The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-17
+" Little Potter"

known the regiment over as "Little Pot
ter" The name came from his trade be-
fore war.times, and from the fact that he
was always talking shop and examining
clays with the enthusiasm of geologist.
He had the faculty of becoming inter.
ested in anything that any other man was
doing. Standing near the picket fire,
though uncomfortable himself, he could
always suggest a way in which to make
the coffee boil, and would gather up splin-
ters and chips and pile under or about the
the little kettle with the keenest enjoy.
ment although the kettle belonged to the
most taciturn man in the company. He
showed this kindly interest in every mans
affairs, and of course was universally
liked. At Shiloh, in the midst of the
second days battle, Little Potter left the
company to get water for himself and
several companions. A quick change of
position, a new line-of-battle formation,
took place after his departure, and Little
Potter was seen no more for several days.
After the rebels retreated he was dis
covered acting as nurse at the brigade
hospital. He couldn't find the regiment
on his return, but found the hospital, and
the division surgeon ordered him on duty,
and discovering his excellence as nurse,
would not let him return to the company.
There was quarrel between the captain
and the surgeon, the former seeing Little
Potter as skulker, and the latter seeing
him as useful man who had made mis-
take through no fault of his own. The
captain reported Potter absent without
leave, and he was court-martialed. The
sentence was that he should forfeit six
months pay. The men of the company
were indignant, but Potter said nothing.
The stoppage of six months pay told
sorely on him, but he weathered the
storm, and came out as serene as though
ne had never been court-martialed.
Much clothing was lost at Shiloh, and
list was made out of clothing lost in bat
tie. The sergeant would say Well,
Blaine, what did you lose at Shiloh %
Answer" An overcoat and knapsack."
"What did you lose at Shiloh, Potter p
With indescribable drollery Potter said,
with sort of lisp that was characteristic;
81 lotht theventy-eight dollarth." This
was the only reference he made to the
court-martial and six months pay, until
the morning of the terrible December
31st, at Stone river. In the hurry of the
company formation for battle, Little Pot
ter was the first man in place after the Or
derby, and though the shortest man in the
company, held his place there in face of
the rule to the contrary. There was
sweeping charge. That company left
their dead further to the front than any
other regiment in action that day. They
were cruelty crushed, relentlessly driven?
Little Potter was giant in doing. He
kept his place next to the orderly when
the company was broken and scattered
With precision that would under other
circumstances have been droll, he formed
on the orderly whenever the charge was
made, and while it was every man for
himself. As he was ramming home q
load, ball struck him in the feshy part
of the leg, cutting great cash and tear
ing his clothes. He was advised to go to
the rear. The reply was, 81 will show
them who is a coward" A shot struck
him in the shoulder, and he became deadly
pale. Still, with teeth and right hand,
he managed to load his gun and fire.
Another shot struck him in the thigh,
and he fell. He was dragged to stump
and placed so that the rsking fire would
not touch him. He deliberately crawled
round and placed himself so as to face
the rebels, and as the company gave back
in one of those almost hand-to-hand fights
Little Potter kissed his hand to the men
nearest him and nestled down with sigh
of relief.
Days afterward the sergeant found a
pair of bright eyes glittering from fes-
toons or white sheet in hospital at Muir
freesboro. They belonged to Little Pot
ter, broken-legged, brOken.armed, and
bandaged. He could not move and could
hardly speak. But as the fearful men
bent over him he lisped: ave wakthed
them, didn't we ?" The rebels found him
braced against a stump, punching at them
with his gun held in one hand as they
ran by. He was taken to the hospital,
and here, day after day, went his COM
rades to see him. They did more they
wrote to General Rosecrsns, telling the
simple story. They carried the letter
along the red-tape line, from brigade
headquarters to division, from division to
corps, from corps to army headquarters,
and returned with an order from Rose
Grams himself, directing that the six
months pay be restored to Little Potter
that all charges on the record be erased,
| anu tudo al oIucr COmpilIucntluR ulb Rdl-
lantry be read on dress parade, and that a
copy be sent to the man who had behaved
30 nobly. The order was read on dress
parade, and the document, with all its
array of endorsements and old Rosa's let
ter were carried to Little Potter by men
who could scarcely speak. He seemed
like one TRANSPORTED as one of his old-time
friends read and re-read the order and the
letter. He held 1t down to his eyes so
that he could see the red lines and official
signatures. Then came his first tears
snow, boys, don't care to get we'll. It's
all wiped out, amt itP Twas determined
to get we'll and wipe it out, you know
But now, torn up as l am, it is better To
die" Aud the next morning, with the
order and old Rosa's letter on his breast
Little Potter died. And still we can hear
the grizzly old surgeons words as he
came to the cot, "Dead Why-God
bless the Correspondent of Inter
Ocean.
A STRANGER, journeying in France
fell sick unto death. His friend called
in a physician who demurred about Civ
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