The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-08
THE cRIpPLEp COMPANY.
How the spIinters FIew on n Southern
HattleleId.

ATkrnaas Trurtler.
~ never will forgive the Confederate
Government" said Col. Wartick, when
asked TO relate a war reminiscence. ~
started out with a ripe determination oil
doing everything In my power for the cause,
but men who had nor authority than !
had pulled against me, and consequently !
stepped aside. They even went so far as
to court-martial me. Now, II there is any.
thing in military life that takes a mans
appetite II Ia 10 be court.martialed. It's
pretty bad in civil life 10 be tried before q
Justice Of the Peace, butthati isn't anything
to compare with a court.martia', and e.
pecially when he knows full well that he
has done nothing to merit such severe
handing"
"Why were you c~ourt.martial, Colonel?"
asked one OF the company.
"For the simple discharge OF my duty.
Just about the time it behooyed the Con-
federacy 10 make every edge cut that could,
! was sent into q community to press guns
and to draft and arm every available man.
Well, l went to work and discharged my
duty in accordance with my construction
OF the order. At one place We seized q
large number OF double. barreled shot guns.
In examining them ne found many that
were damaged 30 greatly that only one
barrel could be used. l told my men not
to throw them aside, but keep them, that
they would come in handy. In this COM
munity there were q great many saw mills
and family feuds, and consequently there
were q great many one.legged men. One
day | issued an order that all the one.
legged men to be found within a radius oil
% miles should be brought into camp.
The order was strictly obeyed, and within
two weeks we had rs cripples. Forming
them in line one day, l ordered the
disabled shot.guns to be brought out.
When l took up a gun whose right
barrel was useless l would give 1t to q
man who had lost the use OF his right leg,
and so on until the seventy-ive men were
armed. This was strictly appropriate, for
we had no other use for the crippled guns,
and the country certainly had no other use
for the crippled men. l took a great pride
in this crippled company. l wanted 1t 10
make a name; wanted each man 10 feel
proud OF himself. They elected a Captain, a
tall fellow who lost his left leg while rafting
logs. We presented him, attended by dis.
Hultu CtItllUuyt viii u ulpAcu bhoiu Alt
double barreled pistol, with one hammer
gone. It would have tickled you to death
to have seen them on dress parade. and
their quick time would have made Napo-
leon pull of his hat and grin. Well, pretty
soon l had occasion 10 use them. The
enemy came upon me Unexpectedly, and
in the hurry incident upon uch occasions, l
placed the one.legged companyinthe warm.
est part OF the field. The battle lasted sew
eral hours, and was a draw fight. My one
legged company suffered greatly. The
Captains peg was shattered by a ball, and
during the fight he sent an orderly into
the woods to make him another leg. Other
members Of the company were similarly
served. and, sir, the amount OF splinters
on the battle-ground was simply astonish.
ing. The enemy had fired low, and three
out oisix wooden legs were disabled. Be.
fore complete repairs could be made, my
general came along, and not being able to
understand why 80 much kindling wood
should be scattered over a battlefield,
asked the reason. l explained, expecting
him 10 compliment me on my ingenuity,
but the unappreciative fellow had me court
martialed. 1 left the service, and during
the remaining time OF the war | aided the
cause by capturing mules from the Union
men and burning cotton that might have
fallen in possession Of the enemy"