Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-02
4 PLUCKY PRIVATE.
How a Buckeye Boy Won Promotion at the
Battle of Gettysburg.
ChiIlcothe, Ohio Leader


CEiIlcothe, Ohio Leader.
speaking about pluck" said Colonel
Higgins, of Waverly-of whom Leader
reporter had just been making inquiries
in regard to Joseph Devoss, whose death
was referred to last week-"there goes a
fellow whom I saw do as nervy thing as
l witnessed while I was in the service
The Leader reporter looked across the
street, IN the direction in which the col
Snel had nodded, and saw Dick Enderlin
pledding along, hands in pockets, in his
matter of fact, Indifferent sort of way.
''It was at Gettysburg" remarked the
colonel, knocking the ashes from his
cigar. "YOu probably knew that Dick
was a drummer boy. He was in my COM
pany and he beat drum for all that was
OUT beat it so hard that you couldn't
find drum-heads enough in the army to
keep him supplied, and short time be
fore the Gettysburg fight he came to me
for the sixth or seventh drum-head, and
just gave him gun. He kicked a little,
but took it, and made pretty good use of
it afterward, too
Edwards the close of the first days
fight at Gettysburg our regim entail line
was stretched along the crest of ridge,
adown the side of which was field of
wheat almost ripe enough for the reaper.
Much of it had had been cut that day,
and more was destined to be cut on the
morrow - cut by shot and shell,
and swept by the musketry of the two ar
mics. On the opposite side of the field,
and but frightfully short distance away,
were the rebel lines. Twice that after
noon we had charged across that wheat
| field in the effort to drive the enemy
from their position, and twice had we
| been driven back, leaving many dead
| and wounded man among the standing
wheat. The wheat was so high that when
| lying down one could not be seen by the
enemy, and for some time before the
charge was ordered we had occupied the
position described, keeping up sharp
fire on the enemy, and receiving as
good, as we sent in return. I couldn't
| help but be amused at Dick.
In order to save the men as
much as possible / directed them to
| lie down to DO their loading, and only
rise to deliver their fire, but Dick insisted
upon standing up all the time. Three or
four times | yelled at him to keep under
cover or he would get hit, and he would
attempt to obey me, but in few minutes
excitement would get the better of him,
and he would be on his feet again, load
ing and firing as rapidly as he could
handle his piece.
'When the sun had gone down and the
shades of night had checked the firing
| considerably several of US were standing
grouped together looking over the field
of wheat, wondering what had been the
result of the days work and what would
be the result on the morrow, when we
heard some man way over in the wheat
field. His groans were sickenin g
to listen to, and it got so after awhile
that couldn't stand it any longer. So
taking off my haversack [ handed it to
Enderlin, who was standing by, and re-
marked that I was going after that fell.
low. This, as every one knew, was q
pretty ticklish piece of business, for, al
though it was then night, the moon was
shining, and at every rustic of the wheat
that indicated the possiL ility of its being
moved by a human being the Johnnies
would send their musket and rife balls
through it in way that made it very I'M
healthy for any person that might be
concealed there.
'Still [ resolved to chance it, and get
) ting down on my hands and knees, be
gun to worm my way through the wheat
in the direction of the groans. I haG
gone but e few yards, however, when
felt some one grasp me by the leg, and ]
hoard Dicks voice:
"'Look here, Major he said, you
mustn't go out there. You might get
killed, and we can't spare you; let me
go?'
"Why, don't believe you could get the
fellow in, Dick" l replied; she is proba
bly, hurt SO bad that he has to be carried
and don't believe you could carry 6
man in that way and through that
wheat"
"'Well, you just come back and let me
try it," said Dick. III bet you that
bring him in Saying which Dick bolt
ed ahead, worming his way on his belly
through the wheat, as carefully and
cautiously as possible, so as avoid at
tention, while returned to the line and
awaited results.
"He was gone long time, so long that
I began to grow uneasy, but finally he
made his appearance, crawling en- his
stomach through the wheat, and on his
back, with arms clasped around his neck
was poor devil whose hip had been
shattere dby musket ball.