneous ana senseless append
age. There was no sighing, 40 aiuching,
no drawing back or holding in. There
was not simple feeling Of dumb rcsigna.
tion; nor yet Of brute indifference but
sotdierly submis.ion-a heroic su omission,
without question or a sigh. lie indul-
ged freely in conversation respecting the
operation, until the chloroform was ap-
piled. From the waking and rational
state he giided into the anasthetic with
out the convulsivs motion of single mus
Gle, and without the utterance of a single
incohercnt sentence but glided into ii
as the innocent and weary child glides in
TO the~%weet embrace of healthfu and
restoring sleep. The operation was per-
formed. The arteries all ligatured; the
stump cleansed and the last suture Just
in that instant applied. During the en-
tire operation he had scarcely moved a
muscle Just at this time the large BODY
of prisoner taken IN the engagement were
marched up the street. and were nearing
the house where the MANNED and bleed
ing soldier lay. The streets were all
thronged by soidiery, and hundreds of
them rushed to get near sight of the
vanquished, while they rent the heavens
with their loud huzzas. A full regiment
preceded the column of prisoners, and
when just opposite, the band struck up,
in force, the inspiring air of "Hail Colum-
bia. la moment-upon the very in.
sian,, the color moun nted to his face . He
opened his eyes half wonderingly, and
raised his head from the pillow with the
steadiness aud di.,n.'y Of god The
scenes of the conflict came back to him.
and he thought that his noble regiment
was again brsasting towards the enemy,
through shower Of shot and she'll. His
brave comrades, he deemed, were falling
one BY one around him, just as they had
done in that dreadful honr OF fratricide
and carnage, The spirit of the time came
over him, and his features assumed an air
of bold, fierce, fiery and unyielding deter
mination, aud he broke forth into excla-
nations the most terrible and appalling /
had ever listened to in all my life.
Louder with the music louder! lou
derl louder ! Burst the heavens with
your strains Sweeter softer. sweeter
charm the blessed angels from the very
Courts Of Heaven! Victory! victory.
Onward onward! No tagging no finch
ing No fltering Fillup. GIL up! Step
forward! press forward. Your comrades'
graves! The fresh graves Of your slain
Remember the graves Of your comrades !.
Blue Mills ! Blue Mills Shelbina Shell
binal Hager Wood! Shiloh. Shiloh
Shiloh For Gods sake onward !! Onward.
in Heavens name onward onward on
ward | onward See the devils wayer !!
See them run See see! see them Ay |!
fy! fly!
During the outburst of passion, his
countenance kindled and grew purple, till
his look seemed that Of diabolisml Such
. fury marked bis lineaments that in
stinctively- drew back. But there was
'smethod 10 his madness. lie only erred
in mistaking time. and in misplacing HIM
self and misplacing his position facts
which the martial music and tho "pomp
and circumstance Of war; in the public
streets would have q natural tendency to-
ward producing. In the very middle of
his fury he seemed suddenly to oonprc-
hend his mistake. He ceased abruptly.
his whole frame in tremor Of emotion. /.
He looked around upon the faces present,
and without word quietly laid down his
head. He grew mcditative as he seemed
to realize fnll sense Of his unhappy situ-
ation. At length his eyes gradually filed
with tears, and his lips grew slightly
tHmulous. He quietly remarked, "Well,
boys, good bye, good bye; | should dc
but sorry fighting on wooden leg" HI
again rehpsedinto silence, and WAS shortly
aftelvrd carried away 70 ha rsem.