Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-07
HerOlsm In the Ranks.

could fill volume with incidents of in
diyidual heroism on the part of private sol
diers in the Confederate army. | have space
for only a few. At first Fredericksburg,
Just after Lawton's Georgia Brigade (under
command OF Col. Atkinson) had driven the
enemy ont of the woods on Early's front and
made their gallant dash across the plain 1.-THE
men growing loudly at being ordered back u,
saying, "If it had been those Virginia iel-
lows that made the charge. 'old Jubal'
would have let them drive the Yankees into
the river"), Georgia boy, who seemed to
be not over sixteen, rushed up to me with
his two middle fingers shattered, and eI-
claimed (mistaking me for surgeon), doc
tor, ! want you, please, to cut of these I'm
gers and tie them up as soon a. you can.
The boys are going into another charge d.
rectly, and | want to be with them" |
procured him surgeon, the wound was
dressed and the brave boy hurried to the
front again. At Cedar Creek, on the 18th
of October, 1864. Sergeant Trsinum, the
color bearer of the Thirteenth Virginia In
fantry, was surrounded by number Of Sher
idan's troopers, Understanding, "You may
kill me, but will never give up my colors"
he fought until he fell insensible, and the
flag was stripped from his body, around
which be had wrapped it.
Looking through port hole in the trench
es below Petersburgh one day, sudden
gust of wind lifted my hat off and landed it
between the two lines. Private George
Hauer, Of Company ID, Thirteenth Virginia
Regiment, at once stepped up and offered to
get my hat for me. peremptorily forbade
his doing so, as knew the great risk he
would run but the fearless fellow soon dis
appeared, and before long returned with the
hat. "Ilow did you manage to get ." |
asked. "Oh ! crawled down the trench
leading to our picket line and fshed it in
with pole" "Did not the Yankees see
you?'' "Oh yes, they shot at me eight or
ten times but that made no difference, so
they did not hit me- Poor fellow, he was
aiterward killed bravely doing his duty. !
frequently saw men in the trenches at Pc
tersburg watching the shell from the enemy's
mortars as they came over. claiming some
particular one as my she'll, b" and scarcely
waiting for the smoke from the explosion to
clear away before eagerly rushing forward to
gather up the scattered pieces, which were
sold TO the ordnance officer for few cents
Confederate money! per pound. They
called shells which went far to the rear
"quarter- master bunters," and one day
gallant fellow utterly reckless of personal
danger in his eagerness for a joke) mounted
the parapet, the target of many sharp-shoot-
ers, and pointing to Il shell that was flying
over, exclaimed "A little further to the
right. Capt. B 1.-THE name of the wor-
thy quartermaster) is down yonder under the
hill"
Upon another occasion saw good natur
ed fellow frying some meat on the side OF the
trench while the minnie balls Of the sharp
shooters wniStled all around him. At last
one struck in his fire. and threw ashes in
frying pan, when he quietly moved to the
other side of the fire. as ii to avoid smoke,
and went on with his culinary operations.
coolly remarking "Plague on those fellows,
| expect they will spoil all my grease yet be-
fore they quit their Ioolishness. - PhiladcE
phfd IiU.,S