The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09
A STORY OF WAR DAYS.
The Capture Made by Union Soldier in an
Indiana Regiment.

The following related by Capt. David N. Dry
den, Of Jeffersonve, Ind, shows how mistakes
can be made in estimating men, and also how
the black cloud of war can be frightened by
acts of kindness and generosity
In September, 1851, the First Kentucky Vol
unteer infantry WAS stationed near Cotton
Mountain, West Virginia. Captain Dryden at
that time was first lieutenant of Company
+, III which there was private soldier by the
name Of Walter T. Eversole, who still resides IN
Jeffersonville. He was young awkward. inex-
perience0 and went by the nickname of Resch.
The company, having been enlisted among the
steamboat men on the Ohio river contained
some pretty hard characters aud fighters, who
often had considerable fun at the expense of
Resch, and it got to De generally understood
among the boys that Resch wasn't much on the
fight. One day the scouts brought in word that
detachment Of rebel cavalry was coming
down the mountain. A detachment of twenty-five
men, commanded by the captain OF Company Z,
was ordered to proceed up the mountain, station
themselves near the single road which led down
it, and, when the cavalry came down. to lay in
ambush, surround it, and II possible capture it.
Resch was in the detail. In short time
they We're close TO the cavalry, and
the infantry spened with a volley which killed
and wounded several horses and cavalry men.
The men, at that time, wero new and not
customed to war, and, after witnessing the result
Of their fire. and seeing the rebel cavalry halt and
hesitate, thought that the time had come for
them to 90 back to camp and report, which they
did, taking care to eXpend as little time as
possible in getting there. The cavalry, thinking
that there a larger force than there really
was; because the infantry were concealed partly
from view by the woods and unGergrowtb, also
leaving the dead and wounded one the
ground, one Of the wounded being
their lieutenant Resch had failed
to run when the others did, and seeing
the lieutenant laying there on the ground,
went up TO him and took him prisoner raised
him on his back, ana started back to camp with
him. The cavalry. finding they were not pursued,
shortly returned and discovered Resch walking
of with their commander on his back. He
allowed them to approach within about
a hundred feet, when he put his
prisoner on the ground, stood over him.
and called halt the cavalry, one man to
fifty. The commander of the cavalry said they
wanted their officer. Resch told them that he
was his prisoner, that they could not have him,
and that he was going to take him to camp
with him. All this time Resch was looking along
the barrel of his cooked gun, square in the
eye of the confederate speaker. They tried to
reason with him, but without effect, and the
wounded officer added his voice to Reschss de-
termination. saying that he was badly hurt, aud
that he could get better treatment at the federal
camp than with them. By this time the Union
forces, having rallied, came up and the cavalry
retreated, but the boys never had much more
fun at Eyerso!es's expense.
The confederate was bright intelligent young
man, not much over twenty.one years old, and
proved to be badly wounded through the bowels.
His accomplishing suffering the sympathy
of DR.. Menzies, surgeon of the regiment, who
did everything in mis- power for him. He said
that he had a young wife in South
Carolina, and every week for six weeks did he
write her letter, which was passed through the
lines to the confederates DR.. Menzies was
firing in his care for him, and said: Il would
give ANYTHING have to save him" The sixth
letter he wrote he dictated, and Capt Dryden
says, as he heard it, that ne could not keep back
the tears, breathing as it did the
fond love and the regretful longings
and desires to her again-she
who was his all in all. That was the last letter
he wrote, and ere the answer could be received
his spirit had fed. The soldiers Of the regiment
buried him with military honors, rounded up his
grave and marked it with plain wooden head
board, inscribed with his name. DR.. Menzias
wrote to his widowed bride, telling her of mis-
death and the exact spot where he was buried,
and conveying his sympathy to her.