The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-09-13
From Our Young Folks
The BOY ~ ChancellOrville

From Our Young Folks
The BOY ~ ChancellOrville.
On the second and third days Of May, 1863.
was fought the great and terrible battle OF
Chancelorville and not until men beat their
swords into ploughsharcs, and boys exchange.
their drums for jews-harps and pennywhis-
ties, will it be forgotten. But do not pro
pose to write about it, for cannot. No one
can describe battle without seeing it, and
did not see the battle of Chancellorville
But did see, more than a year after it was
fought, n little boy who was in it, and who,
nearly all the intervening time, was a pris.
oner in the hands of the Rebels.
He was only twelve years old, and you
may think that what such little fellow did,
at such time could not be Of much consc-
quence to anybody But it was. He saved
one or two human lives, and lighted the pas
sage Of score Of souls through the dark
valley; so did more than any of our great
generals on those bloody days. He saved
lives, they destroyed them.
You know that, if you break a small wheel
in a cotton mill the entire machinery will
stop; and if the moon-onc of the smallest
Jumps of matter in the universe-shoud fall
from its orbit, the whole planetary system
might go Keeling and tumbing about like
drunken man. So you sec the great impor-
lance Of little things, and little FOLKS are Of
much greater Importance than little things.
IL they were not, the little boy am writing
about would not have done SO much at Chan
cellorville, and should not now be telling
you his story.
The battle was raging holly on our left
when this little .rnmmcr-hoy was ordered to
hn Nv " Ia hr optn
said ''yourc in danger here: back there
you may be Of use to the wounded" The
little fellow threw his mlsket over his should
er,---his drum he left behind when the battbe
began,-and. amid the pclting bullets, made
his way back to the hospital. Our forces
were driving the enemy, and all the ground
over which they had fought was strewn with
the dead and the dying. Here and there.
men with stretchers were gong about among
the wounded: but the stretchcrs were few.
and the wounded were many; and as the
poor MANNED and bleeding men turned their
pitiful eyes on the little boy, or in low faint
tones asked him for water, lie could not help
lingering among them, though the enemy $
shells were bursting. and their bullets falling
like hailstoncs all about him. Gray jackets
were mingled with blue; but in generous
mind the cry of suffering dispcls all distinc
that was his name---went alike TO the
wounded OF both armies Filling his cantecn
from little stream which flowed through
the battlefield, he held it to many parched
lip, and was rewarded with many u blessing
from dying men. blessings which will be to
him comfort and consolation when he too
shall draw near to death.
lie had relieved n score or more, when he
noticed, stretched on the ground at a little
distance, his head resting against tree, u
fair-haired boy of not more than seventeen.
lie was neatly dressed in gray. and had a
noble countenance, with broad, open fore
head, and thick, curly hair, which clustered
MI about his temples. His face wore the
hue of health, his eyes were bright and
sparkling, and only the position Of his hands.
which were clasped tightly above his head,
told that he was in pain and wounded.
"Can I help your asked Robert rs he
approached him.
..Thank you. Yes" he answered. clutch
ing the canteen, and taking long draught
Of the water. Thank you, he said again.
II saw you. knew yoa would come to me.
"Whe? have the rest passed you by
eyes; for, you see, I'm Rebel, he re-
piled, smiling family. But you don't care
for that"
"No, don't But arc you badly hurt q
.sPretty badly, l fear. I'm bleeding fast,
i reckon it's is all over with me';-and he
pointed to a dark red stain on his jacket
lust under his shoulder. His voice had a
clear, ringing tone, and his face a calm,
cheerful look; for to the brave death has no
terrors To the true man or boy il is only
the passage upward to higher. better, mo-
bier life in the heavens.
Robert tore open the young mans clothes,
hnn inhf 1y 0hnut
his wound; then, seeing an empty strctcher
coming that way, he shouted to the bearers:
"Quick Take him to the hospital He's
bleeding to death!''
81 don't like the color O his clothes" said
one Of the men, as the two moved on with
the stretcher. II guess he can wait till we
look AFTER our own wounded"
His face finishing with both shame and an
ger, Robert sprang to his feet, and, turning
upon the men, said in sn imperious tone,
which sounded oddly enough from such lit
tie fellow: He cant wait. He will bleed
to death, l tell you. Take him now; if you
don't I'll report you,-Pll have you drnmmed
out Of the army for being brutes and cow
ards"
The men set down the litter, and the one
who had spoken, looked pleasantly At Robert
for moment and said: Well, you are a
bully boy. We don't kcer for no rcportin';
but for SIGH q little chap as you, we'll do
anything.-Pm blamed If we won't
II thank You very much, said Robert, in
an altered way, rs he FASTENED to help the
men lift the wounded youth upon the
stretchcr.
The hospital was an old mill at cross
roads, about \ quarter Of mile away. It
was built Of logs without doors or window
panes, and was fast falling to decay; but its
floor, and nearly every square inch Of shaded
ground around it,, were covered with the
wounded and the dying. Thither they bore
the Rebe! boy, and, picking their way among
che many PROSTATE and bleeding men, spread
\ blanket under a tree, and laid him gently
on il. Then Robe It went for . surgeon.
One shortly cane, and, after dressing the
wound, be said in kindly way: '.Its bad
hurt, my lad, but keep up good heart, and
. you'll son be about. A little pluck does