New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-02

I t. Three of the wounded color guard
wara broupht from the field; two others
were knoVn to be dead, and it was not
doubted at the time that our corporal wa
alao killed. He had been seen to tall as Ia
caught up the flag and waved it over biz
staff had passed to other hands, which he
naver would have permitted unless badly
hurt. and nothing had been seen or heard
If him aimee. A truce was agreed UPON the
second dav after the fight, and three hun.
dred odd bodies, blackened beyond recogni.
tion by the fierce sun OF that iasl ,ude, we're
bulied together in the soldiers grave. The
missing were all supposed TO be among
them. and the corporal was reported dead.
w;rh MANY others who were never reeop
nized.
along. and the capitalization came at last, on
1he ninth Of July. And much to the sur
nrise and delight of his comrades, the cor
poral was found alive and we'll in the hands
of the enemy, and was released by the sur
render, with few others. He at once re-
counted his adventures, which VIII pre-
sent in the third person. The bail that
nrostrated him before the works had merely
cnt the scalp along the top of his head, pro.
dncing plentiful effusion of blood, and
knocking him senseless, but causing 20 in.
inry beyond this. He lay unconscious for
lime. and awoks to find himself lying fat
on his back, his face burned to blister bv
the sun, and the air all about him still ring
ing with the noises Of the battle. He heard
the voices of the officers rallying the meu
in the hollow below, out OF sight, and pres
entity several companies charging mp the
hill, and again the musketry opened hotly
from the works. He had not dared to str
lest be should be observed by some watch.
ful Confederate and shot; but as the ad.
vancing troops rushed over him with shout
and crv an officer threw up his arms and
fall directly upon the wounded sufferer, bis
life blood spouting in his face. The assault
failed, as did every other during the day,
and the little column fell back 10 the pro.
lection of the hollow, leaving large pro
portion of dead on the field.
Living on his back, his face shielded from
the sun BY the body that had fallen upon
him. the corporal passed several hours of
terrible suffering. He knew that he had the
strepgth to walk or crawl out of the range
of the fire from the works, but since he had
lain thus he had seen the wounded who
had tried to escape from the ground shot
dead. 1t was neither merciful nor human:
but with mems blood raging at fever heat
on the field of battle mercy and humanity
are ant to be sighted. His thirst was al
most intolerable; his tongue and mouth
were parched and dry; he was stiff and
sore from long continuing in one posture
and from the dreadful weight OF the corpse
that lay like lead upon him; but he dared
not shake it Off lest the movement should
draw the ready bullets of the enemy to him
Aud it was we'll for him that he did not
Once during the day volley of Confeder.
ate bullets directed at some of our men
who were rallying in one of the hollows,
passed directly over him. One of the balls cut
his sleeve; two, in rapid succession, struck
the dead body above him with q dali thud.
1t was death protecting life from death;
A piece of bark, peeled from scamp BY
q bullet, lay near his head. By slow and
grasped it, and carried it to his mouth.
Tormented by thirst as he was, his caution
was necessarily SO great in this that it &C.
cupied half an hour. II know it was a.
much as half an hour" he said in relating
his story; "but if judged by my feelings
all that horrible time. l should say it was
halt day." He chewed the bark eagerly,
and the excitement Of the salivary glands
greatly mitigated his acute thirst. cup
have been q boon more precious than any
thing else in the whole world; and he was
but one Of the hundreds who lay enduring
these INDISPENSABLE agOnies all over that
field. But such is war.
The long summer day ended at last and
the shattered regiments of the assaultipg
columns were Withdrawn beyond musket
range. The corporal patiently waited until
darkness had settled upon the scene of
blood, and then he ventured to relieve
himself of the dead weight that held him
down. He sat up and stretched his arms
with that feeling of relief which only the
man knows who is released from the chains
that have long bound him. Still fearful
that he might be observed, he would not
rise to bus feet, but crawled stealthily
down toward the hollow below. A figure
holding q musket suddenly appeared be-
fore him. He knew it could not be any of
our men, for all who were able to move had
been withdrawn some hours. Suspecting
the character and employment of this man.
he turned and caItiOusly made off at right
angles with the line of his first movement.
A few yards in that direction brought him
to another picket-for such they WERE The
Contederates had thrown out a chain of
soldiers to make certain that the assault
had been abandoned for the day. and the
corporal was inside the lines. Lying silent
and motionless, he heard another Conted.
crate. apparently q non-commissioned Off
Ger, come up with orders for the pickets to
return to the works. The soldier thus re-
lieved took three steps and stumbled over
the prostrare body of the corporal As he
fell his hand passed over the latter's face,
and its warmth instantly told him that the
man was alive.
"Ho! Yank," he exclaimed. Cit up here.
Can you walk9"
The corporal realized that this was no
time for artifce or stratagem, and at once
decided to surrender, for fear of worse con.
sequences than capture, should he be de-
tected in any deceit.
Eyes" he said, II surrender. can walk;
amt much hurt; but I'm mad with thirst.
For Gods sake, give me come water
II spoke from my heart, then, if l ever
did in my life; and the appeal moved my
captor at once. He unslung his canteen
from bis shoulder as he marched me over
the dead bodies of my comrades. through
the ditch, and up into the stron ghold; and
eagerly selling it from his hand, drank its
blessed contents-mOre than q Quart of
pure, cold water, without once stopping to
take breath. 1t seemed as if though life.
strength, hope, everything came to me with
that draught." never knew so a happy
moment in my life." Such were his words.
Inside the Confederate works the corporal
was allowed the liberty of certain bounds,
IN giving his parol not to attempt to escape.
md with the exception of the novelty and
inconvenience OF mule meat and dried peas
or subsistence, with scanty rations at that.
le met with no further adventure until the
;apitulatlOn released him, as described
NeW York Times.
81