Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-03-08

- .Nf'.oef he viii Oe tcftalh W oitnt aiAH
back With us. We shall be discharged in
six weeks
In an hour after, our company led the
Iowa First out Of camp, our drum and fife
playing The girl left behind me, Eddie,
as we called him, soon became great "a.
vorite with all the men in the company.
When any Of the boys had returned from
a horticultural excursion, Bddie's share Of
the peaches and melons was the Grst ap-
portioned out. During our heavy and "a.
Iiguing march from Rolla TO Springfield, It
was often amusing 10 see our long-legged
Gfer wading through the mud with our lit
tie drummer mounted upon his back--and
always in that position when fording
streams.
During the fight at Wilson's Greek, ] was
stationed with part OF our company on
the right of Totten's Battery, while the
balauce Of our company, with part Of the
Illinois regiment, was ordered down into
deep timbered raviBe, upon our left. in
which IL was known a portion Of She enemy
was concealed, with whom they were en-
gagged. The contest ia the ravine eontinu-
ing some time, Toiten suddenly wheeled
his baaiiery upon the euemy in that quar-
ter, when they soon retreated to the high
groUDd behind their lines. In less than 20
minutes after Totten had driven the enemy
from the ravine, the word passed from man
to man throughout the army, Lyon is
killed" aud soon after hostilities ceased up
ou bUth sides. The order came for our
maiu forces to fall back to Springfield,
while part Of the Iowa First and two
companies of the Missouri regiment were to
camp upon the ground aud cover the retreat
the next morning.
That night was detailed for guard duty,
my turn Of guard closing with the morning
call. When l went out with the officer as
a relief, found that my post was on high
emiuence that overlooked the deep Vaxine
in which our men had engaged the enemy,
until Totten's battery came to their assis-
tsnce. 1t was dreary lonesome beat.
The moon had gone down 10 the early part
Of the night, while the stars twinkled dim
y through heavy atmosphere. lighting
up imperfectly the surrounding objects.
Occasionally l would place my ear near the
ground and listen for the sound OF footsteps,
but all was silent save the far of howliug
OF the vol, that seemed to scent upon the
evening air the banquet that we had been
been preparing for him. The hours passed
slowly away, when at length the morning
! light began to streak along the eastern sky,
making surrounding object more plainly vis-
Ible. Presently | heard drum beat up
the morning call At hrst thought it
came from the camp Of the enemy across
the creek but as listened found that
it came up from the deep rayine for few
minutes il was silent, aud then as il became
more light heard 1t again. / listened
the sound of the drum was familiar to me-
aud | knew it was
Our drummer boy from Tennessee,
Beating for help the reyillee.
was about to desert my post to 20 tC
his assistance, when discovered the Officer
Of the guard approaching with two men
We all listened to the sound, and were
satisfied that it was Eddy's drum. asked
permission to 60 10 bis assistance. The
officer hesitated, saying that the orders
were to march in twenty minutes. prom
ised to be back in that time, and he con
sented / Immediately stared down the
/, bill through the thick underground, and up
on reaching the valley followed the sound
of the drum, and soon found him seated
upon the ground, his back leaning against
the trunk of fallen tree, while bis drum
hung upon bush in front Of him, reaching
nearly TO the ground. As soon as be dis.
covered me, he dropped his drumstics and
exclaimed, 20. Corporal, am so glad to
see You Give me drink" reaching ont
bis hand for my canteen, which was empty,
Immediately turned to bring him some
water from the brook that could hear
rippling through the bushes near by, when,
thinking that was about to leave him, be
commenced crying, saying, "Don't leave me,
CorpoFal-I can't walk" was soon back
with the water, when / discovered that
both of his feet had been shot away by
cannon ball. After satisfying his thirst, be
looked up into my face, and said. ''You
don't think will die, Corporal, do you
This man said i would not-he said the
Surgeon could cure my feet" / now dis
covered man lying in the grass near him.
BY his dress ! recognized him as belong
ing to the enemy. IL appeared that be
had been shot through the bowels, and had
fallen near where Eddie lay. Knowing
that he could not live, and seeing the con.
dition of the boy, he had crawled to him,
took of his buckskin suspenders, and cord.
, ed the little fellows legs below the knee.
aud then lay down aud died. While he
was telling me these particulars, heard
3 the tramp Of cavalry coming down the raw
5 vine, and 10 a moment scout Of the enc
. my was upon Us, and / was taken prisoner
requested the officer to take Eddie up il
j front OF him, and he did so. carrying hin
, with great tenderness and care. When VI
r reached the camp Of the enemy be wa
dead.
Two weeks sfteFwsTd made ssyy eseap
D from McCulloch's grasp. aud hare since re
enlisted for the war.
Down south In Dixie.