Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-04-12
Old Sol.

AIM Vi pidhtI5 We CalieU MIN O!u SDi.
He was very tall, crooked aud ungainiy !;
his pants We're always four or five inches
too short and he had small black eve
In earlier days he had been Methodist
preacher, but at the time Of his enlist
ment his reputation was somewhat under
a cloud. He was accused of having done
some things not altogether honest. He
was such an odd compound, that used
frequently to amuse myself and the COM
pany by talking with him.
We'll, Ssl. said /, 4 don't know about
you. m afraid you won't stand by me-
Some day when get into trouble, I sus
pect you'll he running away.
No, Cap'n he replied. leaning his tall
awkward figure over me i'll his queer, ear
nest way. I'm goin' when You 90. and !
shall stick by ye. When / gave HIM his
gun, said to him: Nov, Sol, don't you
lose that gun see that you stand by it.
and keep it safe.
Now you fret, Cap'n, said he, 4 won t
lose it nor throw it away. And when l
get through with the regiment I'll bring it
back to YOU safe and sound.
The poor fellow was 50 tall and crooked
that We cnuld do nothing with him. in the
line so told him one day:
Sol, you're SO gonl IL soldier, that l
want to promote ynu. I'm going to send
You to the Colonel for pioneer.'
What's that y said he.
oh. said the pioneers are the adj
vanced guard Of the regiment. They march
in front with the Colonel, to clear the way
Besides their muskets. half of them cary
axes. and the other half spades.
\ luDSt any athar ,,,un tho oo,opory
would have considered such promotion
Il very questionable honor. but Old Sol
was delegated, and forthwith reported To
tie Colonel for pioneer. He was thus
separated from the company, and his name
taken from TIE + Il, SO that | had almost
forgotten hlal. when the day after our lirs,
| hight he came to me saying
'Cap'n wasn't with you yesterday bu
tWan't my fault. The sergeant wuudn'
let me come.
| That's all right said l, YOUR dntic:
were with the Pioneers.
! So things went on till our terrible charge
ut Port lIudson. was just forming my
men for that, giving each man his place by
number, when who should come to mt
but Old Sol. | was little provoked tha
he should intrnle upon me at sneh time
and asked him rather mpaticntly, what h,
wanted
.CaD'n. said bc. .W'bcrr,s m,, pI,cc
.Nhv, 'sajl |. .Yon,vc no hntIni.ss hrr,.
your place il with the nionrcrs
40, Cap'n, was his reply. i told yor
| I'd sticl, l,g Won. and rm = yni,,
well, said |, the ONLY thing Won ca,
do is, to take your plac. al tia. fact If ,h.
! line
ne started sff. and I tboocbt M ,noro -
| him. \ few moments mora and on,
charge had been made. Some of INV mer
we're killed outright. al Twelve wer,
wounded. The rrSt nfn> .,a 70 liz cr,ncb
iur su1er the ear,hworks mill 1a,L h..
fore we conld Get bacj, to onr hncs Ahn,,
twelve O'Clock we had ~ot tLjn~s in or,I,,r
and were ready 70 90 to slrrn ,1.a.
much rraljGrI to find INV mon III ra,"rt
ed. IAr twelve voun1rI wrra all i, an,
cared for. was inst n,al;;n,r n,,, hna ,' 'n
der n Tree vilh ~ nten l,.ne i, Gna w.
fore me, when a number Of men canl,
down the road from ,hn lrnctinn of por
Uudsou. Presently I heard ,hcm c,II;n,
Where's Cant. w y, ana ,Ln ans,y...
This way. dpw, here ot ,hr LIFT In
nioment "a man came ruuninr 70 mo. sov
mo that some men If Nnw YHrl. ifth H.,
Iuaod a wouud,d man belongip., +, ~,
company. and had brought hin in7 I ha,
ouite forgotten old So,' ns his mama wa
not ON my roll. and ncnlicd:
That can't lie 50 nv men arc all oc
connted for. ~
Bat he saws pcrsistcd the man. .tba
he belongs to CAPTAIN ". ofthe Mass a9fh
and he wants to sec YOU.
wcut with him and found the noo
fellow living on the ground. -
WHO are you said |.
WHY Cnp'n don'tvo know me p
What. Old Sol, is it YOU p
Yes, Cap'n. / told you I'd stick h,
you, and have But I've lost my gun,
aud he hcll up his LETT arm: the L3n1 wa
entirely gone, and the bones of his wris
protruling from the flesh. You see tn,
cannon ball that took off my hand. strnel
my gun ana bent it double. and the,
wouldn't bring it. But twas corplcteI,
split 'twoulln', have done Won ant rood
but here's my axe. all safe and sound.
Upon this, i examined the poor fellow
and found that not only was his left han,