The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-08-21
An In siIeut OF the war.


in 1863 the following deed Of daring
was performed by John Stray, p pri-
vate in the New York Volunteers.
General Gilmore had taken steps
to reduce tho fort by regular siege
aud had established parallel of
guns which was doing good work.
Unfortunately, during n night attack
on the Union works the rebels sue
ceeded in driving them from their
position aud spil;ing the guns in the
battery. This was serious check
rs the rebel sharp shooters, enscon-
cirg themselves in rifle pits, e(fectu
ally stopped further progress on the
part OF the engineer crops. One Of
the spiked guns, a 200 FOUNDER Par
rott, completely raked the rifle pits,
aud it was of the utmost importance
that it should be brought into action
but every attempt made by the Union
men to effect this met with o murder
Gus volley from the vigilant rebel
plarksmen. In this difficulty the
chief of ordinance called for volun.
teers to restore the piece to service.
To do this it was necessary to
mount the cannon aud drill out The
spike obstructing the vent while the
foe were diligently occupied, on
their part, in picking off the venture
somo workman from his perch. AS no
one seemed ambitious to undertake
the venture, the chief of ordinance.
Colonel Mordiceai, applied TO Stray,
who, besides being n skillful machin-
list, had given proof on several occl-
sion3 of unusual coo'uess and daring.
At The request of the colonel he in
6pected tho gun, but tho shower of
bullets which Sree;od his appearance
was not calculated to encourage
him, aud he reported that he did not
think any one could live long enough
on the cannon to uuspike it; and
having wife and young chill lren,
he was not desirours of making the
effort. Without trying TO influence
him against his inclination, colonel
replied that il he were willing t.
make the attempt and should be
killed, he (the coloneD would sec
that bis family were provided for
This promise decided Stray, and
he concluded to try aud achieve the
feat. At nightfall he went forth or
his perilous errand. armed simply
with brace ond bits. StriIdling
the breech of The monstrous piece
and couching rs low as possible, he
piled the drill vigorously. No soon
er had he began to work than the
enemy perceiving him, and flash af
ter flash succeeded from the rifle
pits 1t i one thing to exhibit PROV
ess amid the clash and rush o
battle, fired by the contaSion of en-
thusiastic comrades, another tc
brave death singly and deliberately
Stray could see, rs he worked, the
long rifle pits Of the rebels, not /
0 hundred yards distant, ablaze Will
! the light Of fifty rifles, and fee
tho wind of their bullets as the,
: whistled past him. Occasionally ont
struck the cannon, as he noticed b,
l the peculiar chirp of the i'm
J pact. Favored partly by the obscu
rity and more by good luck, he re
!. NAMED unscatched, save by one ski
scraping shot. In fifteen minutes
I it seemed to him an hour-the ven
was clear, As the gun was loa led
Z a lanyard and n primer We're passed
Q up to him, and these affixed, he slip
ped quickly Oft. The rebels seein,
y him drop imagined they had sho
u him, and set up yell of exultation
which was suddenly checked ms
IT discharge of grape scattered deaf
o among them. The rifle pits were n
70 once abandoned aud our sappers an
miners enabled to proceed withou
q any further interruption. The car
tain Of the battery reported twenty
{ two lead marks from bullets that ha
struck The piece.
In reward for this exploit, Stra
~ was offered second lieutenancy, bu
in being q modest man, and not titte
J. by education for tho position, h
X declined it and was satisfied to ac
or cept The appointment of maste
!, mechanic in the ordnance department
'e This was by no means the only az
z venture of peril that Stray was Gu
ID gagged in during the war, and his hi
= tory would make readable volume
sr He was presented by Major Gener,
u Gilmore with the bronze medal fo
,r valarous conduct, of which | believ
ID but thirty niue in all were ever di
ID tributed. Stray is now an engines
r. employed in a factory in Jersey Cit
e. lie 10 a short, thick set man OF iift
'al or 30, with gray beard frinsing {
he quiet but determined countenanc
'st Many less deserving name will
'st handed down to posterity, to becon
sr, illustrious with time, than that
er this obscure hero, John Stray.
ls-
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