Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-25
kIRKLAND's COURAGE.

-Ho" THE SERGEANT BRAYED THE
BuLLETs BETwEES THE LINES
ron HUMANITY SAKE.
General }. Il. Kershaw, Of South
Carolina, who was a commander in
the Confederate army, sent some days
ago, the following letter to the press.
Such story Of the war is indeed
worthy Of preservation, for the honor
Of humanity:
CANDES, s. c., Jan. 29th, 1880.
10 he Edit0r of Uc Chgricst1H Eelos -
Your Columbia GORE. .pondent referred to
the incident narrated here, telling the
story IA it was told 10 him, and inviting
corrections As such "a deed should be re-
corded in the rigid simplicity Of actual
truth, ] take the liberty Of sending you for
publication an accurate account Of trans
notion, every feature OF which Is indelibly
Impressed upon my memory.
Very truly yours.
j. b. KERsHAw.
Richard Kirkland was the son of
John Kirkland, an estimable citizen
Of kershaw county, n plain, substan-
tial farmer Of the oIden time. In
1861, he entered a. private Captain
}. ID. Kennedy's company +, of the
Second South Carolina volunteers, in
which company he was a sergeant in
December, 1862. The day after the
-anguinary battle of Fredericksburg,
Kershaw's brigade occupied the road
at the foot Of Marye's Hill, and the
grounds about Marye's house, the
scene Of their desperate defense of the
day before. One hundred and fifty
wards in front of the road, the stone
facing Of which constituted the famous
stone wall, lay Sykes division of reg
ulars, United States army, between
whom and our troops a murderous
,kirmish occupied the whole day, fatal
to many who heedle1sly exposed them
selves, even for moment. The ground
between the lines was bridged with
the wounded, dead and dying Fede-
rails, victims of the many desperately
gallant assaults of that column of 30
600 brave men hurled vainly against
the impregnable position.
All that day those wounded men
rent the air with their groans and
their agonizing cries of Water, wa
ter {" Ia the afternoon the General
sat in the north room up stairs of Mrs.
Stevens house in front of the road
surveying the field, when Kirkland
came up. With an expression of in
diguant remOnstrance pervading his
person, his manner, and the tones of
his voice, he said, General | can't
stand this" What is the matter,
sergeant asked the General. He
replied; "AIl night and all day /
have heard these poor people crying
for water, and | can stand it no longer.
| come to ask permission to go and
give them water"
The General regarded him for
moment with feelings of profound adj
niration, and said kirkland, don't
YOU know that you would get bull
let through your head the moment
you stepped over The wall?" AYES,
sir" he replied. Il know that; but
if YOU will let me, am willing to try
it,"
After a pause, the General said:
kirkland, | ought not to allow YOU
to run such a risk, but the sentiment
which actuates you is so noble that /
will not refuse your request, trusting
that God may protect you. You may
co."
The sergeant's eyes lighted up with
pleasure. He said Thank you, sir"
and ran rapidly down stairs. The
General heard him pause for mo-
ment, and then return, bounding two
steps at time. He was mistaken.
The sergeant stopped at the door and
said General, can | show a white
handkerchief The General shook
his head, saying emphatically: mo,
Kirkland, you can't do that" Gall
right, sir" he said, "I'll take the
chrnces," and ran down with bright
smile on his handsome countenance.
With profound anxiety he was
watched as he stepped over the wall
on his errand of mercy-Cbrist-like
mercy. Unharmed he reached the
nearer sufferer. lie knelt beside him,
tenderly raised the dropping head,
rested it gently upon his own noble
breast, and poured the precious, life
giving fluid down the fever-scorched
throat. This done he laid him tender
ly down, and placed his knapsack
under his head, straighiened out his
broken limb. spread his overcoat over
him, replaced his empty canteen with
a full one, and turned to another suf-
ferer. BY this time his purpose was
we'll understood on both sides, aud all
danger was over. From all parts of
the field arose fresh cries of "Water,
water; for Gods sake, waterr' More