Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-05-24

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bribed nor frightened into doing
wrong. With an army of such SOL
dicrs l could conquer not only the
French, but the world" And hand
ing the boy a glittering sovereign,
the Duke put spurs to his horse and
galloped away, while the boy ran
off to his work, shouting at the top
Of his voice: "Hurrah, hurrah! Eve
done what Napoleon couldn't do
I've kept out the Duke Of Yelling
ton"
Littlo Potter.
A short, little, square-built, dark
skinned, twinkling.cyed young iel-
low, was known the regiment over
as "Little Potter" The name came
from his trade before war times,
and from the fact that he was al
ways talking shop, and examining
clays with all the enthusiasm of .
geologist. He had the faculty Of
becoming interested in anything
that any other man was doing
Standing near the picket fire, though
uncomfortable himself, he could al.
ways suggest way to make the cof-
fee boil, and would gather up little
splinters and pile under or about
the little kettle with the keenest en-
joyment, although the coffee belong.
ed to the most taciturn man in the
company. He showed this kindly
interest in every mans affairs, and
of course was universally liked
At Shiloh, in the midst Of the Sec
ond days battle, Little Potter left
the company to get water for him
self and several Of his companions.
A quick change of position, 4 n"w
|>line Of battle formation, took place
after his departure, and Little Pot
ter was seen no more for several
days. After the rebels retreated, i.c
was acting as nurse at the brigade
hospital. He couldn't find the rcgi-
ment on his return, but found the
hospital, and the division surgeon
ordered him on duty, and, discover
ing his excellence as nurse, would
not let him return to the company.
There was a quarrel between the
Captain and the surgeon, the for
mer seeing Little Potter as 4 skulk-
er, and the latter seeing him as a
useful man who had made a mistake
through no fault of his own. The
Captain reported Potter absent
without leave, and he was court
martialed. The sentence was that
he should forfeit six months pay.
The men Of the company were very
indignant, but Potter said nothing.
The stoppage Of six months pay
told sorely upon him, but he wealth
cred the storm, and came out rs Sc
rene as though he had never been
court-martialed. Much clothing
was lost at Shiloh, and list was
made out of clothing lost in battle.
The Sergeant would ask: "Well,
Blame, what did you lose at Shi-
loh?" Answer-"An ovcrcoat and
knapsack." "What did you lose at
Shiloh, Potter?" With indescriba-
bic drollery, Potter said, with a sort
of lisp that was characteristic: 81
lotht theventy-eight dollarth!' This
was the only reference he made to
the court-martial and the six months
pay until the morning of the terri
bic December 3lst, at Stone River.
In the hurry Of the company torma-
,ion for battle, Little Potter was the
first man in place, after the orderly,
and though the shortest man in the
company, he held his place there
in face Of the rule to the contrary.
There was sweeping charge. That
company left their dead further to
the front than any other regiment
in action that day. They were cru
ally crushed, rclentlesSly driven
Little Potter was giant in doing.
He kept his place next to the order
ly, where the company was broken
and scattered. With a precision
that would, under other circumstan-
ces, have been droll, he formed on
the orderly whenever charge was
made, and while it was every man
for himself. AS he was ramming
home load, 4 ball struck him in
the tieshy part of the leg, cutting
a great cash and tearing his clothes.
He was advised to 60 to the rear
The reply was: 81 will show them
who is coward" A shot struck
him in the left shoulder, and he be-
came deadly pale. Still with teeth
and right hand he managed to load
his gun and fire. Another shot
struck him in the thigh, and he fell.
He was dragged to stump and
placed SO that the rakingdire would
not touch him. He deliberately
crawled round and placed himself
so as to face the rebels, and as the
company gave back in one of those
almost hand-to-hand fights, Little
Potter kissed his hand to the men
nearest him, and nestled down with
. sigh Of relief. Days afterward
the Sergeant found a pair Of black
eyes glistening from festoons Of
white sheets, in hospital at Muir
freesboro. They belonged to Little
Potter, broken-legged, broken.arm-
ed and bandagcd. He could not
move and could hardly speak. But
as the fearful man bent over him, he
lisped: "Wc wakthd them, didn't
we?" The rebels found him braced
against the stump punching at them
with his gun held in one hand, as
they ram by. He was taken to the
hospital, and here, day after day,
vent his old comrades to see him.
They did more; they wrote to Gen
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