Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-24
THE BEST MAN IN COMPANY X.
Hand holland EncoUe.er at the Siege
of Petersburg
FROM no HartloeU tGa.l sun.

From tho HartaoeU CGa.) Sun.
short time before the explosion Of the
big mine under the breastworks at Peters
burg, the regiment to which the writer
belonged Second South Carolina Rides)
occupied the trenches Immediately over
the mine. We could hear the picks of the
Yankees underneath and were fully aware
Vt what the ''bOys in blue" we're at, and
were in constant dread of the "blow ups"
IN fact, had sunk a counter shaft. but
didn't go deep enough. The contending
lines were so close at this point that 1t
was necessary tor each side to keep
up constant fusilade day and
night for fear tbs oAh3 aide would
make a sudden rush ana scale the works
boforo adequate resistance could be
made. The pyYoteGhnieal display at
| night was awfUlly grand but not cry
amusing. The most aggravattnk Of all
| the proiectiles were the mortar bombs,
from which the breastworks afforded no
| protection, as they would soar high up ic
| the heavens and then swoOp down in the
trenches. Many were the daring teats
accomplished, such as snatching up the
shells before the fuse had reached the
exploding point and heaving them over
the breastworks. But it is not our pur-
pose to record anything more than ludi-
crous incident that occurred in the
trenches at the time and place above
mentioned.
In our company were two stalwart,
muscular fellows, acknowledged by COM
mon consent to be the "best men in the
company" so far as physical strength
was cOncerned-Bill Taylor, a burly,
heavy-built fellow, cross-eyed and rather
clumsy; MEt Brown, of medium size,
with muscles like steel, 1.-the and active.
They were well-matched, and it was
mooted point as to which was the better
man Of the two. They were jealous of
each other, ana yet both Of them dreaded
to measure arms, although secretly de-
termined to decide the matter whenever
the opportunity presented itself Itcame
one day in the trenches when the mimic
| balls were whizzing over our heads like
hail.
A spring on the right Of us on a line
with the works afforded us water. AS
the branch ran toward the Yankee lines 1t
was impossible to make breastwork in
front of it, as it would ruin the spring.
The Yankees knew the spring was there,
and they kept up a constant firing toward
that locality, and many were the brave
men who went there with a load of can
teens for their comrades that never re-
! turned alive.
One day Bill Taylor took several can
teens, ours among the number, to the
spring, ana filing them with water re-
turned unhurt. Milt Brown was thirsty
| and asked us for a drink from our can
teen. We cheerfully complied. This was
| the golden opportunity for Bill, and in an
| arrogant tone he remarked. that he didn't
| propose to risk his valuable life getting
| water for a'darn skunk who was too cow
ardly to get it for himself. Mit replied,
that any man VINO insinuated that he was
a coward was liar, and if he would take
that he would take sheep.
The test moment had come.
The fur lewl
Aud there in the trenches, with the
shells shrieking and the minies whistling
overhead and the muffled sound of the
sappers' tools beneath us, occurred one of
| the hardest rough and tumble fights we
| ever witnessed. 1t appeared to us as if
! they would never decide the mastery. The
soldiers all became so excited in this farce
that they forgot the heavy tragedy that
was being enacted, exposed themselves,
! and several OF them were wounded by the
sharpshOoters. Finally Milt got his
| fingers IN BilPs eyes. and after enduring
/ 1t until both eyeballs were forced out OF
socket, slowly said. "Pull him off, boys.
! I'll have to give it up-Milt Brown is the
best man il Company K"
Bill had TO stay in the hospital several
weeks before HE eyes were f for service.
| One of MIlt's fingers was nearly bitten
! off, and he remarked after the fight
Boys, Pd've hOllered myself, but l hated
| to say pull him OFF and me on top"
The question of manhood settled, Bill
and Milt became a second edition Of Da-
mon and Pythias, and would fight for
each other at tue drop of a hat.
The day before the blow up our regI-
ment was transferred to the Richmond
side of the James, and we missed the hor-
rors of the crater.