Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-11-16

and the flag was rescued from the very
muzzels Of the Confederate muskets by
gallant private, who dashed up
through very hades Of fire and seized
it from the ground whore it lay with
corpses piled all about and upon it,
Two or three Of the wounded color
guards were brought away; two Others
were known TO be dead and IL was
supposed that all but those two had
persisted on the field of honor. } truce
was agreed upon the second day after
the fight, and some 500 bodies, black
ened by exposure to the fierce sun OF
that latitude, were buried together nm
the soldiers grave. II wa- not doubt
cd at the time that Corporal Wells was
among them. He had been seen 60 fall
as he caught up the flag and waved 1t
over his head, with a cry OF encourage
ment-the staff had passed TO other
hands, which he never would have per-
mitted unless badly hurt-and nothing
had been seen OF heard Of him since.
Poor Jack! There were brave fellows
and good fellows enough to cry after
that dreadful Sunday butno more hon,
est tears were she'd than those thai tell
for you.
The siege dragged its slow length
along, and the capitulation came at
last, with the 9th Of July. The core
mony was over, the arms grounded
and our men had begun TO examine
with natural interest and curiosity the
defenses that had held them at bay for
six weeks when, to the establishment
and delight of his comrades, Corporal
Wells suddenly made hi, appearance.
4 shout of welcome greeted him, and
a crowd quickly gathered about him
with eager questions and salutalon-,
each hand was seized by half dozen
at the same time.
BE hanged if | think it is Jack,
one Of them said Let me pinch you,
old fellow, and see if there's solid flesh
on YOU, or if its nothing bu, ghost
covering. Why, blast it, man, didn't
We bury YOU over in the ditch yonder,
after the battle, with some hundred, of
others ~
Not as ! know of you didn't" re-
piled the corporal "Whcrc's your to-
bacco? Give me Il chew, somebody.
As for flesh, I've got some ON my bones
vet; and if it's less than ! ought to
have, its the fault of the mule beef
and peas that our friends inside here
have been living on for month, and
which was all they had to share with
me.
The corporal soon rccomtcd hl- adj
ventures, which | will present in the
third person. The ball that had pros
trated him before the works had mere
/ " cut the scalp along the side of his
/ head. producing plentiful cttusion OF
I blood and knocking him senscless, but
causing no injury beyond this. He lay
unconscious for some time and awose
to find himself lying flat on his back,
his face burned almost to a blister by
the hot sun, and the air all around him
still ringing with the noise Of battle.
/ He heard the voices of the officers raj
/ living the men in the hollow below, out
OF sight, and presently several COM
panic~ came charging up the hill, and
again the muskctry opened holly from
the works. He had not dared to stir,
/ lest he should be observed by some
watchful Confederate and shot; bat a.
the advancing troops rushed over him.
with shot and cry, an officer threw up
his arms and fell directly upon The
wounded sufferer his Likelihood spout
ing in his face. The assault failed, al
did every other during the day, and
the little column fell back to their pro-
lection Of the hollow, leaving large
proportional dead upon the field.
Lying on his back, his face shielded
from the sun by the body that had
fallen upon him, the corporal passed
several hours of terrible suffering. lie
knew that he had the strength 70 walk
or crawl out of the range Of the fire
from the works, but since he had lain
thus he had seen wounded who had tried
to escape from the ground shot dead. It
was neither merciful nor humane; but
with mems blood raging at fever heat
on the field Of battle, mercy and hui
mainly are apt to be sighted. His
thirst was almost intolerable; bis
tongue and mouth were parched and
dry; he was stiff and sore from long
continuing in one posture, the dreadful
weight Of the corpse that lay like lead
upon him but he dared not shake il
lest the movement should draw the
ready bullets Of the enemy to him.
And thus the hours Of that well-Ie-
membered day dragged slowly on.
He lay within fifty feet Of the hostile
rifles tempest Of bullets rained over
his body, and now and then he heard q
dull thud of one of them striking near
him. Once, as his right leg tingled
and stung beyond endurance from
cramp, he drew it up and threw it out
fol temporary relief. The movement
was observed, and the crack of dozen
muskets quickly followed it. One Of
the balls cut the corporal's sleeve two
entered the dead body above him
death protecting life from death.
\ piece of bark peeled from a stump
by a bullet lay near his head. By ted
ious and imperceptible advances he
moved his hand to it, graspcd it and
carried it to his mouth. Tormented
with thirst as he was, his caution was