The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-01-17
A Revolutionary AnccdOtc.

My grandfather revolutionary soldier,
was accustomed TO relate the following
among the incidents of his experience dur
ing the war;"
1t was during the famous Jersey cam.
paign. l7779 Attached to the company
to which he belonged was private sol.
dier, an inveterate fault6nder, sour, crab.
bed, perpetually "dsgrunted about
something but who, nevertheless, was
never suspected of leaning towards the
enemy, aud had always done / is duty as a
good soldier of the Continental army. On
one occasion, a Ii, utenant and part Of his
company, including the subject of our
story, were sent out on a scouting eXcur
sion. instructed to watch the movements of
a body of the enemy who were prowling
in the vicinity. 1t was very warm day,
and The party after three hours tramp,
came in sight of the foe, who, being in
greater numbers than was anticipated, com
PEELED the lieutenant and his men to use
"the better part of valor," and prepare for
retreat "On this old Grouty." as he
was called, lowered his musket, broke
forth in such TRADE against military duty
in general and scouting parties in partcu-
lar, and finished by saying he had done
enough for one day and was determined to
remain where he was for the remainder of
it. To the representations of his comrades
that he would be captured by the enemy,
he replied that such an event would be
preferable to any further exertion. aud stay
he would and abide the result, After ex.
hausting argument and entreaty, that
rather than suffer him to be taken by the
British and give them the information they
wonld seek concerning our forces, if he
persisted in his determination to remain,
he must shoot him in order to secure the
general safety. The reply was, shoot
aud be hanged; l shall stay where am.'-
On this a hurried consultation was held
by the officer with his men, and it was
resolved to experiment with him and avoid
if possible, the sacrifice of his life. He
was told to take his seat upon log in the
woods where they then were, and, TO avoid
the enemy by general volley, single sol
dier from behind was to seud bullet
through his heart. The announcement was
received with dogged resignation and
an unalered purpose. All being ready, the
soldier detailed as executiOner, at the word
of command, fired blank cartridge, while
by pre-arrangement, second simultan'
eously threw a small pebble smartIy at the
spot intended to be hit. The man fell and
groaned, and the lieutenant approached,
expressed his opinion that the wound was
mortal, and his sorrow that duty compelled
him to the measure, babe him adieu, and
then led his party to the rear, whore they
concealed themselves to watch the result.
The martyr to stubbornness lay, for some
time, uttering an occasional groan, varied
with maledctions upon the service, his
fate, the red-coats, and his comrades. His
wrath toward the latter seemed to he kind
led by the bungling manner in which they
had performed their duty, leaving him to a
lingering death instead OF despatching him
at once. At length, with a dOlorous exer-
tiUn, he raised himself on his elbow and
looked over and beneath his shoulder, as
though to determine the hearness of his
exit by the quantity of blood that had is.
sued from his wound. Apparently aston
ished at finding none, he next, with slow
but seemingly less painful movements,
commenced feeling behind his back for
traces of the bullethole. Unsatislied with
this, he raised himself to a sitting posture,
end, with much exertion, took of his coat,
and finding no perforatiOn, the truth and
the trick flashed upon him at once, when
seeing some straglers Of the enemy in the
distance, he started up, seized his musket
and ran, as none had ever seen him do be-
fore toward the American lines. He ar
rived long in advance of the lieutenant and
his party, who had never occasion there
after TO censure his baffleI subordinate.
E w R C