The Shasta courier., 1864-08-13
One of our Heroes.

friend attached to the Christian Commission
pointed out grave by the roadside, near
the Fifth Corps hospital, about mile east of
The Dunn House. For me it had special
interest, as it will have for thousanas-the
grave of Edward NJ Schneider, 51th Massa-
chusetts. When the regiment was formed
he was a student in Phillips Academy, An
dover From motives of patriotism purely,
against the wishes of his friends, he left the
literature Of the ancients, the history of the
past. to become an actor in the present, and
and to do what he could for the future. His
father is the well known missionary of the
American Board at Anitab, Turkey. and the
son did all he thought would meet his appro-
val.
The chaplain of the regiment, Rev. Mr..
Dashiell, has kindly given me information of
what he has done for his country. Or. the
march from Annapolis, he, though but ses-
enteen years DID, and unaccustomed 10 bard
ship, kept his place in the ranks, not once
falling out from the encampment by the wa.
ters OF the Chesapeake to the Rapidan. He
was slightly wounded on the North Anna.
and was sent to Port ROYAL for TRANSFORMATION
to Washington, but of his own accord re.
turned to his regiment, joining it at Cold
Harbor. While preparing for the charge
upon the enemy's WORKS on the 18th. beyond
the Dunn House, he said to the captain ~
intend to be thefirs. one to enter their works ;
The charge was made. How grandIv they
moved through the woods How quickly
they swept up to the rebel line of defensive
works, like an ocean billow upon breakwa.
ter, rolling over it, engulphing all beyond /,
The brave young soldier tried to make good
his words. With eager feet he led the ad
vance, breaking out from the line and keep.
ing rod or two in advance.
He was almost there-not quite-alr,ost
near enough to feel the hot fash of the rebel
musketry in his face-near enough to be coy
cred with the sulphurous cloud from the can.
non-when he fell. shot through the body
He was carried to the hospital, with six bun
dred and fifty of his division comrades He
lay all night with his wound undressed. wait
ing his turn. There was not a murmur from
his lips. The chaplain looked at his wound
= What do you think of it ?" Seeing that
it was mortal, he could not articulate reply
neither could he restrain his tears He re-
membered the last injunction of the young
soldiers oldest slsAr-"I commit him to
your care" The young hero interpreted
the meaning Of the tear-that his wound was
mortal g Do not weep" he said, it is
Gods will. l wish you to write to nay father
and tell him that hare tried to 90 1ny duty
to my country and to God" He disposed Of
his effects, giving ten dollars to the Christian
Commission, twenty dollars to the American
Board, and trifes TO his friends. Thea, in
the simplicity of bis heart, he said Il have
good many friends, schoolmates and COM
panions. They will want to know where /
am; how am getting on. You can letthem
know am gone, and that I die content. And
Chaplain, the boys in the regiment-I want
you to tell them to stand by the dear old flag.
And there is my brother in the navy-write
to him and tell him to stand by the flag and
cling to the cross of Christ ~
The surgeon came and examined the wound.
:" 1t is my duty to tell you that ycu will
soon go home, /" he said.
F" Yes, doctor-I am going home. am
not afraid to die. don't know how the val
ley will be when get to it, butt is ali bright
now" Then gathering up his waning
strength, he repeated the verse often sung bv
the soldiers. who, amid all the whirl and ex-
element of the camp and battlefield, never
forget those whom they have left behind them
mother. sister, father, brother Calmly,
clearly, distinctly he repeated the lines-the
chorus Of the song
&c Soon with Angels I'll be marching,
With bright laurels onmy brow;
l have Tor my country fallen
Who will care Tor sister row p
The night wore away-Death came on
apace. He suffered intense pain. but not a
murmur escaped his lips. Sabbath morning
came, and with the coming of the light he
passed-away. On the 18th of June. eighty.
nine years ago, the sires OF freedom freely
gave their lives on Bunker Hill for the cause
they loved. Not less worthy ofremembrance
are those who fell in front of Petersburg on
this memorable day.
Not many days hence grav- haired man.
far away in the Orient, will receive the It'd
ings. The affiction may be severe-for low
ing his work, serving his Master. he doubt
less has looked down the vista of coming
years. and beheld the boy succeeding him as
a missionary of the Gospel. but in his afiic-
ton will he not thank God that he had such
a son.
He has not lived in vain. He has done
his work, and has gone home to engage in a
higher service. 1t was not for him to have
all his hearts desires hereto be the first to
stand upon the rampant of the enemy's works
but fearlessly and triumphantlv he van
d"i'hSU e"o AoSe SASuiy, ouUCdi un d
conquerer.
81 die content" said the heroic and noble
Wolfe. at Quebec, when told that the French
were fleeing.
g Stand up for Jesus" said Dudley Tying
in his last hours-words which have warmed
and moved thousands of Christian hearts.
Let me die with my face to the enemy"
was the last command of General Rice. the
Christian, the soldier, the patriot. at Spott
sylvania: but eqally worthy place in the
memories of men are the words of Edward
NJ. Schneider. the boy. the student, hardly
eighteen years ofage. the leader in the charge,
to his brother. They are the essence of all
that Wolfe. and Tying. and Rice uttered in
their last moments. His grave is by the road
side, marked by rude paling erected by
Rev. Mr.. Dashiell. The Sdmmer breeze
sweeps through the signing pines above the
heaved up mound. Mournful yet sweet the
music of the wind harp-mournful in that
one so young, SO full of life, capable of such
future should go so soon-sweet. in that he
did his work so well. Had he lived a centu-
~, be could not have made itmore complete.
1t was a short life, extending only from the
peaceful shade ofOld Andover to the intrepch-
ments of Petersburg; but oh, how full =
Cor Boston Journal.