The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-12-23
Watching a Cannon Ball.

Watching a Cannon Ball.
Speaking about sharpshooters, said
the mounted orderly, was once tar
get for rebel battery, and the man
who sighted the piece came very near
getting me. 1t was on the Boydton
plank road, March 81, 1865. Our lines
ran across the road. The infantry had
thrown up little work for their own
and were hugging the
ground pretty closely. A New Hamp-
shire battery was stationed near the
road, and exchanged shots occasionally
with two-gun battery in an embrasure
on an elevated part of the road near
where the White Oak road meets the
Boydton plank. My orders were to go
down the line and tell the regimental
commanders where to get their ammu-
milton, as the skirmish that was going
on might break out into battle at any
moment l noticed that the rebel
gunner was pretty good shot, and was
finding the New Hampshire men too
often for their comfort. Being mounted
the little breastwork neither protected
nor concealed me. Delivering my
message to the colonel, the left of
whose regiment extended to the plank
road, prepared to make a run for it
and take my chances of getting across
safe. My horse seemed to sense the
situation, and went off as if he meant
to win. The distance was not over
two hundred yards, and we were almost
out of range, when puff, boom! and
down came the shot, Old Charley"
knew what it meant as well as l did,
and he was running for his life, for
only speed could now save him and his
rider. Fast as we were going, it seemed
to me as if we actually stood still.
While a cannon ball may not be seen
going across yourvision, coming straight
for you it is quite plain. l could see
that ball swooping down upon me as
plainly as if it were base ball, and
behind the catcher. The really small
fraction of second that was occupied
in my passage of the road seemed like
several minutes. l was sure it would
strike me or the horse, and wondered
which it would be. In case it missed
me, | calculated how far the horse
would throw me when he went down.
Something wished to have told my
brother, who was in my regiment, came
up in my mind. The smoke from the
cannon formed a background for the
ball, which stood out in painful relief
against the sulphurous cloud. AT first
l was confident the ball would go
through me, but then noticed it was
curving down, and made sure would
only lose leg. This would be my
right leg, and, as 1 had already been
wounded in the left leg and recovered,
l reckoned l should get out of it if the
boys took me back to our own brigade
surgeon in any kind of season. Down,
down sunk the ball, and up and up rose
my spirits. Finally-for it seemed as
if the crisis would never be reached
the ball struck the ground not ten PAGES
away, ricocheted and went just over
my head with a scream of rage and dis
appointment that was almost human.
The boys along the line, who, it seems,
had been watching me, set up hearty
cheer, as the cannon ball and the
mounted orderly failed to connect. 1t
was an excellent line shot, and that
artillerist was no mean marksman. One
more grain of powder in his cartridge,
and he would have had me sure. When
that ball went clear of me, it seemed as
if | was tall as steeple. Whoever
served those guns knew his business
well, for not long after he sent shell
into house, farther down the road, and
killed the Acknowledgement of the second
corps. During the day Grant and his
staff rode across the same place, and
the rebel cannoneer tried to get him,
but somehow nobody could ever get
Grants range, and the shots were
n hot a
almost walked his horse across the
dangerous point; but then, there was a
great difference between Grant and a
mounted orderly. had a pretty close
call that same day, remarked the adju-
tant, not far from that very place. Or
ders came down to move the regiment
by the left flank, along behind our tenn
porary breastwork, the men to keep in
single file and countermarch, after GO
ing about five hundred yards. This is
always distasteful to the men, and they
have to be watched to keep them in
line. AS the movement was feint, 1t
was very important to keep the men
up. AS one of my men passed me he
moved out of line, and l made him
close up. When he came back from
the countermarching point, as he passed
behind me, he swayed over and gave
me shove with his knapsack. turned
quickly half round, when rifle ball
Just grazed my breast and struck tree
in front of which was standing. Evil
IDENTITY a rebel sharpshooter had got my
range, and but for the assault of my
disgruntled knapsack-bearer the ball
would have gone squarely through me.
The soldier had intended to insult, if
not to injure me, but the evil that he
planned was turned to good, and il
saved my life. have always felt
grateful to that fellow for what he did,
no matter what he intended, -The State,