The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-11
"GUNB0AT GREEN"
A SOUTHERN PAPERS TALE OF
A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER.
Taunted by Comrades for Showing
the White Feather, He Mounts
the Breastworks and Shoots
Seventy-Two Federals.

of'62, 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 humorist and his talents
as a story teller made him always enter
tainiug.
When the Thirty-6rst shifted gunpow-
der for the first time. Green turned up
missing. lie mad fit and was unable to
handle q gun. In the secoad engage
m snt the poor fellow had spasm and
was again kept away from the front: The
soldiers began to have their suspicious
and when their unfortunate comrade fell
q victim to rheumatism on the eve of an
other 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 60 up the 70 90 River on a gunboat
expedition. To the surprise OF all, the
chronic invalid volunteered. The ex-
ped ton lasted about six weeks and no
fighting occurred. Green, however,
swclled with pride at the thought of his
so!d:erly 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 d.sa ,rccable.
But the time came when the gallant
Louisianians had something more import
ant to think of than "Gunboat Green. !"
They were driven into the "bull-pen" at
Vicksburg 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 i'll length.
The land in front for some distance was
level, and then sloped down Iavine and
up steep hill. The timber had all been
cut down, so there was q clean sweep.
One afternoon the Fcderals charged
the breastworks. They placed the r
sharpshooters on the hill to pick off the
Confederates when they showed their
heads. The Fedcrals 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 empticd
with terrible execution. Finally, the
assaulting party fell back behind the
timber that had been cut down, to await
the coming of night. In this position
they were protected except from the top
of the breastworks, and the Confederates
would not take that exposed position on
account of the sharpshooters.
At this juncture an event of the most
unexpected and paralyzing nature oc-
Cured. Down in tn, pits crowd Of
rough fellows were tormenting "Gun-
boat Green" One man told him that he
was looking rather pale, and advised
him to go to the hospital.
"Never m.nd about my looks" said
Green, 81 have presentiment that am
going to be killed"
by a nervous shock" suggested a
corporal, a I'd then there was laugh.
The object of all this ridicule gritted
his teeth, and his eyes flashed fire.
"Ill swear, boys" said one of the
company, THAT if bullet is found in
'Gunboat Green after his death it will
be one that he swallowed"
Stung beyond endurance by these
taunts Green seized his masket AMI ran
at full speed until he reached the top Of
the breastworks. Here he had the Fed
erals behind the fallen timber in full
view and easy range. For moment
both armies locked on in breathless won
der. On that seven.mile line of breast
works Green was the only man to lie
seen. Then the sharEshooters COM
menced fling ut him. With white
ia e, blazing eyes, and nerves stretched
to their utmost tension he took aim and
fired. Time anil again he reloaded and
PULLED trigger, each time hitting his
man. BY this time the sharpshooters
wyre firing thousand shots per minute
at him. Some of the Confederates
begged him to come down, but an officer
sa d:
"Let the blanked fool alone, they
can't hit him."
The men in the pits threw up lot of
cartridges, and Green oatinued to fire at
regular intervals. Bullets flew past him
thick as hail, but not hair of hi, head was
harmed. Finally the brigade that he
was slaughtering in his mer iless fashion
could stand it no longer. They broke
and ran up the hill, losing several more
on the way up under the fire of the soli-
tary soldier on the breastworks.
'Gunbcat Green was the hero of the
hour. Officers and privates surged
around him, shaking him by the hand
and applaud:ng his bravery. Just before
dark the Federa!s retired, and party Of
isianians went out to look as the re-
suit of Green's bloody Workmanship. 1t
was found by actual count that his mus.
ket had killed seventy-two Fcderals.
Green insisted that he had killed ninety,
but it is thought that some of them were
only wonded, and their friends had
drug red them off. About the seventy
two dead men there could be no doubt.
They were there, and as their bodies lay
in place where wa' not . single corpse
before Green commenced firing, it was
PLAIN enough that he had brought them
down.
A special report concerning Green was
sent to the commanding General that
night. The result would doubtless have
been promotion but for the fact that on
the following morning "Gunboat Green"
was nowhere to be found. Later it was
ascertained that he had deserted and
joined Grants army. Nothing further
was ever heard from him.-Atlanta Con-
stituti0n.