The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-06-22

but he asserts that ball shot the flagstaff of
above his hand and it is certain the flagstaff is
broken. His evidence, however is not TAKEN and
one of the staff officers of General - asserts
positively that he saw him break the flagstaff
with his own hands"
"ImpOssible!'
$50 say, but it is fact, he is degraded. Poor
Kathleen. believe OConner would have pre-
ferred DEATH but he says time will show he is no
| coward, and / am sure no Drawer heart beats in
the company; time will show his grit, and no
| doubt redeem his character"
"a cold night, Pat"
1t was Quartermaster Hutches who accusted
Pat as he was about going on guard.
Ills indade, your honor"
"Have something bit warming, my man
something have for my own personal use! Take
swollow or two, twill keep the cold out"
Obliged indade, yer honor"
mo thanks; l always like to accommodate
| Good evening, O'Conner," said the quarternaster
| after raising the small flask to his own lips
That night Patrick O'Conner, was found sleep
ing at his post. What aggravated the case was
| that the Federal troops were i'll hourly eXpecta-
ton OF an attack He was condemned to be shot
Alas for the brave Young Irishmen! So this
was to be the end. Freely would he have yield
ed up his life upon the battlefield but to die
thus dishonored at the hands of his country's
| friends--it was too much. He thought of his
| aged gray-haired mother, how she would wiring
| her hands and weep when she should hear of his
awful fate; he thought of Kathleen, and then,
strong that he was he wept like child
"Ah, Kathie, me darlint, if could leave you
| an unstained name to be proud OFF,
But what means tie noise and confusion with
out! Daylight is just dawning-that daylight
which would witness hisexecution. He listened;
| the sound of martial music, the booming of
non in the distance, and the sharp crack of
musketry-around his tent all was contusion.-
There are cries of alright, the roll of the drum
calling the men to form in line of battle, quick,
loud cries of command and then groans of dis
tress, of the fercest commotion and strife; he
guesses the truth-the enemy is upon them.
His limbs are unbound, and the guard who
kept watch over him is gone; this is no time to
| think of prisoners. One moment the bugle whis
pers, life and liberty you may gain i'll the melee;
then his brave heart determined to strike for his
country another blow before he died, and for him
to determine was to perform.
Too many times has the terrible battle at Pitts
burgh Landing been recapitulated to need
description from my pen. During the entire
battle, O'Connor fought with the daring bravery
of a veteran. The dear old flag he worshipped
fioated before him ; though no longer he was
esteemed worthy to bear it, he could follow it to
glorious victory OF glorious death.
| His colonel, the man who condemned him to
death, was twice saved from death by the young
mans heroic daring; and when his company
would have fled in dismay, because Of the slaugh-
ter of their officers and the falling of their flag, he
seized these adored colors, and with shout led
them forward, with
"Arrah, boys, never run! Stand by the stars
and stripes !"
And they did stand by them; and Company
p, without a single commissioned officer. and
but one or two non-commssioned fought through
that last day with the ferocity of tigers. Twice
was Pat wounded; once in his right arm, but
with his left, though fanting from loss of blood,
he still bore aoft the stars and stripes.
The battle was over. Colonel - and Briga-
dier-General G. were in close conversation
what concerning may be inferred from crcuni-
stances that took place afterwarG. Upon the
ground at their feet lay man quivcring i'll the
last agonies of deathit John Hutches. In
his dying agonies he had confessed that guilt
which unforgiven he could not carry into eterni.
ty; and by his side, kindly sympathy and for
giveness upon his noble and honest features
knelt the color-bearor. Even after he knew the
quartermaster's guilt, that through his bribery |
and treachery he had been first degraded, and
afterward nearly consigned to shameful and |
inglorious death, his generosity of disposition
did not leave him; although this false friend had
put drugged draught to his lips, not a single |
feeling of ill-will did he hold towards the dying
mortal in his last extremity
General c. shook his hand warmly.
"You are brave fellow" he said, warmly. |
"Your colonel has told me of your valor and
prowess. Always show yourself as worthy of
bearing the flag of our country-it is all l ask"
What have we to add Nothing except that
the color-bearer was unanimously elected captain
of his company, and that now he is major in
the Federal army. OF course, Kathe is proud,
as she well may be, of her lover; and of course
they were married when the war was over. She
never fears his loyalty to her-she knows he is
true, even unto death.