Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-10-14
a cAsxoxEEn,s r1rIeIr.

The most conspicuous act OF reck-
less courage | ever saw displayed Oh
any battlefield during our great Civil
War writes correspondent OF the
Philadelphia Times occurred at the
second battle of Manassas on the Both
day Of August. 1862 l. was per
formed By q Federal artillerist in the
presence Of both armies and was wit
messed by al least a thousand men,
many OF whom are still living and
can readily recall the incident when
reminded Of the circumstances. Just
as Hoods men charged down the hill,
near the Henry House. upon the first
Federal line, and 10 became evident be
would capture the battery stationed
there. q Federal artiileryman deter
mined 10 save one of the cannon, il
possible, and TO do so he had TO take
Ii up the side Of the ditch in front OF
the Confederates for half mile. The
ditch was four feet wide and as many
deep, and could not be crossed with
the cannon. How he got his horses
hitched, or whether they had really
ever been taken from the piece / new
er have known, for the first saw Of
him he was coming up our front in a
sweeping gallop from the cloud OF
smoke. and Hoods men were firing
at him. As soon as he escaped from
that voiley he came in front of OIL
brigade aad under range of our mus
kets on the left, and as be swept on
up the line file fire was opened mp
on him. Our line was approaching
the ditch rapidly. at q double-qnick,
and the lane between ms and the
ditch was getting narrower each sec
ond, but the artilleryman seemed de
termined TO save his gun from cap
ture, and he flew along his course al
tremendous rate of speed. He had
four large gray or white horses hitch
ed 10 the cannsn, and they came NJ
the valley In splendid style. The
man sat erect aud kept his team wei
ir hand, while his whip seemed &c
play upon the TANKS of the leaders
and all four seemed 10 leap together
In regular time. The ground wa
very dry and cloud of dust rolled
out from under the horses feet and
from the wheels of the cannon as they
came laundering along. Three regi
ments Of our brigade had already FIR
ed at him az he rushed along their
front, and as he approached the lefi
Of another | ran down the rear rank
shouting to the men: Shoot at the
horses Let the man alone and shoot
ut the horsesl You are firing toe
high" At this saw noted marks
man in Company F drop upon one
knee and sight along the barrel OF his
musket and fire, but on came the
man and the gallop of his team was
unbroken. Rammlng In another car
fridge the marksman was ready
again In a minute, and just as the
cannon swept across his front within
hundred yards he kneeled down,
and taking deliberate aim al the fore
most horse, fired again, but on went
the team unframed as before. Thus
be passed along the whole front OF
our regiment and then along another
on our right, aud escaped around the
head of our ditch and across the field
and up the hill beyond. As far off
as we could see him his team was still
going in a gallop. but when out OF
range on the hill beyond the ditch he
turned in his saddle. and, taking of
his hat, waved IL around his head
several times, and some of the Con
federates cheered him. At least five
hundred men fired at that Yankee
gunner, and have often wondered il
he escaped death in subsequent bat
ties OF the war and lives 10 tell OF the
fearful gauntlet he ran along the
whole brigade OF Confederates firing
at him.