The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13

served without hope Of promotion, with scanty
pay and scantier rations, with thread-bare
clothing, marching over the rugged roads and
mountain passes, often with no better covering
for his bleeding feet than pieces of green beef
hides tied about his swollen ankles, has never
been accorded his full meas ire OF praise, and
never will, I fear. Occasionally his deeds
have been told and credit given for his bray
cry and deyotion but the heroic conduct of
the private soldier is yet an untold story. The
colonels, the brigaders, tho maiors-general
and the corps commanders have been able to
have their names emblazoned upon the tablets
of history; but the hero in ranks is seldom
mentioned except on memorial days. and then
spoken of en- masse.
desire in this brief article to tell of one
who entered the southern army as private and
III that humble capacity served until the sur
render. lie was noted among his fellow SOL
dlers for his genial good nature, his gentleness
and devotion to the cause. He was piously in
clned, and while he engaged in the amuse-
ments and pastimes of camp life, he was al
ways just such soldier as was calculated to
make mothers heart proud and his comrades
love him. His ruddy, round, boyish face ever
wore smile, and he was never heard to grum-
Bile or complain. His name is John H. Clay
ton, and he was mustered into tho confederate
service at Savannah in November 1861 as a
private in the Barlow Guards from Stewart
county, which company was afterwards known
as company e, of the 31st Georgia regiment
Clayton served in the ranks, doing his duty
cheerfully, and took part i'll the peninsula
campaign below Richmond in June, 1862. In
August, 1862, General Lee inaugurated the
campaign which resulted i'll tho second battle
OF Manassas and in destroying whatever repu-
tation John Pope, of the yankee army. had
won as general prior to that time. The Thr-
ty-flrst regiment took an active part in that
famous flank movement by ,Jacksons corps.
assisting in the capture of BriStow and Manas-
sas and in the destruction of the long trains
OF loaded cars at tho latter place. When Pope
turned upon jackson and undertook to crush
that vigilent and daring leader, and hoped to
capture him before Longstreet could reach the
field, Lawton's bridge, to which the 3lst be-
longed, was stationed on the right wing with
the troops OF Trimble' sgand Rodess brigade,
and did some stubborn fighting confronting
Kings division Of the federal army The 3lst
regiment was ordered into position late in the
afternoon, and was instructed to support the
the 18th Georgia, but as that veteran regi-
ment held their ground bravely, the 31st did
not do much firing. They were, however,
subjected to a CALLING fire from the enemy.
We were i'll an open field, ON higher ground
than the 18th Georgia, and all the shots which
passed over them came whistling around and
among u.s. Several of the regiment were
killed, and perhaps hundred were wounded.
Among them, Private Clayton, the subject
OF this sketch. He had been appointed
color bearer and with conspicuous courage had
carried the flag proudly wherever ordered.
severest firing occurred at a time when nothing
could be seen except the rapid flashes from
the rifles OF the contending forces. In the
midst OF this musketry when men were being
shot down right and left, one of my company in
formed mo that Clayton had been badly
wounded. had him carried back a short dis
TANGO in the field to n shallow gully
where the surgeons by the dim light of
foW little lanterns were busy binding
up the wounded limbs as best thew could AS
firin 1 10, 70,
about the wounded of my company. l soon
found Clayton, my brave color-bearer, and
with some degree OF misgiving, asked him how
badly he was wounded. l knew that he had
been shot i'll the face, and expected to hear
him answer thathe was done for, but he cheer
1ully replied: Captain, they have shot my
eye out, but will soon be all right again"
And he added, with smile upon his face: 81
have something i'll my vest pocket you never
had in yours" inquired what it was. "a
piece Of my iawbone," said he and he drew
from his pocket the piece of bone, and remark
ed that the doctor had sawed it off with dull
pocket knife. The ball had cut across the
upper pant OF his nose, through his eye and III
passing out through his face had fractured his
1awbone, causing pice to stick out ut right
angles. OF course it had to DO cut off and the
surgeon insisted that IL must be done at once,
and not wait until the wound became sore and
infiamed.
John recovered after brief stay in the hos
pital and furlough home and returned TO tho
command AS soon as he reached camp he
claimed the right to carry the tattered battle
flag, and it was placed in his hands. He was
never able to endure tho fatigue Of hard
marching or exposure, but as long as he could
go he struggled bravely along and chung to the
flag and carried it into several battles which
were fought later in the war. On one occasion
when thoughtJ ohm was going out and we need
ed stronger man to carry the flag, suggested
that it had best be given to some other member
of the company, but he refused to surrender it,
and with the tears trickling from his remain
ing eye, he said; Captain, you arc not going
to make mo give it up, are you?" This was
Irresistible said no more about it and he
kept the flag.
No painter could dosuch a subject Justice and
my pen is poWerless to portray such devotion
such heroism. IL may have been equalled ou
many occasions but it was never surpassed.
Clayton survived the war, and when he re-
turned home, honest fellow that he was, went
straightway to the home of his sweetheart
lovely girl to whom he had been engaged since
he first enlisted and told her sorrowfully that
when he first had been happy by her promise
to become his wife, he was young
man without mark or blemish, but now
he was almost wreck was badly disfgured;
almost repulsive to look upon and that under
the circumstances ho felt il TO DO his duty to
come and release her from her promise in order
that she might select one worthy of her in
every way and without such designation
Noble woman that she was, she declined TO let
him 90, and tendery folding her fair arms
about his neck avowed her love anew, and de-
clared that in her sight he was not dsfgurcd,
and that she loved him more than ever for tho
sacrifices he had made and the hardships he
had endured
Shortly thereafter, John and his sweetheart
wero married, and when last heard from him
they were happy and living contentedly in
southern Alabama. A Drawer boy never wore
the gray, and j never knew ono who was or
who deserved to DO more beloved.
W. III. HARRIsON.