Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-01-10
A Wonderful Hero.
THE TENACITY OF LIFE.

THE TENACITY OF LIFE.
A st. Louis letter to Chicago pa
per relates the following circumstan-
ces, which ale almost too marvellous
for belief:
"There is now in this city young
man who exhibits one of the most
marvellous instances of the tenacity |
of life that /, at least ever recorded,
and which will not little puzzle men
of science and surgical skill. The
mans name is William Fl. Brown
He was a private in the Eighteenth
Iowa Infantry, and enlisted at Sigour-
ney in August, 1862. He was in the
memorable battle of Springfield, Mo-,
in which this noble regiment was
thrown into the breach at moment
when the fortunes OF the day were al
most lost, and bears the marks of the
terrible fire which greeted the charge
of tle brave Eighteenth. Here he
received a wound from a she'll. He
was next wounded at Poison Springs,
on the 18th of April, while the regi-
men, which had been left alone on
the ield, was cutting its way through
force six times its strength. His
wound at this place was from
ball in the side, which detained him
from duty nearly month. Passing
through the battle of Prairie de Anne,
April, 1864, and that of Jenkins Fer
ry on the 29th of April, unscathed,
it was reserved for the rebel guerilla
and robber, Quantrell, to put his life
strength to the test. Brown, with
four comrades, was captured by this
human hyena. and Brown was robbed
of his clothing, and nearly nine hun
dred dollars in money, and watch.
The four were then tied to a tree,
with their hands raised above their
heads, a rope around their bodies, and
another around their feet. When thus
secured, the guerillas then formed into
platoon of fifteen men, and taking
position at short distance, dischar-
ged their rifles and revolvers at these
defenceless men, commencing at one
and continuing to the next. Brown
was the last man left, and mind must
fail utterly to realize his feelings as he
listened to the repeated volleys, and
heard the death groans of his COM
rades. Awhile these worse than fenGs
glutted their venom on them. Hav-
ing reached him at last, he was asked
by the leader of the gang if he had
anything to say. He replied that they
might fire away, whereupon they took
their stations. A noise, a flash, a
dropping head, and ell was dark with
poor Brown.
Having finished their work, the de-
mons left the place. Strange to say
those fifteen balls failed to do the will
of tie guerillas. Brown survived
He was shot about ten o'clock in the
forenoon, and was unconscious until
near evening, when he aroused from
his stupor, suffering intense agony and
pain, yet bound fast to the tree and
his dead companions. For two days
and nights he remained thus. Added
to all this were the pangs of hunger
and thirst, and the fierce yells of a
pack of hungry wolves. He was on
the third day discovered by young
lady named Mary Mills, who at once
brought him relief. He was removed
to Fort Scott, where his wounds were
examined, and the fact disclosed that
the entire fifteen balls had passed into
his body. One penetrated the head
over the right eye, destroying that or.
gan, and is now lodged inside the
skull another entered the right eye
passing around the skull, and is now
lodged under the right ear; another
entered the right temple, and was re
moved from under the left eye; anoth
er entered the left side of the neck
and lodged near the windpipe, where
it now remains; another entered the
body under the right arm, and passed
through both lobes of lungs and out
under the left arm; two more lodged
under each hip, where they now are
breaking the bones of both; FIVE balls
entered the right thigh above the knee
shattering it badly; and destroying
almost the entire bone; two balls en-
tered the left thigh, breaking the bone
and there remaining. Thus it will be
seen that eighteen bullets and frag
!, ment of shell had been shot into his
body, fourteen of which are still there
and he not twenty three years of age
J His face is not so badly disfgured az
to make him at all ugly, while, will
, the aid of a crutch and cane, he il
able to 90 about, yet in a crippled
condition. He is, indeed. the wreck
of fine looking, noble young man
, an ornament to heroism and to hi.
race: and an honor to his country anc
native state. He is cheerful in con
versation, and takes his fate like &
philosopher. He is now on visit
here with his relatives. His record i.
almost too marvellous to believe, ye
there is not question as to the facts
! stated above.
"CoME UNTO Me. Yes, Jesus,
come. Nothing shall stand between
me and thee whom my soul loveth.-
Tom indood n rrroo+ c;nno, b,+ I'll