Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-17
DAVIS DIsMEMBERMENT.
A Soldier Who Emulated the Jolnteo
Snake and Came to Life.
From the PhiL1delphia Setes.

From the PaiLadelpAia ge'es.
To show how easily men can be de-
ceived, here is a story related by Capt.
Horatio B. Hackett, State Appraiser in
! the office of Register of Wills OF this city.
IL, with an uncle, belonged to the Eighty
| first Pennsylvania Volunteers, at Cham
cellorsville, when the Eleventh corps
! broke aud run We were ordered TO hold
our part Of the line until another could be
taken up in the rear. 1t was an aWiui
sight. Men BY thousands, panic stricken
and in full flight, poured over
our works. IN vain we struck them with
swords and guns and fists. In vain we
appealed to homer, love OF country, dread
| Of shame, etc.; we could do nothing with
them. ON they rushed, Stonewsll Jack
sons brigade in hot pursuit, yelling like
exultant devils. Cavalry, artillery, am
| balances, wagon trains, army beeves, all
mixed and struggling together 70 get to
/ the rear. AS our line was broken, new
one must be Of necessity formed, and 10 do
| that the old line must be held at all
hazards for time. Our bril-
| gade the First, First Division, Sec
ond corps was ordered to cover the re-
treat. Pettits battery of PARROT can
/ non was behind US. We were in the
trenches. Soon a column Of artillery
/
! open field before US. Fifteen guns were
unlimbered under Pettits FIRE and gal
| lantly responded. We did not fire a shot,
| but waited for the infantry attack. To
| our surprise none was made, and when
| the order came to fall back to the cover OF
| the woods, out we sprang and ran with
all speed for the shelter of the trees.
The enemy's cannon poured in ter
rible fire upon the flying troops; the air
/ al m M nd
| canister. In that run of about two hun
bred yards we lost seventy-fve men.
| Among the dead was nv uncle, Ephraim
| Davis. / did not see him fall, but four
| others bore united testimony TO the fact.
! The orderly sergeant showed me the butt
| of his gun covered with blood. That
| blood said he, was Eph's. He was run
| ming side by side with me; just as he had
raised his right leg a shell burst under it.
| feet IN air, whirling over and
over. Davis fell across my feet
and ais blood streamed over me and my
| gun, which | was using as a cane to ex-
| pedite my flight. | saw his eyes and the
! blood squirting from his thigh, and have
no doubt ne died in few moments The
| Captain OF Davis company saw enough
of it 10 confirm the others story. Here,
| then, were five witnesses who testified to
mans mother and said what he could TO
! comfort her, but after many letters had
| passed between them the fond mother de-
| clared she would never give up her son
until she had the testimony OF one who
actually saw him die.
''SOme five or six weeks after ward an
exchange OF prisoners took place, and
who should walk into camp but Ephralm
! Davis uuhurt. He had been captured by
| the enemy. He was a grand soldier, and
on the day Robinson performed his heroic
feat, and enabled us to take the third line
Of the enemy's works May y, Davis fell
carrying our eolors. There could be no
mistake this time. We sewed his body in
. blanket, dug his grave at Spottsylvania
| where he fell, and on a headstone, i'm
provised from a cracker box lid, wrote
| Dulce e decOTum est pro pdtTtG morn.
There he sleeps, and only the angel of the
resurrection Will be able to find him."