The National tribune., 1881-12-17


his face burned almost to blister by the hot
sun, and the air all about him still ringing With
| the noise Of battle. He heard the voices of the
officers rallying the men in the hollow below, out
of sight, and presently several companies came
charging up the hill, and again the musl<etry
opened hotly from the works. He had not dared
to stir, lest he should be observed by some watch
tul confederate and shot, but as the advancing
| troops rushed over him, with shout and cry an
officer threw up his and fell directly upon the
| wounded sufferer his life-bloOd spOuting in his
face The assault failed, as did every other dur
| ing the day, and the little column fell back
| to the protection of the hollow, leaving a large
| proportion dead On 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 suffer
ing. He knew that he had the strength to walk
or crawl out of the range of the fire from the
works, but since he had lain thus he had seen
the wounded who had tried to escape from the
ground shot dead. 1t was neither mercful nor
humane; but with mems blood raging at fever
heat on the field of battle, mercy and humanity
are apt to be sighted. His thirst was almost in
tolerable; his tongue and mouth were parched
and dry; he was stiff and sore from long cOntnu-
ing in one position, and the dreadful weight of
the corpse that lay like lead upon him; but he
dared not shake it off lest the movement should
draw the ready bullets of the enemy to him.
And thus the long hours of that well-remem-
bered day dragged slowly on. He lay within
fifty feet Of the hostile rifles; tempest of bull
lets rained over his body, and now and then he
heard the 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 again for 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
A piece of bark peeled from stump by bull
let lay near his head. By tedious and impercep-
tible advances he moved his hand to it, grasped
it and carried it to his mouth. Tormented with
thirst as he was, his caution was so great that
half an hour occupied in this. 81 know that
it at least half an hour" the corporal said
in relating his story. If judged by my feel
ngs all that horrible time should say it was
half day" He chewed the bark eagerly, and
the excitement of the salivary glands greatly
mitigated his acute thirst. A cup of cold water
to this poor sufferer would have been boon be-
yond all the wealth of the whole world; and he
was but one of the hundreds who lay enduring
these indescribable agonies all over that field
But such is war.
The long summer day ended at last, and the
shattered regiments of the assaulting columns
were withdrawn beyond musket range The
corporal patiently waited until darkness had
= Id ~ !,
ventured to relieve himself of the dead weight
that held him down He sat up and stretched
his arm with the feeling of such relief as the
man knows who is released from the chains that
have long bound him. Still fearful that he might
be observed, he would not rise to his feet but
was about to crawl stealthily down to the hollow,
whence he could easily make his way back to
our lines He moved in this way but few yards
when he discovered crouching figure just in
advance of him, holding musket.
He knew it could not be one of our army, for
the troops that were engaged in the assault had
been drawn off an hour before, and picket so
close to the enemy's fOrtifcatiOns would not be
thought OF. Suspecting the character and en-
plOyment of this man, Jack turned and cautiously
made off at right angles with the line of his first
movement. A few yards in that direction brought
him to another picket-for such he was certain
they were. The confederates had thrown out a
chain of soldiers to make certain that the assault
had been abandoned for the day; and the corpo-
raj was inside the lines.
"I1l lay down and trust to luck" was his |
thought. few moments only passed before |
another confederate, a corporal, he though, came
around with orders for the pickets to return to
the works.
"The Yanks have given it up for the night" he |
heard him say to the man nearest him. "I've |
been down past the hollow, and almost to the |
Bayou Sara road, and their lines are back where
they were yesterday"
The soldier thus relieved took three steps to-
ward the works, and stumbled over the prostrate
body of Corporal Wells. AS he fell, his hand
passed over Jacks face, and it's warmth instantly
told him the man was alive.
"Ho Yank!" he exclaimed "Get up here.
Can you walk ?"
Jack realized that there was no time for arti-
flee, and at once decided to surrender without
any triding, for fear of worse consequences than
capture if ne was detected in any deceit "And
besides" he said, L was almost mad with thirst"
g Yes, can walk l amt much hurt surren-
der" said all in BREATH but, for Gods sake,
give me a drink
81 Ispoke from my heart then, if ever did in my
life, and the appeal moved my captor at once