Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-18
HE WAS LYING.
An Incident OF Pending Cam
paign.
Galveston News.l


Galveston News.l
There was a row last night in a
saloon on the Strand, and a middle
aged man was forcibly elected. A
News reporter was detailed to find out
the facts, which furnished an amusing
incident of the campaign.
There was quite a crowd in the
saloon, talking politics. The shabbi-
est man pushed his way in and seemed
to take an absorbing interest in the
discussion. One gentleman said
Hancock will get nine tenths Of the
Federal soldiers"
"You are right" said the seedy
man, in a loud sonorous voice, slap
ping the speaker on the shoulder.
You just bet he will scoop EN-. |
am an ex-Federal soldier myself, and
I'll vote for old Hancock"
The attention of the crowd was
concentrated on the patriotic soldier.
Were you in Hancock corps?"
Gentlemen" said the seedy man,
running his arm through a hole in his
hat, II have voted the republican
ticket all my life, but next November
my vote goes for my old commander.
| may not like his politics, and they
may he puts on style, but when a gen.
eral of the United States army gets off
his horse to help me when | was lying
on the blood-stained field of battle,
slippery with human gore, l am going
to vote for him, anyhow"
"Hurrah for Hancock shouted the
crowd.
will you join us?" asked several
enthusiasts of the grateful soldier, as
they advanced in a solid column on
the bar. The healths of Hancock and
English we're drank with enthusiasm
several times.
Hand out some Of those high
priced cigars" said another enthusiast
to the ar-keeper. The ex-Federal
soldier took half dozen.
I've a great notion" said an
other enthusiast, holding the Han
cock mar off at arms length, and sur
veying him from top to bottom, I've
a great notion to make you a present
of a new suit of clothes"
Were you badly wounded" asked
another sympathetic enthusiast.
II was lying on the blood stained
field Of battle, slippery with human
gore, weak and faint from loss of
blood, with my leg shattered by a
leb-I mean a hostile cannon ball.
| had fallen early in the fight"
The earnest crowd gathered close
around the patriot to catch every
word.
General Meade had given orders
to advance and drive the reb-I mean
the hostile foe-from his position.
Just as | was expecting to be trampled
under foot up rode Generals Hancock
and English"
English |" bawled the crowd.
Eyes, Generals Hancock and Eng
lish, riding side by side, just as you
rec their pictures, only they had their
swords drawn. | was lying weak and
helpless on
And so be was, but this time it was
not on the blood-stained field of
battle, slippery with human gore, but
on the hard pavement slippery with
tobacco juice.
He got up and shufled down the
street, m%uttering 1T seems to me
English don't bring as much strength
to the ticket as | thought he would"
lie must have repeated this game
with more success at other saloons,
probably emitting all reference to En-
glish's military career, for later in the
evening he was seen explaining the
whole matter over again in an inco-
herent manner to an entranced police
man. In the disjointed manner so
peculiar to advanced inebriates, he
was saying: 81 was lying on the blood.
stained field of battle, weak and help
less, slippery with human gore. A
charge of canister had passed through
all three of my lungs; a bombshell had
fiattened itself on my spinal column,
which would have produced paralysis
of my lower limbs if they hadn't been
swept away by a cavalry charge on the
first day of the battle. My head had
been severed by a saber stroke, and
| was lying twenty yards off. Just
then as | was lying weak and helpless
on the battle-stained field, up rode
Gems. Hancock and Arthur, while
right behind them came Gems. English
and Garfield, with Gen. Weaver in the
rear. Hancock says to Garfield, Just
hold my foaming steed,' and turning to
me he said Ny good fellow, if you
are wounded anywhere, just get up
and come along with me-"
"Bedad, that's just what | say my
self. Come along wild me We lying
baste," said the hard hearted police
man, and off they went together.