National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-07
A WAR INCIDENT.
Almost a Dead Soldfer-TOying with an
UTnexnFNded Shell

UnexpI0ded Shell.
| While the Union army lay at Harri
sons Landing in July, 1862 quite an amusing in
cident occurred, which will bear relating.
1t is well known that the river forms q looI
about the landing, enveloping some considerable
territory, and that the neck connecting with thu
mainland is quite narrow. Across this neck. i'm
mediately upon our occupation, we constructed O
breastwork, mounted guns, &c, for defense, and
TO guard against surprises sudden attacks on the
part of the enemy maintained a heavy picket
! line still in advance.
| Upon one of the posts there happened to be sta
toned, along toward the middle of July detail Of
some halfdOzen men from different regiments, and
| among the number a raw recruit from the back
woods of Maine
The day was excessively hot, and, experimenting
no danger, the old vets" withdrew 10 a cool re-
| treat leaving the recruit on guard in the edge
of an open field, from whencehe could observe the
| approach of unwelcome visitors.
We had just gotten into comfortable snooZe,
when bang went a shell, the pieces of which cut
! the branches above our heads and whistled about
us altogether too closely for our comfort OF mind
Immediately every one was on his feet. The
works in our rear were manned and every prepa-
ration made to meet the enemy, whom, it was sup
posed, was close at hand.
One thing rather puzzled all hands No one had
heard the report Of gun preceding that of the ex
plOding shell-what could it mean?
Forming a skirmish line, we moved cautiously
forward toward where the recruit had been left
The point was reached, but the embryo soldier had
disappeared There was a slight hunnhock or
knoll in the corner of the field, close up to the
TIMBER which attracted the attention of one of the
men. Examination showed the imprint of a
spherical body, and the freshly torn up earth and
other signs Immediately assured us all that shell
had burst there.
Prosecuting the search still further the gun of
the missing comrade was found resting against q
tree in the edge of the woods, and in few mo-
ments the body of the owner of the weapon was
found lying senseless-dead, to all appearances
under a fringe of bushes a few feet from where
the missile had evidently exploded.
His clothes were torn into shreds-he was COW
cred with dirt, blood, and powder stains, but yet
upon rolling him over and carefully examining
his person no wounds could be detected further
than those made by grains of powder or other fine
substance, which had punctured the skin, and
numerous scratches, principally about the face.
One Of the boys poured a canteen of water over
him, and another produced a small flask and
allowed a few drops of 'commissary" to trickle
between the half closed jaws down his throat In
five minutes all were rejoiced to see the eyes fthe
seeming dead man unclose. Lifting him up to a
sitting posture one poured water on his head,
another whisky down his throat, and everybody
piled him with questions but TO these he made no
response.
There was q vacant, far-a away look in his eyes,
and when asked whats the matter?" he only
answered. "DamfnO?" Where are you hurt?'
"Damffno until thepotent liquor had taken firm
hold of him.
Presently, sitting upon the ground, his feet
straight out before him, hand resting upon the
earth by his side, he raised the other, drew it
across underneath his nose, wiped it upon his hip
and drawled out: " Gaul darn the old thing il did
bust, arter ALL
That was all to be got from him. He was sent to
hospital, where he remained for some little time
for he had been fearfully shaken up, as was sub
sequently ascertained.
1t appeared that he had found an uneXploded
shell-one of those thrown at us by the small de-
tachment of confederates which followed our re-
treating column-and having partially removed the
fusecap which, according to his story, was intact
had broken a cartridge into the cavity and entered
upon series of experiments with burning glass
he CHANGED to have.
He had flashed two charges by focusing the rays
Of the sun, and sat upon the ground with the shell
planted upon the hummock between his legs, when
the third flash went of-himself with it. That
was the way it happened, and it is doubtful if
similar occurrence could again take place, provid-
ing person willing to make the experiment
could be found, with as little real damage as re-
suited to the raw recruit from Maine in his pur-