Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-02-27

to the left for better cover. Onetifth OF our
company was wiped out there, andw hadn't
got over mourning for them when Corporal
SoIemnchOly appeared in our midst This
was two weeks after the hight. and his face
was tied up with bandages. We rushed 20
greet him, but he waved Us off and said:
Don't nobody come near me- You
wretches went and left me there in the
woods, and that night burial party flung
ME into a trench, and was covering me up
when came to, and told 'em what thought
of 'em and walked OFF. kin lick any man
in this company
de had been shot in the mouth. and the
bullet tore out three teeth and left hole in
his cheek as big as walnut.
On the morning of the battle of Fair Oaks
we were lust crawling out of our tents when
the rebel wave rolled down on Casey and
drove him back. Our company was badly
demOraliZed. and Corporal SCHENECTADY was
trying TO rally three or four of us behind a
fallen tree when shell exploded near us.
saw two OF three men 90 down, and among
them was the corporal. I'd have taken nv
affidavit that one side of hIs face was torn
away. We rallied after atime and regained
our ground. but when nigh, came we aban-
dOned the field and fell back TO make new
stand. Five men OF my company were re-
ported on the rolls as killed in action, and
among them was the corporal Aweek after
the battle of Malvern Hill he walked into
camp after the old fashion and began:
'Durn the hull crowd OF We fur pack of
cOwards You went right off that day with
out stopping 10 see whether | was killed OF
not, ana I'll dare any two of you to knock a
chip off my shoulder"
10 / IA
him. but he was splashed by the blood of an
unfortunate, and receiveda a whack over the
head from a club OF a limb. During the
night he exchanged clothing with cOnfed-
crate, and after many adventures came back
to report for duty.
After that Corporal SolemnchOly was a
marked man. We looked upon him with
such awe and superstition that nobody would
be friendly. He became sort of Outcast:
indeed, we all argued that man who
wouldn't stay dead when fairly killed had a
very mean streak in his composition.
In due time came Pope'S fights around
Manassas. We were fighting at GrovetOn,
aud As the regiment was ordered to head its
brigade in a charge dozen OF us had our
eyes on the corporal. de realized II, and
there was look of determination on his
face. We interpreted it to mean that if he
was killed again he would stay killed. The
brigade was in a hot box. The enemy gave
US every sort of missile known 10 war, and
we couldn't close up the lanes plOughed
through our ranks. l had my cap knocked
off and my canteen cut away. and was max
ing grab TO recover the latter when COrDO-
raj SOlemnchOly got his dose again. L saw
him leap two feet high and fall in heap.
and knew by the way he struck the ground
| that he was goner. -...
There were only twenty-eight men in the
company after that fight. They had given
me the corpOraPs place, and we had got
Il Ft.a mn - a oh
| tam without losing another man. We had
| several times talked over the fate OF COrpO-
| raj SCHENECTADY, and had expressed regret
/ at the way we had used him. My brigade
| was under Hooker then. and on the evening
previous to the fight we had been pushed
| across the Antietam on the right, 70 be ready
| 10 advance on jackson at daylight. About
| o'clock, as we rested on the lines IN the
/ darkness, heard voice saying, Il tell you
| it's dOg-gOne mean TO go and report a telleI
| dead and give his place away until you are
| sure about lt.'
| 90 US! A bullet mad raked his head al Grove
| ton, and he mad crawled TO the rear aftel
| dark and been sent to the hospital in Wash
ingtOn. He was hopping mad at every mar
| Of us, and we gave him as good as he sent
| We told him that any man VINO had played
/ hockey on death as often as he had cOuldn
| be trusted by the living, and he was advised
| to go to the rear and be surely and honOrably
| killed BY the heels of some mule, Just a
daylight he crept over TO me and whispered
4 aI can't blame the boys so very much
Tell you what. if I'm not killed for sure IL
this tight shan't come back 10 the company
couldn't have the face TO. I'll just deser
and go home"
; He advanced with us, and we had workee
| our way almost up TO the corn field. when
saw him tumble bent over him and saw
that he had bullet IN the breast. He lOoket
tup. smiled, and, as bent closer, he wins
Ipeved: -. - -., ..-H-.
"rve got it this time. and wish some o
the BOYS would see me planted to stay;
didn't want to come around and make 'en
more trOublen' 10
1 The day after tue fight we hunted up thl
body and helped 70 bury 1t. Corporal Sol
emacholy was dead enough this time, an
| tiIare was a smile on his face as II be ha'
| won a victory over us. .H.'