Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-01-26
An Incident at Gettysburg.

Here's where I came to grief" SAID
aIwelfth Regiment man, as he stood
npon Seminary Ridge. "How did it
happen" ?" was asked. "WeN," said be,
".f YOU wish I'll tell you, but I fear I
ray be wearisome. 7 always had the
uAcuyiable reputation Of talking too
r.uell, and on that lst day OF July, 1863,
IL. propensity to be too loqnacious came
~. sear ending my career. You see
tLey tr ight us up to the brow Of this
lnI on the donble-qnick, and we found
~ lad beautiful chance to get q cross
fire on brigade Of 'Johnnies' that lay
down. there in the open field. We pep
per'i them awhile, ana then our boys
ieptl to shout 'Forward' AMI 'Charpe'
Naon't think the ORDER came through
tie regularly constituted channels. 1t
Vas a sort Of spontaneous and voluntary
movement On the part Of the men, who
We brim full Of fight on this occasion.
4JAe Colonel and Adjutant both tried to
find ~eut Who gave TIE order?' but all
w knew about it was that everybody
ii 'he regiment was shouting Forward!
HE advance was inevitable, SO our Off
e,rs placed thems elves in our front and
away we went like a whirlwind. We
hal captured and driven in all but about
twenty or thirty of the rebs, after a
rlrht resistance, and my propensity to
talk was SO strong upon me that I
couldn't help telling the Johnnies' that
were hanging behind all about our good
treatment of prisoners, etc. aud thus I
didn't notice when the regiment went
lack to its|old position. When I came
tony senses I found I was alone. 1
concluded | would 60 back, and 80 in
.rmed them, but they very emphatical-
!, ordered me TO remain
Now, something had to be done, SO
Iquickly determined to take my chances
ofinstant death rather than perish by
the slower method of disease and star
yaton, and Informed them in not very
,!rgant terms, modes of expression do
not now use, that they might 60 straight
70 very warm country. Then l ran,
and the faster the bullets came the faster
ran, till after while a shot from off to
NY right came and struck me in the left
groin and down 1 went. o, you
needn't laugh the bullet struck me in
front, I'm happy to say, and I've never
regretted the decision I made in such
hurry. What became of you after
ward2' was asked. "Well, lay there
unable TO move, till nearly dark, and
lad good chance to review the Con-
f,l'ra," army, as most Of it swept over
ne. Artillery wheels and horses feet
came uncomfortably near, but escaped
death providential!y, it always seemed
= me. About sunset the Johnnies' car
red no back to the Pennsylvania Col
FeF", but it would make too long a story
'2fcll vou all my experiences there.
Nil only say that from that point lying
ne.tr an open door, l could see many Of
tie movements of the Johnnies. includ-
iug the formation and advance of Pick
ctte division. and could hear the yell of
t. rehs as they swept forward, aud then
I'll. glad hurrahs of our boys when the
eitrge WAS repulsed. There were If
teen Of us wounded men at the College
the other 700 were COnfederates-and
We chrered, too, when our boys did,
until the Johnnies threatened to kill us
Il We didn't stop. l shall never forget
tte four terrible days passed there
days Of alternate hope and fear--nor the
l'v felt on that morning when gray
coats went away and blue coats appeared.
Hut I'm getting back into my old
habit Of talking too much. Please ex-
cnsc me. I'm apt to forget myself when
thinking Of those days. ."--Boston
.'ptyHui