Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-10-24
Letter from. First Delaware Regiment
EnvrER No A6

R,,,vAR IIstanrs. HARPERs Ferry, VA, y
Oct. 81, 1862. I'm
FRIRND EcKEL; f.
In the memorable engagement k
of Antietam, aside from the general bravery Il
that distinguished our Regiment, there were S,
individual acts of heroism which no Official \
report can ever recognize there were feats n
of daring and GOODNESS under the hottest hre, II
Tint were remarkable and numerous were a
the incidents that transpired among our men,
some of them humorous even in the face OF n
death. and some Of them affecting in the eX- d
IRENE. We give you a few instances that S
have come to our knowledge. u
A little fellow in Go. III, during the hot Z
lest OF tho battle was firing very deliberate
ly; he had his gun in proper position, and a
,iood aim ON one of the Tcbs, when II ball hit
th. side Of the gun knocking of large por'
lion Of the stock he slowly lowered the
musknt sat down and examined IL very crlll-
cnly. and then looking up to one OF his olll-
GERS, he cried out, "Why damn 'em, they've
spoilcd my gun% thereupou he glanced
around and seeing another one, he picked II
mn and commenced firing again.
An Irishman in Co. was very much EN-
barassed by his inability to fire the loads out
Of his gun do what he would, the piece
wonld not go of; finally becoming rritated
nj the persistence Of the ball in remaining III
i one spot he excams to a cOmrade, "lllllo,
Jenny, will yc bo aither linding me Oo'oel
screw 7" Whether the ball screw was forth
e coming or not, deponent saith not but as
the man had some GOODNESS, we suppose nc
a. found some means to continue the nght'
Co X, had man who was wounded IN the
!, thigh and sang out, Captain I'm wounded;
IL the Captain replied, "well then go to the
rear'; the plncky fellow earnestly remon-
strded. "No, I'll be blasted it do, I'm go
:, ing to kill some of the ugly devils yet and
= he did.
IS An instance of u similar kind happened
C. in Co. ID: brave man received severe
I'd wound in his thigh, he clapped his hands to
IN the bleeding orihce, and cody remarked
Us "that wont stop me- and when the Regl-
in ment made the charge, he kept his place i'll
NJ line limping along, until another bullet, Ell
w .. tering his other thigh advised him that he
u. u. hadn't many more legs left to stand ON, he
~ crawled oil the field himself and subsequent
mt ly bore the injuries with the most exemplary
IL fOritude.
Il The regiment was lying down and had
IN been firing uniuterruptedly for five minutes,
ma when fellow in Go. H. who always appears
IN have one eye shut aud to look crooked
as with the other and whose gun had remained
IA silent all the time, astOnisAed the Orderly
he Sergeant by crying ont, "Why Sergeant, /
lie, can't see the lebs where in the devil are
they p the reply was, Cant you see them
there they are over there after looking
so awhile, he got one eye on them, and fired
30 with will but he said at the time that he
0n was not going TO expend his ammunition until
hr got sight of his game.
90 A Hungarian, IL private OF Co. q, and q
frequent Orderly oithe Colonels, was wound
OO ed at an early hour, each thigh having beel
penetrated by bullet, he fell and remarked
On "Wcll, boys, / have given two and received
7 IL two; 1; after he hue Crawled from the field
Der his habits Of neatness were such that he re
BRO moved his pants, clOtted with blood, opene'
lion his Lnapsack and took out new pair will
which he invested himself whilst in tn
field Hospital his feelings never suffered
'efb descent with pipe in his mouth and rim
and less cap on his head, he looked The pictnr
L. of contentnent, as though no minnie had III
are yolyrd the integrity of his muscles, or pre-
and vented lOcOmOtiOn.
~, A Youthful brave in Co. q, had his hinge
So. shot on, and as n consequence couldn't loa
'o'' his gun; he ran up and down the line tryin
- to find some one to load it for him. hut Ii
rent was generally answered that they had enoug
in to do to load their own Int finally he cam
cad. across an accommodating cOmrade, wll
ined placed the necessary cartridge in, and the
"a IN banged away much 10 his own joy.
', ~ little circumstance transpirod the df
VI before the battle, which by the way we M,
arse us we'll relate our Regiment was in ii
Del valley aud I'M artillery duel was in progres
our forces being on the hill, shells from Il
enemy often finding their way unpleasant
ah- near us. A Corporal of Co. q was sittil
Pres ON barrel Of beans ready to issue them
hing, the company he heard shell coming al
'erts, voluntarily tumbled himself backward bchli
peo- the barrel he was not too soon either, +
,nost the she'll hit the top Of it, throwing it ov
III on him; he eXtrlcatcd himself, arose. sho,
NJ NJ the dirt of him and dryy remarked to |
Mr' Captain, ~ am tired of being comnissal
'ot at cant you find some one to take my place
This man, in the next days battle, havi
approached too near the enemy, was tax
last prisoner the rebs stripped him of his sho,
with he started to run, aud one OF tue butt,
the nuts grabbed him by the collar and tn
and struck him over the back with the butt
the musket, injuring him considerably;
that iuncture, another one of our men
..n, preached close enough TO the scene to apl
the muz2le of his gun TO the temple Of /
reb, and scatter lis brains the Corpo
- aud his rescuer then toddled, but the c,
poral who always has IL large prominel
anal, upon his back, giving him the name
~. P.'. "Blhle back" said that the rebels were |
20 ,ta termined To remove that Bible, as they
;no, nc 10 knocked barrel of beans over on him,
additionally beat him on the back will
~ 49, ~ musket.
~, .,s But we have not disposed of the barre
Lao, beans yet an lrshman who was lying
,aI, to the ground when the shell struck very cl
SooJ to him. arose and said AS though speak
7 to the enemy, "Well if You are going to
no th. SUI ralious to day, believe ri not d
~ ror any and walked oil,
,,t an Lieutenant Alexander Of Co II, said [
rinJs if the Conleds were going to lay claim TO
Rrad- bean. he would not dispute their claims
hring. The fellows who were about the barrel
- val. their rations, concluded that they were
smiles fond of beans, especially when they "
,nes ol sheiipd
at or Here is an instance OF the ruling pass
ublnp strong in tho face of the foe As the h
liet Of mcul was marching past barn yard,
ing at before it reached the field man in Go
heans, seeing flock Of young turkeys strut
about jumped aver the fence and capt.
he do one which he placed in his haveHacl
2 mani took INTO the engagement with him, hol
boxes to feast on turkey if he should come
giment alive Int his providence was for nau
Iy, and not that he was killed hut when the r
e piles ncnt threw itself on the gronnd the yt
every turkey became cumbrons and annoyr
ere the the hayersack impeding the soldiers M
who did menta it kept crying 'perp, peep"
hurry finally the fellow turned the bird out
psed he it commenced travelling up and down
nts ex- regimental front, and the last heard of
was crying peep, peep"
ginable Something more affecting was the fol
! pies, ing A religious man in Co II was !