The National tribune., 1884-09-11
A BRAVE BOY.
Story of the champion - of the Sd Va. Cay.-A
Sharpsh0oter Who Did Deadly Work.

To THE EDITOR: According to the old
adage, Honor to whom honor is DUE" seeing
so many stirring sketches about some of the
leading men OF our army, allow me to intro
duce to you private, who for valor is the
vassal of none, who enlisted when about 16
years old, and served through the war, and
who refused furlough to go home to see his
friends, but remained at the post of duty. The
subject of oar sketch was John L. McMurray,
of Go. ID, Sd Va. Cav, or, as he was called,
Champion" name given him by his officers
for his grit and daring. Although young and
small, he was never known to shrink from a
social combat or open field fight, and was consid-
cred the best marksman in the whole command.
Whenever there was any sharpshooting to be
done the Champion was always assigned
that duty. AT the battle of Dry Creek, ON Aug.
g. when the rebel artillery was playing havoc
with ours, the Champion was ordered TO select
two or three men and pick off the artillery
men. He advanced, with two others, to a frame
house, where he could get range from the upper
story through an end window, posting the
other men at the side windows to pick of Off
GERS. His fire was so effective that the rebels
turned the artillery on the house, using solid
shots and finally shells, firing the house, when
he was forced out leaving his two comrades
weltering in their blood, the enemy's line hav-
ing advanced to within 75 yards of the house.
He threw himself on the ground from one of
the lower windows and feigned himself shot,
and crawled about so yards to rail fence,
VIXEN he leaped over it and began his work
again. Space fails me to give an authentic ac-
count of his services. / have seen him kill a
quail So yards, sheep 500 yards, and he has
driven center 800 yards. He was the most eff
fective marksman / knew in the army; and
| have heard his officers say that in case of q
night attack they would rather have him on a
! post of danger than any man in the command,
la
tried it frequently, and always failed. Many a
man has been seen to fall by his unerring aim.
At the fight near Big Spring, Shenandoah Val
| ley, he was lying ON a little high knob picking
off officers, when a rebel sharpshooter fired at
| him, the ball striking before him, plowing up
| the dirt in his face and lodging in his jacket.
His officers ordered him taken back, (they
thought he was killed. when he said, Not by a
| id sight" and his next shot brought the rebel
/ officer out of his saddle. On the retreat from
Lynchburg, when our artillery was captured at
! Mason's Gap, he and 20 others dashed in On the
| rebels hand-to-hand, when 18 of 81 were left
| on the field. He brought out a wounded com
| rade with him, be himself being wounded. He
was creased las he called it, three times while
| in the army, as he considered nothing short
of shattered leg or arm or ball through the
body, was wound. / saw him at the surprise
at Piney Creek shoot three men, and was the
! only man who fired a gun, and came near being
captured, his horse being shot.
He was a good scholar, and would clerk in
different departments during the Winter, but
whenever the army began moving you could
not keep him in the cerkship. He was offered
| promotion on many occasions, but utterly re-
fused to accept any honors saying he enlisted
for high private" in the "rear rank" and
intended to hold his position. He was nearly
killed in the battle of Moorfeld, Va, il
August, 1864. / heard he was living in Wes
Virginia a few years ago, and if still living
there is few more deserving of fayors than oul
Champion" as he was qualified to I'LL any
ofiice.-W. ATKINSON, Sd Va. Cav, Walnu
Hill w Va