The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-10-26
Soldier stories.

! We'll llAusLIatSS INC faA4eu SHlAS Va WIG
war:
yesterday week Morgau's brigade of
Davis's division were on picket, when a
squad of rebels, mounted, came upswith-
10 three hundred yards of our piokets
aud called out, "Will you exchange cof
fee for tobacco?" eyes," was the reply.
'Fort Pillow, d-n you, as the pickets
leveled sheir guns and discharged a vol
ley into them, wounding one man. The
rebels not liking leaden coffee retreated,
exclaiming as they ran 'are you niggers
or white men, to treat US this way 2"
Side by this is story told of two
men of the Goth Massachusetts,. 1t says
that:
ain the battle of the Wilderness the
Goth were in the thick of the fight, and
one color bearer after another was shot
down almost as fast as the men could be
replaced. But such was the eagerness
to keep the flag aloft that at one time
two men--Irish-caught hold of the
standard OF once, as it was about to fall,
and struggled for it. Just then shot
struck the staff cutting it in two, leaving
one man with the flag, and the other with
the broken stick. Bedad, said the man,
with the short end of the staff, the reb-
els have decided for US this time, and
went to loading and firing again, as cool
| as IF nOthino had hannenad
likewise gives the following account Of a
heart rending incident happening in the
course of the fight of the 18th inst:
"During the progress of the battle the
woods caught fire, spreading with the ra-
pidity of burning prairie. A large
number ofrebel wounded, as well as some
of our own, lay in the thicket. The fran.
tic yels of these poor sufferers, as the fla
mes reached them, were heart rending and.
agonizlng. In order to rescue few who
could be reached, flag of truce was sent
and excepted, proposing time to bury the
dead and save the living. One hour was
the time stipulated, and in that time all
the work was effected. The rebel officers
appeared respondent, reports of defeat
had reached them from ali quarters. A
large number of prisoners were captured
who were mostly from South Carolina and
Richmond. Every civilian in the rebel
capital Is impressed to work on the de-
ferses Of Richmond, which are strength
ened to receive Grants attack"
The following is a very affecting Incl.
dent -
GA rebel prisoner asked for a clean
shirt for his young comrade whose fresh
but blood stained bandages told of an am-
putation just above the knee.
"One of the Sanitary Commission gave
the shirt hut said the boy must first be
washed. Who will co that?
'Oh, any of those women yonder.' 4
kind looking woman from Philadelphia
was asked If she WAS willing to wash
rebel prisoner. Certainly! was her
prompt reply. L have son in the Union
army, and [ would like to have some
body wash him.
"With a towel and water in z TIN basin.
she cheerfully walked through the mud
to the tent. Careful not to disturb his
amputated leg, she gently removed the
old shirt and began to wash him, but the
tenderness of mothers heart was at
work, and she began to cry over him, say
lug that she imagined she was washing
her own son. This was more than he
could bear. He, too began to weed, and
to ask God to pless her for ker kindness
to him. The scene was too much for the
bystanders, and they left the Northern
Mother and the Southern son to their ga
cred grief, wishing that tears could blot
out the sin of this rebellion, and the 1
blood of this unnatural war"
The following incident occurred at
Spottsylvania, and is thus narrated by
of the Cincinnati Comnser-
cial:
During the lull in the strife rode back
TO I'd corps hospital to see the wounded
GLOW goes it, boys?" was the ques-
ion.
GAIL right" said one.
"Rather rough" said another.
"They niver will get through the I'd
,orps." said Hibernian'
The lull had become a storm. Hew
rolled the musketry. 1t is utter
y useless to attempt the description or I
1t was volley after volloy,
surge after surge, roll after roll I
Maurice Collins, of the 18th Massachu- I
Ietts, was brought in with an ugly wound I
through his shoulder. He was a catholic
md the priest was skewing him the cru 4;
,i6x.
"Will it be mortal :" he asked. I
"Perhaps not, if you can lie still sad
keep quiet, but you may have to lose your