Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-06-01
The Soldiers Last Watch.

prisoner now awaiting an exchange
Many Christian hearts are praying that
all Of our noble soldiers who must fall as
those here mentioned have fallen, NAV
die rejoicing in the hope of glorious res
direction.
On the ground where was fought one
of the battles in the retreat before Rich
mond, a little by itself, may be seen a
lonely grave, with one word on its simple
wooden headstone--" Trowbridge." Be-
meath its sod lies the still form of brave
youthful soldier and noble Christian. Dur
ing the battles in the retreat before Rich
mond, many soldiers, worn out by march
ing, fighting, hunger, and loss of sleep,
gave up in despair, and either recklessly
threw away life in the thickest of the bat
tie, or fell into the hands Of the enemy
through inability to keep up with their
comrades who effected an escape. From
the lips of a soldier who witnessed the
scene, give the little sketch, which is all
that may be known, save to a few bleed
ing hearts, of him who, alas like SO
many others, sleeps, a martyr to his coun-
try. in that saddest Of all burial places, a
battle-ground. On the day preceding his
death, he remarked to his lieutenant, I" /
am so worn do not know what / can do
further" and was told to lie down and get
what rest he could on battle. field
/" About ten at night" said the soldier who
gave me the account, "we were talking
together, when our lieutenant came up
and told us we should retreat at 2 A. NJ,
and must stand guard each two hours.
We decided by lot, with straws,which
should stand first. 1t fell upon Trowbridge.
| threw myself on the ground under a
tree, with my blanket for covering, and
was soon in deep sleep; SO that when
awaked at twelve, said, You must be
mistaken. 1t cannot be five minutes since
l lay down. : Feel of the hands of my
WATCH lie replied, in whisper,-as our
orders were not to speak aloud Or have a
light it is twelve / took his place,
and he was soon asleep. AT half-past one
came our order TO start. / went TO awake
him, when he groahed aloud twice. en-
deavored to quiet him and awake him ST.
lently, when, with another groan, he turn
ed his head aside and was gone. struck
a match in my cap and looked upon his
features, set and ghastly in death. l
placed his hand upon my cheek, request
ing Li..., Is ss..ss;s-.,s of anytLisg, 10 press
it. There was no pressure, and life was
evidently extinct.
T" Unwilling to believe it, / asked the
lieutenant what was to be done. Call the
surgeon. He was gone, and also the chap
lain. So, searching his pockets, and tax
ing from them six dollars for his mother
and a letter directed to himself, l replac-
ed the envelope, that, if found, his name
might be known, and we hurried on. 1t
was hard to leave him, but the enemy
were upon us and it must be done.
"Some days after, was one of num-
ber detailed to 90 back to that spot to
bury our dead. / found near where he
fell, grave, with the wooden tablet bear
ing his name. Seeing house not far dis
tant, i called and inquired if the persons
there knew anything of that grave. The
woman showed me an envelope, the one
| had replaced, and said they had buried
soldier there, from whose pocket it was
taken. 1t was relief and l wrote to his
mother, sending the money and giving an
account of his last moments and of his
burial"
One other incident, given me by the
same soldier, might bring tears from eyes
most unused to weep. He, with his COM
pany and others, returned to the field af-
ter the battle of Fair Oaks. Among the
many sad and terrible sights then witness
, ed, none were SO touching as this -
: In one portion of the field, lying apart
by themselves, were four dead soldiers
They had crept together and laid each a
right hand upon that of his comrade, and
: thus died. A paper lay upon the breast
of one of them, and a pencil near by on
the ground, showing what their last work
had been--to give some last knowledge, il
possible, to absent friends of their fate
On the paper was written, in falterins
, hand,--
"' -Four dying soldiers. Be kind enough
to give us decent burial And then be
, low were written their four names. w,
, wept ms we buried them together wher,
9 they had lain, and, placing above them tn,
names they had SO touchingly bequeathe,
! us, enclosing the grave by little railing
: we left them to their last, long Sleep
The sea shall give up its dead,' and NJ
less shall the battlefield, billowy with un
marked graves,--unmarked save by HI
| Ii IL