The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-03-01

GUAR Oo0oCtionO and Narrow
Escapes.
The Hartford Cbsraat has besD cob
lattng some queer and almost incredible
instances Of the ecceDtr1cities Of bullets.
not forgetting the reprint which has
steod1ly gone the rounds Of the country
press about the good Union: soldier,
whose New Testament in hin blouse
pocket received the mimic ball which
would otherwise have gone slam hang
through his heart. Most Ofthe Cbssrunt's
incidents and mir1culOusly narrow IS
capes are taken from the war q: the Re
.belli0n. Truth should remark that it
can tell Of few Of these singular hap
penings too.
At Mission Ridge an orderly sergeant's
musket had bursted during one Of the
terrible charges up the ridge. The big
guns were booming over the heads OF
the advancing column. hut grape and
canister dropped among them, and RI
lie an; nlusket bullets were coming 81
thick that it was considerable Of trick
to walk between them sidewise. The
sergeant threw down his useless piece
and drew his hanger. As he bran1ish-
I'd it u musket ball struck the edge and
split clean in two one half struck his
belt plate. and gl.nciny lodged in his
captains ear, the other in the roll of his
blanket, where he did not discover it un-
til the following night.
There IL 4 survivor the war for the
the Union, resident in New York, whose
case is we'll known among his comrades
of the q. A. r. Captain Sam was struck
in the abdomen with Il MIME hall,
which passed clear through his body.
and, striking his cartridge box, dropped
upon the ground. He stopped to pick
it UP, pnckcted the missile, walked T.
dozen steps, and WAS struck by four
more balls before he fell. He recovered
and is now hearty man to all appear
ances. He wears the bullet Oh his watch
chain. Captain Sam seems to- bear Il
charmed life. He was struck with II
balls in one night, since, am! there was
no war going Oh either.
In Il sharp fight for one Of tn" l}alt;-
more and Ohio bridges over the Little
Powder River, the Major Of Pcnnsyl-
vnnia regiment. now living in Pitts
burgh. was aiming IL revolver ut Il Con-
ie<lcratc officer. His opponent had NJ
most simultaneously covered him with
Il large Colt. The duel mi l,t have been
a pretty one. hut the Johnny, in the
heat If the moment, ignored the ru,ivre-
~ of the code and got the :ir>>, fire. His
bullet struck the Lfaj"r's wrist, and the
latter's pistol fell to the ground. The
Major recovered his weapon with his
left hand and placi.lly raised i. lor an
other shot, when, by an almost incredi'
coincidence, 4 mlsket hall knocked the
revolver out of his hand, and over the
r,rant of the bridge, int" the river.
The next moment l'lyonct charge sep
ar,.ted the two cOnll,atants, aud they
llevcrs;aw each other again.
1t Gettysburg, u Federal artillery
mani, th.lml,er-durin. the hattie l.!l
while III the act OF covering the tW,c!:-
hole Of his piece. The battery to which
he belonged pushni forward. and he
was almost Immediately carried of the
field in All ambulance. An examination
revealed not scratch on his body. He
shortly revived and put his hand i" 'i;S
left breast, where there was Il small '.!u.
spot directly over. the aort:. Fl" de-
-claretl that he had been struck there Ivy
a bullet. In his jacket pocket was to,int!
q well-thumlc.l copy--he was :: thumb
er-of Tom Paine'@ cage oi Reason
The bullet had cut through the :ravc:
and stopped against the iNs;h" cover.
The book had saved his life. He grasp
Cd it cOhv,ll>ively. and asked Tor HAS c:.l'-
tecn.-Net. York 2;wiH.