The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-21
THE HERO OF MISSION RIDGE.
did the can,.;, .sc.n.

Well" said the Colonel, Mason, will
a dozen fellows from the Little Muddy
enlisted in my regiment. He was a splen.
did soldier-always ready for battle-ons
OF the best men in the regiment, but hs
would have his sprees- One day, abou,
three weeks before the battle of Mission
Ridge, Mason brought n canteen Of whiskey
into camp. and always generous, went to
give it to the boys. This was against the
orders. SO l ordered my Major to arrest him
and put him in the guard house. Mason
found out that the Major was after him
with n squad of men, and full of deviltry,
he commenced dodging around and behind
the tents to keep from being arrested. Blu;
pretty quick, in trying to keep from the
men. he ran square against the Major.
Here, you rascal !" said the Major,
seizing him by the coat collar without Civ.
ing iii o chance to explain. Now you
walk to the uard-house III fix you, you
scoundreli"
But in the excitement Of the moment
Mason drew up his fist and knocked the
Major flat, and then went and gave him
self up.
what was lone about it ?" I asked.
"Well, Mason was tried before a court
martial for striking a superior officer, sem
fenced to be shot, and the sentence was
'S.b w SAtAu StAA. y " NC aDpAoNCu.
And then poor Mason wa imprisoned on
bread and water with a ball and chain to
each foot"
Did General Davis approve tho SEN
tence?"
YES, he approved it"
But how did Mason escape being
shot?"
well, the next day before the approved
sentence arrived came the battle of Mission
Ridge, and our regiment was ordered for
ward. Mason, of course was in the rear
under guard, with a ball chained to his
ankle. We heard the rebel cannons in front
all forenoon. We knew there was q big bat
tie on, and we needed all our men. So I
rode over to the guard house and told Ma
son that we would have to leave him behind
with his ball and chain till the battle was
over"
LET me go with the boys, Colonel "
pleaded Mason. a. don't want to see the
boys in a fight without me-"
But you might escape, Mason. You
know there is a sentence hanging over
you"
by heavens. Colonel. you amt going to
let the boys go into this fight without me ?"
and the tears came into his eyes.
Got to, Mason" l said "Ican't trust
you"
Then" continued the narrator, the
order came from General Davis for our reg
iment to move up and charge a rebel re-
doubt, and the boys dashed forward. It
an awful fight. Twice they eniladed
us, and the rebel bullets moved down our
men by dozens, while the rebel flag still
waved on the redoubt."
Colonel, you must capture that re-
Doubt was the order that came from
General Davis.
Our men were now badly tired out. and
the dead and wounded lay all around US
but ! got our men together and made the
charge. Gods what a charge! My horse
was killed under me. The men went for
ward in n shower Of bullets. I thought they
were going straight for that flag then all
at once they wavered. The bullets flew like
rain and the advance men were all shot
down. There was no one to lead and i
thought all was lost. Just then l saw a man
come rushing up from the rear. He grab
bed n dead soldiers repeating rifle and
right through d.ad ana dying,
the read and pushed up to the re-
Doubt. The boys saw him. took courage
and followed. In n moment | saw the brave
fellow swing his rifle around him on the
OF the redoubt, grasp the flagstaff and
break it off, while the boys struggled up
the sides and emptied their guns into the re-
rebels.
The day was ours! as 1 came up 1
"who took that flag, boys?"
SIT was Mason" said the boys, and look
ing down, i saw q broken chain n O
still on his ankle.
Then the narrator's voice choked him, and
the tears came into his eyes.
~ couldn't help it, Colonel, said Mason.
d 7 1a.I1,,t ,aa tLa ho,a Grht;n~ alopa M
I got the axe and pounded off the ball and
chain, and now, Colonel, I'll go back and
put EN- on again"
Go pack and put 'em on again !" / al
most cried. No sir Mason, III put them
on myself first. Then" said the Colonel,
81 reflected that this wasn't military, and
1 told the brave fellow to stay with two
of the boys"
THAT night" continued the Colonel, al
wrote over to General Davis about Mason's
~bravery-how he captured the rebel flag,
and led the regiment to victory in fact,
saved the battle-and begged him if he had
not approved Mason's sentence of death, to
send it back to the court unapproved. In
an hour the messenger came back with the
papers. The sentence had been approved
before the battle, but General Davis took
his pen and wrote ucross the bottom
The findings of the court disapproved,
and private, Thomas Mason, for distin.
guished bravery in capturing n rebel flag,
promoted to Second Lieutenantcy."
What did Mason say when you told him
about his promotion ?" l asked.
well, l read him the death sentence
and its approval first. Mason sank down.
his face fell on his arm. and | heard n deep
groan. Then he said. as his eyes filed
with tears:
We'll, Colonel, it is hard, but 1 can
stand it if anyone can"
But here is another clause, Mason" l
said ION account of your splendid brav.
cry yesterday you have been promoted TO u
Second ~Lieutenantcy."
What, me, Colonel, mef"
Eyes, Lieutenant Mason. you
Thank God !" he exclaimed, and the
bravest man in the Northern army stepped
into his tent to send n streak of sunlight to
cheer up his broken-hearted mother.-EL1
PERKINS. Ia Potter'S american Monthly.