The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-09-27
LITTLE POTTER.

came from his trade before wal
times, and from the fact that he
was always talking shop, and eX
amining clays with all the enthu
siasm of q geolegist. He had the
faculty of becoming interested in
anything that any other man was
doing. Standing near the picket
fire, though uncomfortable him
self, he could always suggest q
way in which to make the coffee
boil, and would gather up little
splinters and pile under or about
the kettle with the keenest enjoy
ment, although the coffee belong
ed to the most taciturn man in the
company. He showed this kind
ly interest in every mans affairs,
and of course was universally
liked.
At Shiloh, in the midst of the
second days battle Little Potter
left the company to get water for
himself and several of his COM
panions. A quick change of posi-
ton, a new line of battle forma-
ton, took place after his depart
ure, and Little Potter was seen no
more for several days. After the
rebels retreated he was acting as
nurse in the brigade hospital. He
couldn't find the regiment on his
return, but found the hospital, and
the division surgeon ordered him
on duty, and discovering his ex-
cellence as q nurse would not let
him return to his company.
There was a quarrel between
the captain and the surgeon, the
former seeing Little Potter as a
skulker, and the latter seeing him
as a useful man who had made a
mistake through no fault of his
own. The captain reported Pot
ter absent without leave, and he
was court-martialed. The SEN
tence was that he shoald forfeit
six months pay. The men of the
company were very indignant, but
Potter said nothing. The stop
page of six months pay told sore
" on him, but he weathered the
storm, and came out as serene as
though he had never been court
martialed.
Much clothing was lost at Shiloh
lnntf list waSuEaaeout of clothing
lost in battle. The sergent would
ask:
"Well, Blain, what did you loose
at Shiloh?'' Answer:-"An over
coat and q knapsack."
'sWhat did you loose at Shiloh,
Potter?"
With indescribable drollery,
Potter said with sort of lisp that
was characteristic: 81 lotht thew
enty-eight dollarth."
This was the only reference he
made to the court-martial and the
six months pay until the morn
of the terrible December 81, al
Stone River In the hurry of the
company formation 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 a sweeping charge. That
company left their dead further III
the front than any other regiment
in action that day. They were
cruelty crushed, relentlessly
driven.
Little Potter was giant in do
inc. He kept his place next tC
the orderly when the company was
scattered. With a precision thai
would under other circumstances
have been droll, he formed on the
orderly whenever a charge was
made, and while it was every mar
for himself. As he was rammins
home q load a ball struck him il
the fieshy part of his leg, cutting
great cash and tearing his
clothes. He was advised to go tt
the rear. The reply was:
Il will show them who is the
coward"
A shot struck him in the lief
shoulder, and he became deadly
pale. Still, with teeth and righr
hand he managed to load his gur
and fire. Another shot strucl
him in the thigh, and he fell. HI
was dragged to stump, ant
placed so that the raking firt
would not touch him. He de
liberately crawled around anC
placed himself so as to face thu
rebels, and as the company CAV
back in one of those almost hanC
to hand fights, Little Potter kiss
ed his hand to the men neares
him and nestled down with sigl
of relief.
DAYS afterwards the sergean
found a pair of black eyes glis
tening from festoons of whit
sheets in a hospital at Murfrees
!. boro. They belonged to Littl
Potter, broken legged, brokei
! armed and bandaged. He coul
not move, and could hardly SPEAK
, But as the fearful men bent owe
! him, he lisped, ave walked then
didn't weT'
e The rebels found him brace
a against a stump, punching at thel
D with his gun held in one hand, a
they ran by. He was taken to til
hospital, and here, day after daN
went his old comrades to see hin
They did more; they wrote I
General Rosecrans, telling him til
simple story. They carried til
letter along the red tape line frol
9 brigade headquarters to division
from division to corps, from corr
to army headquarters, and return
ed with an order from Rosecrar
r himself, directing that the 81
t. months pay be returned TO Lit
IS Potter, that all charges on Il
lie record be erased, and that an o
p der compfimenting his gallanti
Ia be read on dress parade, and tn
r a copy be sent to the man wi
a behaved so nobly. The ord
N was read on dress parade, and Il
r. document, with all its endors
n ments and old Rosa's letter. we
s. carried to little Potter by men vi
IS could hardly speak. He seen'
n like one TRANSPORTED as one of /
rs old-time friends read and re-rei
IN the order and letter. He had
II. held down to his eyes so as
H. could see the red lines and offlci
IN signatures. Then came his fiji
as tears.
i'll aNow boys, I don't care to &
al well. It's all wiped out. amt J