Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-10-01
Weunding of Col. Miles-His Last Con-
vsrsation

Owing to the thick mist whic, hing over
the mountain the artillerists failed TO see
the white iags for some time after they
were displayed, and continued throwing
she'll, whereby six were killed Col Miles
was fatally wounded by one of them tic
had ridden back and forth on the field, a
target for the enemy, but fortunately met
with no mishap until then. While stand
ing with bis ABIDE camp, Lieut. Benning
on the left of Bolivar Heights, waiting for
his horse, the balls fell thick aronnd him.
Turning to Lieut.. Benning he remarked :;
well, Mr.. Benning, the ball is over We
have done our duty but don't understand
why the rebel cusses keep shelling us -
just then a piece of she'll which burst
close by, took away portion of his calf.
He immediately fell exclaiming My God
believe I'm lit" His aid Immediately
called upon Capt Lee OF the l26th \. Y,
who came to his assistance with some of
his men, and while bearing him off the
field another shell burst, taking off the
Coils hat, and severely wounding Captain
Lee in the thigh Col Miles was convey
e 4 to his headquarters in an ambulance,
assisted By Dir. Mckee Dr. Ferguson, DR.
Barr of the 10Th n !. Cavalry, and DR.
Boone, of the lst Maryland IL b., attend
ed him during the day. He remained in
sensible most of the time not reviying suf-
| ficiently to allow of amputation
| Through The kindness of Lieut. Benning
who sat behind him, constantly holding
his hand in his, / am permitted to copy
| from his memoranda some OF the expires
| sions which the dying Colonel uttered du
ring the day while his mind was wandered.
| They are valuable, if for nothing more as
| showing how cruel the insinuations which
! have been thrown out against his loyalty
| oh, where is Gen Mcclellan? Why do
he not come and save mc?' Major, is our
artillery at work p Il have done my du-
| ty and can die like a soldier" Don't let
my Staff leave me Go on Go on ~ II
wish | could be in every place at once. -
| 'fStop them, referring to stragglers from
their regiments
! In the latter part of the day his mind
| still continued tn wander to the battlefield
and he kept constantly cheering on bis
men, telling them to stand where they are
/ Again he asked, oh, ,sohere as DC CleilaH?'
| Captain, we are hard pressed, but my
orders are to hold on to the last-mv am
munition is eone--where is our army2
! Darn Col Ford-he has lost the heights
Oh, must [ SUR ender?" ''They made a
| target Of me- '.All right all right -
we can d , no more. ! can do no more
| "tive days cannonading heard at Balti-
more and elsewhere, and yetno assistance
Expresses a wish to see Gen White 81
am an old soldier Gen White will not for
get me at headquarters, II know,also my
staff, MIR. Rinney' Mr.. Holman and Mai
McIiyaine." Il can bear this Gen
20; oh, why don't you go; oh, gol gol oh
go; won't anybody go2 Oh go my darling
go, my darling ''My wife, go ''re-
ceive me. y Come, sign it. 'MeIlvaine,
be on, then be on what noble fellow"
"0h, Barney, that key; the key; oh"
Col. Miles may have been remiss in his
duty, but more loyal soldier never fought
under the flag When | left his head
quarters late in The evening, he was still
living, though he could survive but short
time longer.
Al two 0 clock in the morning left the
Ferry
In reviewing the circumstances of its
surrender, ] cannot do otherwise than to
blame the officer in command for dalving
until it was too late, the necessary prepa-
rations for its defense, and Gen Mcclellan
for delaying to forward reinfnrccments to
him, when earnestly and frequently called
upon to do so