The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-24
JOHN STRAY,
A Real Hero Out of a Book.

JOHN STRAY.
A Real Hero Out of a Book.
In a novel lately published, entitled
"Mark Gildersleeve," the hero an
officer In the Union army during the
late war, is represented as perform
ing an exploit which, although
seemingly fanciful and extravaganza,
is nevertheless the recital of an act
ual occurrence which took place
under other circumstances, and is
worth recording as an extraordinary
instance of cool courage and steadi-
ness of nerve in situation of extreme
peril.
In thefctitious narrative, Captain
Mark Gildersleeve is made, while in
ventursome mood, to unspike a
cannon during the seige of Rich
mond, directly in the face Of the
enemy's sharp. shooters. Now the
true hero of this was not "a curled
darling in shoulder-straps," as Cap
tain Mark Is represented to be, but
the study old John Stray, private in
the LIST volunteer engineers, and the
scene of action was not in Virginia
but in South Carolina, on Morris
Island, in July, 1868, after the
disastrous attack on Fort Wagner,
when the gallant Shaw met his death
at the head of the saith Massachu-
sets (coloredD. Baffled in that
assault, General 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 and a
breachiag battery placed in position.
Unfortunately during night attack
on the Uuion works, the rebels
succeeded in driving the men from
their position and spiking the guns
in the battery. This was a sharp
check, as the rebel sharpshooters,
ensconcing themselves in rifle pits
effectually stopped further progress
on the part of the engineer crops.
One of the spiked guns, 20O-pound
Parrot, completely raked the rifle
pits, and it was of the utmost impor-
lance that it should be brought into
action; but every attempt of the
Union men to effect 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 it was necessary to
mount the cannon and drill ont the
spike oEstructing the vent, while the
foe were diligently occupied on their
part in picking off the venture some
workman from his perch. AS no one
seemed ambitious to undertake the
venture, the Chief of Ordinance, Col.
Mordecai, applied to Stray. who
besides being skilled machinist,
had given proof on several occasions
of unusual GOODNESS and daring. AT
the request of the Col. he inspected
the gun, but the shower of bullets
which greeted his appearance was
not calculated to inspire him with
courage, and he reported that he did
not think any one could live long
enough on the cannon to unspIke it
and having a wife and children he
was not DESTROYS of making the effort.
Without trying to influence him
against his inclinations, the Colonel
replied that if he were willing to
make the attempt, he (the Colone)
would see that his family were pro-
vided for.
This promise decided Stray, and
he concluded to try and achieve the
feat. At nightfall he went forth on
his perilous errand, armed simply
with brace and bits. Straddllng
the monstrous piece, and crouching
as low as possible, he piled the drill
vigorously. No sooner had he
began work than the enemy per
ceived him, and fash after flash
succeeded from their rifle pits. tits
one thing to exhibit prowess amid
the clash and rush of battle fired by
the contagion of enthusiastic COM
rades, and another to brave death
singly and deliberately. Stray could
see, as he worked, the long rifle pits
of the rebels, not a hundred yards
distant, ablaze with the light OF fifty
rifles, and feel the wind OF their
bullets as they whistled past him.
Occasionally one struck the cannon,
as he noticed by the peculiar chirp
of the impact. Favored partly by
the obscurity and more by good luck,
he remained unscathed, save one
skin-scraping shot. In fifteen min
utes-seemed to him an hour-the
vent was clear. AS the gun was
loaded, lanyard and primer were
passed up to him, and these affixed,
he slipped quickly of: The rebels
seeing him drop, imagined they had
shot him, and set up yell of explta-
ton, which was suddenly checked as
discharge of grape scattered death
among them.
The rife pits were at once aban-
doned, and our sappers and miners
enabled 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 Second Lieutensncy,
but being modest man, and not
fitted by education for that position,
he declined it, and was satisfied to
accept the appointment of Master
Mechanic of the Ordinance depart
ment.
This was by no means the only
adventure of peril that Stray was
engaged in during the war, and his
history would make readable
volume. He was presented by Maj.
Gen. Gilmore, with the Bronze
Medal for valorous conduct, OF
which, we believe, but thirty nine in
all were ever distributed. Stray is
now an engineer employed in a
factory in Jersey City. He is short,
thick set man of SO or SO, with gray
beard ringing quiet but determin-
ed countenance. Many q less
deserving name will be handed to a
posterity, to become illustrious with
time, than that of this obscure hero,
John Stray.