Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-15
NARROW ESCAPE IN BATTLE.

Many computations have been made of the
number of bullets fired in battle for every
man killed. The following stories. collected
by the Detroit Free Press, show how near
some of the stray bullets come to doing fatal
work:
At the battle of Peach Orchard, when
Mcclellan was making his change of base, a
Michigan infantryman fell to the ground as
if shot dead, and was left lying as the regi.
ment changed position. The ball which hit
him first struck the barrel of his gun, glanced
and knocked a button off his coat, tore the
watch out of his vest pocket, and then struck
the man just over the heart and was stopped
there by song book in his shirt pocket.
He was unconscious for three quarters of an
hour, and it was full month before the
black and blue spot disappeared.
At Pittsburg Landinga member of the
Twelfth Michigan Infantry stopped down to
give wounded man drink from his can.
teen. While in the act bullet aimed at his
breast struck the canteen, turned aside, pass
ed through the body of q man and buried it.
self in the leg of horse. The canteen was
split open, and dropped to the ground in
halves.
At the second battle of Bull Run, as
New York infantryman was passing bis plug
of tobacco to a comrade, bullet struck the
plug, glanced of, and buried itself in KNAPP
sack. The tobacco was rolled up like ball
of shavings and carried hundred feet away.
Directly in line of the ball was the head of
lieutenant, and had not the bullet been de-
ffected he would certainly have received it.
AS it was, be had both eyes filled with tobac-
co dust, and had to be led to the rear.
AT Brandy Station one Of Clusters troop
ers had bis left stirrup strap cut away by
grape-shot, which passed between his leg
and the horse, blistering his skin as if with
red hot iron. He dismounted to ascertain
the nature of his injury, and as he bent over,
bullet knocked his hat off and lied his
horse In the same fight was trooper who
had suffered several days with the tooth ache:
In hand to- hand fight he received pistol
ball in the right cheek. 1t knocked out his
aching double tooth and passed out of the left
hand corner of his mouth, taking part of an
upper tooth along. The joy of being rid Of
the tooth ache was so great that the trooper
could not be made to 60 to the rear to have
his wound dressed.
An object, no matter how triAing, will turn
bullet from its true course. This was shown
one day at the remount camp in Pleasant
Valley. They had "bull pen" there, in
which about five hundred bounty jumpers
and other hard cases were under guard.
Once in while one Of these men would
make break for liberty. Every sentinel in
position would open fire, and it did not mat
ter in the least if man ran toward the
crowded camp. On this occasion prisoner
made for the camp, and as many as six shots
were fred at him without effect. One Of the
bullets entered the tent of a captain in the
Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. He was ly::
ing down, and the course of the bullet would
have buried it in his chest. Fortunately for
him the candle by which he was reading sat
on stand between him and where the bullet
entered. This was struck and cut squarely
in two, and the lighted end dropped to the
floor without being snuffed out. The ball
was DETECTED, and buried itself in the pillow
under the officers head, passed out Of that
and through his tent, entered one behind it,
passed between two men, and brought up
against camp kettle.