The Portland daily press., 1883-12-01
An Incident of Gettysburg.

"Here's where l came to grief" said
Twelfth Regiment man, as he stood upon
Seminary Ridge. Show did it happen?''
was asked. 'sWeIl," said he, ''if you wish
I'll tell you, but fear may be wearisome.
1 always had the unenviable reputation 1T
talking too much, and on that 1st
July, 1868, my propensity to be too 10
cious came very near ending my car
You see they brought US up to the brow Of
this hill on the double-qulck, and we found
we had beautiful chance to get cross
fire on brigade of sJohnnies' that Law down
there in the open field. We peppered them
awhile, and then our bows began to
shout Forward snd fCharger do
not think the order came through the reg
ularly constituted channels. Il was sort
of spontaneous and voluntary movement on
the part of the men, who were brim full Of
fight on this occasion. The Colonel and
Adjutant both tried to find out Who gave
tnat order? but all we knew about 1t was
that everybody in the regiment was shouting
'FOrwardV The advance was inevitable, 90
our officers placed themselves in our front
and away we went like whirlwind. We
had captured and driven in all but about
twenty or thirty of the rebs, after slight
resistance, and my propensity to talk was 30
strong upon me that Icouldn't help telling
the 'Johnnies' that were hanging behind all
about our good treatment of prisoners, etc.,
and thus | didn't notice when the regiment
went back TO its old position. When | came
10 my senses found l was alone. con-
cluded | would go back, aud so Informed
them, but they very emphatically ordered
me TO remain. Now, something had to be
done, So quickly determined to take my
chances of instant death rather than perish
by the slower method of disease and starva-
CANT terms, modes of expression do not
now use, that they might 60 straight to
very sarm country. Then / ran, and the
faster the bullets came the faster ran, un-
til after a while shot from off to my right
came and struck me in the left groin, and
down l went. o, you needn't laugh; the
bullet struck me in front, Pm happy to say,
and Eve never regretted the decision made
in such hurry" "What became Of yon
atterward?" was asked. swell, lay there,
unable TO move, till nearly dark, and had
| good chance To review the rebel army, as
most of it swept over me. Artillery wheels
and horses feet came uncOmfortably near,
but escaped death-provldentiall it always
seemed to me. About sunset the 'Johnnies'
carried me back to the Pennsylvania Col
lege, but it would make too long story to
tell you all my experience there. Will only
say that from that point, lying near an
open door, could see many of the move
ments of the rebel army, including the for
nation and advance of Pickett's division,
and could hear the yell of the rebs as they
swept forward, and then the glsd hurrahs of
our boys when the charge was repulsed.
| There were fifteen Of us wounded men at
the college-the other 700 were rebs-and
we cheered TOO, when our boys did, until
| the rebs threatened to kill us If we didn't
stop. l shall never forget the four terrible
days passed Ihere-days Of alternate hope
and fear-nor the joy I.felt on that morn
| ing when gray coats went away and blue
coats appeared But Pm getting back into
my old habit of talking too much. Please
| excuse me. Pm apt TO forget myself when
| thinking of those days."