Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-07-17
JOHN STRAY
A Reaf Hero Out OF = Book.
From the New York Pos

A neaf Hero Out OF = Book.
From the New York Post.
In . novel lately published, entitle,
mark Gildersleeve," tho hero an Off
Ger in the Union army during the lat
war, is represented as performing al
exploit which, although seemingly fan
ciful and extravagant, is nevertheless
the recital Of an actual occnrrenc,
" hich took place under other circum
stances, and is worth recording a. al
extraordinary instance of cool cour
age and steadiness of nerve IN q stu
alton Of extreme peril.
In the ficticious narrative, Captain
Mark Gildersleeve is made, while in {
ventursome mood, to unspike can
non during the seige Of Richmond, di.
rectly in the face Of the enemy's sharp
shooters. Now the true hero of this
was not "a curled darling in shoulder.
straps," as Captain Mark is represented
to be, but the sturdy old John Stray
private in the 1st volunteer engineers,
and the scene of action was not in Vir.
ginia but in South Carolina, on MOrris
Island, in July, 1868, after the disas-
trous attack on Fort Wagner, when
the gallant Shaw met his death at the
head Of the 54th Massachusetts, Color
ored). Baffied in that assault, Gener-
al Gilmore lost no time In Taking
means to reduce the fort by regular
approaches, and IN few days after
the bloody assault, the first parallel
was opened kand preaching battery
placed In position. Unfortunately
during q night attack on the Union
works, the rebels succeeded In driving
the men from their position and spik-
ing the guns in the battery. This was
sharp check, o. the rebel sharpshoot-
ers, enconcing themselves..in rifle pits
eaectuslIy stopped further progress on
the part Of the engineer corps. One
Of the spiked guns, . 200-pound Par
rot, completely raked the rife pits, and
It was of the utmost importance that
1t should be brought into action but
every attempt of the Union men to Of
feet this, met with murderous volley
from the vigilant rebel marksmen. In
this difficulty the Chief OF Ordinance
called for volunteers to restore the
piece to service.
To do this 1t was necessary to mount
the cannon and drill out the spike OBJ
structing the vent, while the foe were
diligently occupied on their part In
picking off the venturesome workman
from his perch. As NO one seemed
ambitious to undertake the venture,
the Chief Of Ordinance, Col. Morde-
cal applied to Stray, who, besides
being q skilled machinist, had given
proof on several occasions of unusual
GOODNESS and daring. At the request
Of the Colonel he inspected the gun,
but the shower of bullets which greet
ed his appearance was not calculated
to inspired him with courage, and he
reported that he did not think anyone
could live long enough on the cannon
to, unspike it and having wife and
children he was not desir0us Of, max
ing the effort. Without trying to in.
fiuenc0 him against his inclinations,
the Colonel replied that if he were
willing TO make the attempt, he (the
ColoneD would see that his family
were provided for. zii aas 's.@i
This promise decided Stray, and he
concluded to try and achieve the feat.
A. nighIfHT he went forth on his per-
ilous errand, armed simply with .
brace and bits. Straddling the mon-
strous piece, and crouching as low as
possible, he piled the drill vigorously.
No sooner had he began work than
the enemy perceived him, and flash af-
ter flash succeeded from their rifle
pits. 1t is one thing to exhibit
proves amid the clash and rush OF
battle, fired by the contagion of enthu-
siastic comrads, and another to brave
death singly and deliberately. Stray
could see, as he worked, the long rifle
pits of the rebels, not q hundred yards
distant, ablaze with the light of fifty
rifles. and feel the wind oftheir bullets
as they whistled past him. Occasion
ally one struck the cannon, as he notic-
ed by the peculiar chirp OF the impact.
Favored partly by the obscuffty and
more by good luck, he remained un-
scathed, save one skin-scraping shot.
In fifteen minutes--it seemed TO him
an hour-the vent was clear. As the
gun was loaded, lanyard and primer
were passed up to him, and these af-
fixed, he slipped quickly of. The
rebels seeing him drop, imagined they
had shot him, and set up yell of ex.
ultatiou, which was suddenly checked
as a discharge Of grape scattered death
among them. iiE ssaf
The rifle pits were at once abandon
ed, and our. sappers and miners en-
abled to proceed without interruption.
The Captain Of the battery reported
twenty -two lead marks from bullets
that had struck the piece. ~
In reward for this exploit Stray was
offered q Second Lieutenancy, but be-
ing q modest man, and not fitted by
education for that position, he declined
1t, and was satisfied. to accept the ap-
pointment of Master Mechanic OF the
Ordinance department. 'l
This was by NO means the only adj
venture of peril that Stray was engag-
ed in during the war, and his history
would make q readable volumn. He
was presented by Maj. Gen. Gilmore,
with the Bronze Medal for vAlorous
conduct, Of which, we believe, but
thirty mine in all were ever distribute
ed. Stray is now an engineer employ.
ed in factory in Jersey City. He ID
short, thick set man Of SO or 30, with
gray beard fringing quiet but de-
termined countenance. Many lcsi
deserving name viii be handed to ,
posterity, to become illustrious will
time, than that of this obscure hero
John Stray. f's
Ladies' ~ Dee.Keepess.
A Des Moines lady, writing to thu
Department of Agriculture at Wash
ington, says the following upon thi
| suhiecf ~Vithfn the last four year