The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-03-26

Yankee prisoner had 1 interroga.ed
upon the subject, hoping l NIGH
find some one who knew my broth
er's whereabouts, but in vain. Twict
l was taken prisoner, but by goot
fortune 1 managed to escape anc
join my regiment.
"These changes and chances oi
war at length found me at Corinth
10 all the scrapes had engaged ]
never got wounded until stood up
to fight there.
"By some means, don't recollect
how it occurred, but during the bat.
tie, discovered that about a dozeu
of our fellows and myself were sepa
rated from our regiment. In our en-
deavor to get back we got entangled
in the Federal lines and had to con.
ceal ourselves. At length, however,
we were discovered, and the Eeder-
ais commenced to fire on US from a
low stone wall where they laid.
There didn't seem to be more than
twenty of them, 30 some of our boys
proposed that we should charge
through them. We instantly agreed
to it, aud in five minutes more we
were dashing forward under their
fire. We never reached them, tor
before We got halfway, nearly all
our fellows were killed or wounded.
1.-Two of my comrades and myself
got behind on old pine stump and as
an act of bravado commenced to fire
on our foes. There was a fellow in q
blue blouse only trifling distance
directly in my front. / saw him lev.
el his piece at me, and before l was
able to hug the ground as close as l
should have done, l got his mnsket
ball in my lett shoulder.
"'Pm hit, l called to my com.
rades, "and l can't tell how badly,
but want you to steady my rifle
while wait for that Yank who shot
me. I'm determined to have my
mark on him if possible" As I ut
tered these words my foe rose to full
view, aud l pulled trigger. He stag
gered and fell, and as l gave cheer
l saw the Federals running for us.
A few minutes more and l was drag
ged within the Union lines.
ga surgeon soon had the ball out
of my shoulder, and while l was
waiting to be carried to the hospital,
I thought would indulge in q little
bravado. So l inquired:
"Where's the Yankee / shot ?"
ga fierce, red bearded man sprang
in front of me.
"'Are you the fellow that shot
Ned Bates, you Internal hound ?"
and he would have taken me by the
throat, had he not remembered that
l was a prisoner and wounded.
Ned Bates 70 l screamed.
Tell me, where did he belong.
Where is he now ?"
"'Carried up to the hospital tent,
but what's that to you ?" replied one
OF the Federals.
ga great deal if he came from
Kentucky" answered, "tor l have
brother by that name somewhere
in your army"
"'By George" exclaimed one of
them. 81 b. lieve Ned does belong
somewhere in the South, but here
you are, you'll soon fiud out. Jump
in" and l was soon tum mbled into an
ambulance and carried off.
81 had great pam in my shoul
der, and a greater one IN my heart.
As soon as got to the hospital, l
went to the surgeon in charge. He
was kind spoken man, and l stated
my case to him. and asked him if he
would allow me to go to the bedside
of the man who was shCt.
"'My God," he exclaimed, "this
would be horrible incident if true,
for the man you are seeking is al
ready dead. Go, but l hope for the
sake of huma anity he may be no kin
to YOU"
"Tbe firing had ceased the pale
stars were coming out on the evening
sky, as with bowed head, and not
unavailing tears, knelt at the couch
of dead Union soldier, and held
h,s hand in my own Would to God
l had died ere that hour, for then l
could have gone 10 my grave with
scar ELY regret, and certainly with.
out a brothers. blood on my hands.
Now tell me-" he added, edo you
think man lilo mo hoe oouso for
grief ?"
"Most assuredly do"
"And do you think l can ever be
hapry again ?"
81 do not" replied.
He caught me by the hand. "You
are an honest man." he said. 'Let
US go to bed, for l am very misera-
ble."