The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-08

O asp. / saw it was broken, but could
not tell anything as to the extent of the
fracture 1t seemed clear that / could
do nothing more just then. There was
no possibility of handling musket.
But as it had seemed to me safer to get
to the front as soon as possible, so now
it seemed to me safer to stay than to try
to get off the field. / first tried to tie a
handkerchief around the arm. l carried
a silk handkerchief, | might almost say,
for such an emergency. Only day or
two before had been discussing with
comrade which it would be worse to
lose, an arm or leg. had often
thought Just what | would do in case of
such wound With the practice |
have since had | have no doubt that |
should have got the handkerchief tied
around it and should have stopped the
flow of blood. AT this time failed
completely. | next thought of get
ting help. | looked back of me for
the first time since | had started. |
was lying, | may say, in the fringe of
the advancing wave. The whole side
hill to the rear was covered thickly with
bluecoats. Every tree, hump, rock or
depression in the ground was utilized
to its fullest extent for shelter. | could
not attract the attention of any one.
| Probably no one wanted to see me, as
| the sight of a wounded man is more or
| less disquietening. | remember WV
| idv the set faces of the men as they
glared steadily and straight ahead. No
| help could be had there, clearly, and
there was no possible shelter. | should
| bleed to death in few minutes If my
arm was not bandaged. | gathered it
up to keep it from swinging as well as
| | could, and started back. Two or three
rods to the rear of the spot where | was
! struck passed our regimental colors.
| This will show the confusion and I'M
| certainty of the movement. If they
were in their right position, | had an
gled off to the right in making the as
cent of the hill the length of two COM
panies. If the bullets had seemed to
be plenty as we advanced, they appeared
something superfuous as | went back.
The fire of the enemy was perhaps at
its height, but it is likely that ii slack
ened somewhat as soon as our boys
began. | don't know whether | tried
to dodge the bullets or not. There was
no time TO loiter. If | was to get off
the field at all | must do it promptly.
But certainly did notice the balls a
great deal more now than when advanc-
ing. Having been struck once, the
chance of history repeating itself seemed
very good indeed. The special excite
ment and animus of action was gone. |
was doing nothing to help the general
reuslt. So far as / was concerned | was
whipped. The very idea of running
away is demoralizng. l did not get out
of the range of the bullets for long
time. Indeed, no part of either hill
was entirely exempt from them, though
they grew more scattering after
reached the foot of the hill and began
to ascend the other slope. All this
time was trying to find some one who
could bandage my arm. | met plenty
of men, but all were more or less Sc
verely wounded. They were under the
shelter of trees, and were standing unit
the storm should blow over, but | coulC
not stand, at least not long. | grew
dreadfully thirsty. One man gave mt
drink out of his canteen, or perhaps
held my own to my lips. | held on tC
my arm with some impression that
partly checked the flow of blood, which
was probably an entire mistake. | hat
cot pretty well back on the hill from
which we started when l finally met {
man of my company detailed to lool
/ after the wounded. He cut off m.
, coat sleeve and bandaged my arm so a
to check, but not wholly stop, the flow
of blood. Now that it was possible tt
) stop without bleeding to death | foun'
that / was very tired and faint. Prob
ably should have gone little furthe
if it had been necessary, but | hat
about come to the end. Even withou
the wound and the reaction after tn
excitement of battle had good RICH
to be tired. The day was very hot, TO
: May there corresponds to June in tn
| North. We had marched several mile
l pretty rapidly, and had gone withou
, resting. 1t had been twenty minute
, probably, or perhaps half an hour
1 since we started, and | had been run
: ming good part of the time. My hea,
+ was in whirl, my throat was con
= stantly parched, my heart thumped vic
. lently and my breath came in gasps
: Leaning upon my comrade, | man
e aged to walk little way to sheltere
o hollow in the wood where they wer
e gathering up the wounded, already
). pretty large number. And so for m
= the war was over.-ETchdnge.
n