Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-10-19
NO.g42.

4fOld Pete, our sour-tempered companion
had a first class Minnie rifle with him. HI
had carried it for several months, in SOM
way escaping the attention OF the inspect
or and In some way always secured am
munition for it. 4 saw him, in at least
half dozen instances, shoot down vidette:
or skirm ishers who seemed to be half {
mile away, and he was known throughout
the regiment as a dead shot.
There was considerable firing around us
from foragers, stragglers and men cleaning
tier guns. and shot from the window
might not attract particular attention.
Resting the heavy gun across the window
SILL and having as steady rest as hunter
ever asked for, sold Pete'' was ready to
/ keep his word. l"lsf 5}'H t3#t '&sii tjtal
IT SEEMED LIKE CoLD-BLOODED AssAssI-
I I could almost count the buttons on
J;sckson's coat, and there seemed no es-
cape for him. I was watching him when
the rifle cracked.szHe 'isad a feld-glass to
his eye, and the only movement we could
see was a quick motion of his head. as if
i. the bullet had cut close to his ear, The
glass was not even lowered. s'Old Pete''
swore terrible long string of oaths as he
realized his failure, but in a moment was
ready again. ,it. H., g,,,f s,i.i5.ol
81 hope to never draw another breath if
I don't kill him stone dead ~ he muttered
| as he knelt down. Jackson did not face us
as before, yet was a good mark even for a
musket. We watched him as before, and
this time the bullet must have swept past
his face, as he lodged his head backwards.
The glass was down then, but he raised it
in an instant and went on with his survey.
"Have 1 got to be fool or, have 1
grown blind ~ howled cold Pete,'' as be
looked down upon his unframed victim.
s'I'H kill him this time or shoot myself in
this chamber ~ vt"
T. It was dangerous to remain there longer,
as the cavalry had crept nearer, and Jack
sons aids had got the idea that there was
sharpshooter near by. Yet "Old Pete''
would have had third shot if the Con-
| federates had been in the house.
| THE TARGET WAS AS FAIR AS BEFORE.
| He took more careful aim, and yet when
he fired we saw spllnters fly from rail
way over beyond the General. The cavalry
| were then close upon us, and our two
| muskets were lost in the hurried light
| from the house, Half an hour after that,
jackson was driving our brigades and di-
visions as he willed., 4#v nm
"I'll measure off the same distance, off
hand, and bet my life that I can hit a
soldiers cap nine times out Of ten l"growl-
ed ''Old Pete" as he hurried forward, and
| suddenly overcome by indignation and
chagrin he battered hts cherished gun
against a tree and destroyed it. ASH seek
| ing personal revenge, Jackson's legions
passed right by US. The nearest brigade
Of Sigez;s corps was picked up and dashed
! to pieces as strong man would lift and
| hurl "a child: Running along with the
amazed and frightened men. but bearing
off towards, our own division, we picked up
other muskets to replace our lost ones.
Reaching a knoll from which we had
another view of the,turnpike, we halted for
last look: over the heads of the frighten-
ed, fleeing soldiers-over the ground
strewn with arms and accoutrements-
over the blue smoke just beginning to rise,
WE SAW JACKSON AGAIN.
He was far away, but it was Jackson.
'sCnrse him but he has got guardian
angelt'' howled 'sOld Pete'' as he shook
his fist toward the turnpike.
No other man ever had rifle drawn on
him at such range and escaped three cool,
carefully aimed bullets. His escape sent
thrill of superstition through each mind
and from that hour to this moment when
the news reached us, sold Pete'' never
spoke a word It was puzzle that he could
not solve. AS we lay IN line, every eye
peering through the darkness to catch
sight Of the gray line coming on again an
aid came hurrying along, and shouted
OUT t'..
"We're all right, boys-Stonewall jack
son has been killed up the road there!"
sold Pete" leaped up, whirled round to
face the bearer of the news and savagely
shouted back: er
s'You lie! you lie! you lie Stonewall
Jackson can't be hurt by shell or killed by
bullets!'' a-tt
BUT IT WAS so.
Lying in the arms of those who loved
him, so near us that the cries of our
wounded must have reached his ears, was
the mortally wounded general whose skill
and strength had no match. While the
white-faced dead looked up to the torn and
shattered forest trees-while the wounded
crawled here and there in their awful
agony-While the living looked into each
others anxious faces and wondered if an
other night would find any of us there, the
legions of jackson were strangely silent.
Now and then came the sudden boom of
some great gun, sounding like deep groan
Of despair. bat there was nothing more to
break the silence. While men rested in
line of battle, having the awful horrors of
war on every side, there was one who gave
up his life as he whispered: "Let us cross
over the river and rest under the shade of
the trees.'' 7a4,.4tHf . t tf
WHAT TO Do, AND How TO Do IT,
The remark of the Rev. John Newton be-
low deserves to be written On the tablet of
every heart: II see in this world" he OBJ
serves. s'two heaps one of human happi-
ness and one 'of misery. Now, if I can
take but the smallest bit from the second
heap, and add to the first I carry point.
If, as 90 home, child has dropped a half,