The National tribune., 1883-11-29
A MORAL HERO.
The Boy Soldier Who Was Not Afraid to Say His
Prayers.
J. a. BENEDICT
Serg't, Co. B, I'd Vt. Reg't,
I'd Brig. I'd Div, 9th Corps
EAST PoULTNEY, VT.


To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
An instance Of moral courage that viii appeal
to many a mothers heart was related to me
few days since by a former staff officer in tho
Army of the Cumberland. He said / was
sitting in my tent one evening, when the chief
OF the headg guard came along and re-
marked: Ii you want to see the bravest boy
IN the army, come to my tent about o'clock
tonight and viii 60 with you TO see him. /
called at the appointed hour and the captain
went with me at once to the quarters Of the
provost guard i'll rear of the line OF officers
tents.
" he led the way at once TO large hospital
tent that was occupied by portion of the
guard, and drawing aside the flap of the tent,
noti0ned me to look inside This is the tab
leau that met my eyes: Three or four groups
OF soldiers seated os the ground several candles
burning in the sockets of bayonets, lighted the
bowed heads Of the soldiers. All had cards in
their hands, but not a hand moved not word
was spoken; in reyerent silence they sat wait
ing for something. l could not see what caus-
ed the novel sight.
g Presently, from near the center Of the tent,
boy arose from his knees and with quiet
Goodnight, boy5!' rolled himself in his
blanket and went TO bed. The play was at once
resumed, and the captain led the way back
to MS tent. After we had lighted our pipes.
he told me the following story of the little hero
who had conquered position among the men
of his regiment:
"When our regiment was first organized,
Charley came to our camp and insisted upon
being mustered-in, notwithstanding his short
stature and rather delicate physique The men
made good deal of fun OF him and his friends
tried to dissuade him, but he was evidently so
determined that the mastering officer. after
thoroughly examining him. decided to accept
him, and he was accordingly enrolled into COM
pany K-rny company.
- bad a fair opportunity to watch the little
fellow during our brief stay in camp, and found
him trying his best to master the manual of
arms and the mysteries of the drill in which
his companions were considerably in advance
of him.
Suddenly an order came for our regiment
to move, and few days afterwards we were on
the march in Buell's army after Bragg, whom
We came up with at Perryviile.
80 have seen good many hard fights since
that day, but never one that seemed to me so
terrible as the attack by Cheatham on Jackson's
division. Oar men had never heard the crack
Of hostile gun before and stood the fire well
tor time. Soon, however, the color-bearer
was shot down, and another grasping the staff
shared his fate. Just then came an order to
form on the edge Of field, across which the
rebels were advancing in a rapid charge. Char
/ ley graSped the STALL and finding il too heavy
/ for his strength, mounted the fence and held
! the staff against it. Bullets whstled about his
/ head, shiyering splinters from the rails, but he
/ was perfectly unmoved. We held our position
as long as we could then fell back Charley
/ carrying the flag All through the day he bore
/ it as proudly as if it had been new uniform
The men conceived an admiration for
4 the little fellow and ceased calling him Betsy
treating him with more consideration on ac-
/ count of his known courage.
Then came Stone River. Our regiment was
/ IN the thick of the fight in the cedars, when
/ Charley was struck by piece of she'll, that cut
away his coat and carved piece of skin from
his right side. He coolly tore his coat in strips
wrapped it tightly about his body, picked up
his gan, and kept on firing away AS If nothing
had happened. / went to him and ordered
him TO the rear. viii / die if / don't go?"
/ said he. mo, think not from that wound"
said /; butyou are pretty badly hurt" "Then
! would rather stay with the men," said the
brave boy; and l gave my consent for him to
remain.
During all the time he had been with as he
I had been the butt of ridicule on account of his
persistence in saying his prayers before retiring
Tor the night. The men would play all sorts
I of FRANKS upon him. His diminutive stature
aided them in this. They would catch him by
his heels when he kueeled and hold him up
4 head downward, carry him about the tent, end
pitch him up in blanket. AS long as they
VI
not even reproaching them for their rudeness
/ The night after this battle, however, there was
marked change in the conduct of the men,
+ Charley went to the surgeon of our regiment
and had his wound sewcd up and obtained
eoat--of which there were plenty about the
hospital whose owners would never need them
/ Ia0re-and came back to the regiment, saving
he would take his chances with his comrades
| DE got through the battles OF the succeeding
days safely, although our company lost one
! third of its number in killed and wounded
/ When we went into camp at Murfreesboro it
was agreed in Charley's company that he
should be permitted TO have his way about his
i prayers. After Chckamauga our regiment was
50 reduced in numbers that we were about
strong enough for provost guard, and here we
are. You see how Charley has conquered
/ Not a man III that tent viii utter word when
he IS at prayers, and man coming in from an
I other tent knows better than to break the
rules. He las only to knecl, which he does
4 promptly at o'clock, and all noise is hushed
I Is you saw Tonight
came away said my informant, with
/ the idea chat | was miserable cowardly sim
ncr, and IN The quality of real courage was not
worthy TO tie that soldiers shoes"
WAsHISGToN, d. G. G.. c. X.