The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-19
A Cannoneer's Ride.
Exchange

Captain H. T. Owen writes: The most conspicuous act of restless courage ever saw displayed on any battlefield during our great civil war. occurred at the sec. ond battle of Manassas. on the Soth of August. 1862. l, was performed by a federal ariillerist. in the presence of both thousand men, many of whom are still living, and can readily recall the incident when reminded Of the circumstances lust as Hoods army charged down the hill near the Henry house. upon the fed eral line, and 1t became evident that he would capture the battery stationed there, federal artilleryman determined to save one of the cannon. if possible l: and to do so he had to take it up the ditch iii front sf the confederates. for halt a mile. The ditch was tour feet wide and as many deep. and could not be crossed with the cannon.
 How he got his horses hitched. or whether they had really ever been taken from the piece. never have known but the first saw Of him he was coming up our front ir a sweeping gallop. from the cloud of smoke. and Hoods men were firing at him. As soon as he escaped from that volley he came in front of our brigade. and under range of our muskets on the left: and as he swept on up the line, hle-hre was opened upon him. Our line was approaching the ditch al double quick. and the line between us and the ditch was getting narrower each second 1; but the artilleryman seemed determined to save his gun from capture, and he flew along his course at tremendous rate of speed. He had four large gray or white horses to the cannon. and they came up the valley in splendid style. The man sat erect and held his team we'll in hand, while his whip seemed to play upon the Hanks of the leaders, and all four horses appeared to leap together in regular time. The ground was very dry. and cloud of dust rolled ou, from under the wheels of the cannon as they came laundering along
 Three regiments of our brigade had already fired at him as he rushed along their front. and as he approached the left of another. ran down to the rear rank. shouting to the men:
 Shoot at the horses Let the man alone. and shoo; a, the horses. You are firing too high.
 Al this saw a noted marksman in Company F drop on one knee and sigh, along the barrel of his musket. and hre. but on came the man, and gallop of his team was unbroken. Ram ming in another cartridge, the marksman was ready again in a minute. and just as the cannoneer swept across his front. within hundred yards. he knee!ed down and. taking deliberate him at the fore most horse. fired again; but on wen, the team. unharmed as before. Thus he passed along the whole front of our regi- men,, and then along another on our right, and escaped around the head of the ditch and across the field, and up the hill beyond. As far of as we could see him, his team was still going in gallop but when out of range. on the hill beyond the ditch. he turned in hisSsaddle. and, taking od his hat. waved it around his head several times and some of the con- federa,es cheered him.
 At least 800 men fired at that Yankee gunner: and have often wondered if he escaped death in the subsequent bat ties of the war, and lives to tell of the fearful gauntlet he ran along the front of a whole brigade of confederates firing at him