The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-02-17
A Cannon's Story.
Detroit Free Press}

Detroit Free Press
Ny name7 Well, I've had several. Whom WA
taken from tho navy yard long years Ago and
mounted In battery on tho Potomac, they called
me "Pet." I was tina smallest gun in the battery,
and from the way I had OF knocking the enemy
about tho gunners came to love ma. Then made
the sixth gun In fold battery, and WAS with Nc
Clellsn on his Peninsula campaign. Twas lucky
from tho start. Would you believe that never
even lost wheel until my thirteenth fight Al
most ended7 Some canuons are always in trouble
There were two pieces in my battery which might
better have bean left at home. They looked hand
some on review but In action they had hundred
excuses for not standing up to their work. The
ammunition was poor, tho shells too large--the
ground unfavorable-ths range imperfect-some-
thing was themAttsr every time they were called to
the front.
As for me like to see . cannon stand rghtup to
it, work. Ask any one who knows mo and they
will tell you that was aghter. 1had Kept >
list Of the number of army wagons and ambu-
lences have Knocked to pieces and tho number OF
men and horses have killed, you would open your
eyes in surprise. have seen the time was the
only gun left in tn. battery At for service. and whom
the entire company rallied about mo I felt bit
proud Let mo see7 have been attach cd to not
less than six different brigades Of infantry, three
different brigades Of cavalry, and have been posted
in two forts and ono esrthwork Ask any artillery
man il that isn't good record have been struck
over 100 times by bullets, grspeshot and pieces of
shell, but you see that am good for another cam
paign was personally acquainted with Mellow
oil, Richardson, Kearney, burnside, Mcclellan,
Hooker, Custer, Fitzpatrick, Sheridan, Grant and
several others, and I believe that have re-
ceived words Of praise from al Of them.
And yet have stain on my record. Sometimes
am sorry about it, aud again am glad. don't
think any of the laid 1t up against me-, but yet
i, was a break in my record. They had sent me ov-
or into the shcnanaoh valley to aght with Sheridan
aud joined him only ave days before the battle of
Csdsr Greek. When tho men came to count my
scsrs and look ne over they agreed among them
selves that was trusty rieca, and they rejotced
that had come among them. Such talk - this
naturally nade me anxious to prove true al they
had predicted, and it was with feeling OF deep
satisfaction that saw the battle of Cedsr Greek
commence. In ten minutes after the Est alarm
wss throwing shell among the enemy, snd the men
around mo were shouting:
"Giye it 10 'em ,auty; you're shooting - true
Is rife!"
don't care to tell you the part took In that az
fair, but you can Judge that hit by bullets no
less than twelve times, and every spoke in my
wheels had q stain of blood. 8 the fight grew hot
forgot myself in my desire main and kill. In my
eagerness to STAY almost jumped clear Of the earth
and felt thrill of delight when the shells were
changed II grape and canister. saw the enemy
forming for charge, but did not move. heard
them saying how much depended on ms, and was
too proud to give back foot.
Just in front of me, that regiment came charg-
ing On, we're three blue-eyed, beardlcss boys.
knew they must be brothers. knew that good
mother had kissed them goodbye Ut some farm.
house gait, and that gray-haired fat'ler had felt
his old heart ache rs they marched away. was
made to MAIN and kill. had been called trusty
cannon. Aye! take delight In wars horrid muir
ders. But the fair-haired boys came stur Oily
and saw that all would be wiped out at once,
fateled and grew weak for the rst time in my life,
felt the tears Of the mothsr-1 heard her sobs Of
anguish above the roar Of battle. could not take
them oil. held my grape against the pull of the
lanyard. Theo pulled again and again, but tho pow
der refused to burn. A the lines came nsar the
brother bore away to tho right, and when they
we're out Of range sont my tsrrible misssls crash-
ing into other faces and tore . SCORE Of men into
bloody fragments. Thus, though look grim and
mhrderous, have my Weakness. Warriors would
not look for sentiment in blAck-mouthAd cannon,
but If you como closer 20 d Will $50 thas tho birds
have nestled in my throat and reared their young
among the pow der stains.