Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-11-12
Gunboat Green.

We find the following story in the Atlanta
Constitution:
In Company Z of the Thirty first Lou
isiana there was a man named Green The
boys went into service in the spring of 1872,
and for some time had very little to do.
Green soon made himself one of the most
popular men in camp. He was something
of g humorist, and his talents as a story
teller made him always entertaining.
When the Thirty first snuffed gunpowder
for the first time, Green turned up missing.
He had fit and was unable to handle q
gun. In the second engagement the poor
away from the front. The soldiers began
to have their suspicious, and when their
unfortunate comrade fell victim to rheu-
matism on the eve of another fight. they
spoke out in pretty plain terms.
Green was SO deviled by the boys that
he was driven nearly crazy. Just about
that time there was call for volunteers to
go up the Yazoo River on n gunboat expe-
dition. To the surprise of ali, the chronic
invalid volunteered. The expedition lasted
about six weeks, and no fighting occurred.
Green, however. swelled with pride at the
thought Of his soldierly conduct, and
Dragged so Justify that his companions
nick named him "Gunboat" Green. BY
degrees it began to dawn on him that he
was the butt of the regiment, and then he
became sulky and disagreeable.
But the time came when the gallant Lou
think of than "Gunboat" Green. They
were driven into the "bull-pen" at Vicks-
burg by Grants swarming legions, and
every soldier had to do his duty like little
man. The corps to which Green belonged
Was stationed behind crescent shaped
breastwork seven miles in length The
land in front for some distance was level,
and then sloped down a ravine and up a
steep hill. The timber had all been cut
down, so there was a clean sweep.
One afternoon the Federals charged the
breastworks. They placed their sharp
shooters on the hill to pick off the Confed-
crates when they showed their heads. The
Federals charged in four columns, four
deep. The Confederates remained in the
pits four deep, and held their fire until the
Federals were within sixty yards. Then
the front rank opened fire and fell back,
and the second, and SO on until every gun
had been emptied with terrible execution.
Finally the assaulting party fell back be-
hind the timber that had been cut down, to
await the coming of night. In this posi-
ton they were protected except from the
top of the breastworks, and the Confeder
ates would not take that exposed position
on account Of the sharpshooters.
At this juncture an event of the most un-
expected and paralyzing nature occurred.
Down in the pits crowd of young fellows
were tormenting "Gunboat" Green. One
man told him that he was looking rather
pale, and advised him to 60 to the hos
pital.
s'Never mind about my looks" said
Green; Il have presentiment that l am
going to be killed."
'By a nervous shock" suggested cor
poral, and then there was laugh.
The object Of all this ridicule gritted his
teeth, and his eyes flashed fire..
"Tll swear, boys" said one of the COM
pany. "that if bullet is found in Gun
boat Green after his death it will be one
that he swallowed"
Stune beyond endurance by these taunts,
Green seized his musket and ran at full
speed until he reached the top Of the breast
works. Here he had the Federals behind
the fallen timber in full view and easy
range. For a moment both armies looked
ON in breathless wonder. On that seven
mile line of breastworks Green was the
only man to be seen. Then the sharp
shooters commenced firing at him. But
nothing could move him. With white
face, blazing eyes, and nerves stretched to
their utmost tension. he took aim and fired:
Time and again he reloaded and pulled
trigger, each time hitting his man: by
this time the sharpshooters were hrlns
thousand shots per minute at HIM. Some
of the Confederates begged him to come
down. but an officer said: e.
.Let the blanked fool alone. They can't
The men in the pits threw up lot OF
cartridges, and Green continued to tire at
regular intervals. Bullets flew pas, him.
thick as hail, but not hair of his head was
harmed. Finally the brigade that he was
Strengthening in his merciless fashion could
stand it no longer. They broke and RAJ Up
the hill, losing several more on the way up
under the fire of the solitary soldier on tne
sGunboat" Green was the hero of the
"a az ,oro ,pd nriyateS Suroed around