The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-12-19
Array "reminiscences.
BY II. NJ. o.

/ Rditor Somerset Press:
| The night was cold. We advanced
nearly to the farther side of large cot
ton field, and when within about two
hundred yards of Stone River, halted.
Our regiment was deployed as skirmi-
shers. We advanced close to the edge
of the river and under cover of a tree,
stump or rock, watched for the foe. OF
course we could not have any fire, and
being on the lookout for the enemy, and
knowing they were but few feet off,
dared hardly move for fear the noise
would cause bullet to find us. There
we were all night, and when we were re-
lieved just before daylight, we were SO
stiff with cold we could hardly move.
That night and the day following
there was circumstance occurred that
/ shall never forget We had in our
company man who was very profane,
and who always gave vent to his feel
ings, with the most profane oaths ever
heard, at the least hardships we had.
That night it seemed that he could not
find language profane enough in which
to curse himself or his God. Among
other things, he wished, with the vilest
oaths), that he might not live to see an
other sunset Poor Man! God heard his
prayers, and sent his answer. About ten
o'clock next day while lying behind
little knoll, waiting to make a charge
bali came over the hill, just grazed my
hat, and hitting him in the neck, killed
him instantly.
The battle ragged in allits fury through
the day, another night came on, but
how different from the last! Then all
was qniet, excepting an occasional shot
from the pickets; now all over the field
lay the dead and wounded, who could
not be carried off, 1t is the cry for help
from a wounded comrade, that touches
the feelings of battleworn soldier more
than anything else. He has no fear of
bullets, if he can aid wounded COM
rade. As an instance that day we had
been compelled to fall back, as evening
advanced, we heard a the voice of one
of our comrades calling for help. "Ah;
it is Charley's voice." says John, his
messmate, "and must try to help him,
he wants water" The rebel bullets
were flying fast, he looked and finally saw
the form of his comrade almost in front
of him, and some distance away. "Can
ever reach him, without receiving a
bulIet?" he said. Without waiting for
a reply, he took canteen Of water, and
started. He glidded from tree to tree,
with the bullets flying thick around him;
he almost reached him, but ball pass
ed through his canteen and the water
was gone. He called to Charley and
told him what had happened. Poor
Charley was suffering for water. "Never
mind" said John; lie still, and I will be
back. He slipped back to the line, pro-
cured another canteen of water; the bull
lets blew thicker than ever. They SEEM
ed determined to make the day as long
as possible, but he again started out, he
made the nearest tree and stopped to
look for the next point. He reached
stone, then stump, and just as he drop
ped behind it the bullets cut the bark
A few feet from him he saw a log, he
made for it, and crawled to the other
end, and finally reached his comrade in
safety, refreshed him with what he had
brought and helped him to crawl to
ditch, and tore off his own clothing to
bind up his wounds. 1t soon got dark
so that others could come and help car
ry him to the rear.