Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-14

A Talk with a Veteran who Carried .
ElintlOCk IN lS14.
HIS RECoLLECTIoNs OF THE BATTLE FOUGHT By
scoTT-0HAsINa TIE BRITISH IN THE DARK-A
ROUGH TRAMP BAREFooTED FROM CAMP TO HosPI-
TAL-A SINGULAR PREsRNTfMENr.

When the survivors OF the civil war are taking
their places among the grandfathers OF the land,
and the number Of veterans OF the Mexican war
has dwindled 30 that its smallness was used as an
argument in favor OF pensionng all Of them, SOL
der Of the war Of 1912 is like some rare antique.
There II one Of them, however, In this city, John
Winchell, who fought, bled, and died for his
country at the battle Of Lundy's Lane. He died
only in an official sense, as he was reported by
MS lieutenant as among the dead or miss
Ing. This was 30 complete a death for him
that for twenty years on account Of the report he
was unable to obtain pension This old soldier
now lives in Detroit, Mich. He has lived there
about ever since there has been Detroit. Hehas
come to washington with his daughter to see
about securing the pension be claims Is due him
for the twenty years during which he was ofcially
Mr.. Winchell at mis- lodging place on ~ street. He
Ii short In stature and thin. His hair and the
beard that covers the lower part Of bis face are
snowy white. His face, however, Is remarkably
Tree from wrinkles, and the skin has good healthy
glow. He stands quite erect, and, though appa-
rently quite active uses stout cane to walk With.
His faculties are quite well preserved, though he
Is slightly deaf. lie never used tobacco or intoxf-
eating liquors, SO he cannot DO cited instance
Illustrating the wonderful preservattve qualities
OF alcohol and tobacco
ENLISTED IN THE NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.
81 was seventeen years old, !" he said to TIE STAR
reporter, "when l enlisted In the New York volun-
teers. l am now ninety-one. enlisted in May,
1914 IN the six months volunteers. came from
hln.sDury, Washington County, New York, and
was mustered In at camp at the mouth of the
Genesee River. Col Hugh Dobbtn, who came from
near Geneva, was the colonel or our regiment and
his son was the ad1utant. / carried an od-fash-
toned fint-iock musket and cartridge box, and
when On the march had knapsack on which the
letters IS n. Y were painted. We went from the
camp on the Genesee River to Canada and had q
number OF little skirmishes before the battle OF
Lundys Lane took place. We took number OF
prisoners remember one poor Fellow whose arm
was so badly broken that 1t had TO be cut on. He
was afterward at the hospital at Wiliamsville
When nQrmitfad I
walk he did not like to go, because, he said, the
people Will abuse me for wearing a red coat /
with him. He had worked In England at the trade
OF stocking loom maker.
AT LUNDY's LANE.
"There was no large army in the battle at
Lundy's Lane" said the aged veteran, SHUT it was
a hot fight. was in the rear rank. I remember
when tred first the man In front OF me was so
close that my gun struck his shoulder ana was
pointing In the air. The lieutenant came to me
showed him. The British were on rising ground.
They were formed in three ranks and we In two
ranks They would stand Whine few shots Were
flap, hap,' as they ran. Then they
remember hearing an oiIicer shout, Cease firing;
you are firing on your own men,. Our lieutenant
sald 1T Is not so II is the Brisn let US 20 at Them
Then we fired, and away they went again. We
kept this up until We caine 10 level ground.
think we were within eight rods OF them. When
they fired We could see their faces in the Hash. BY
this fash and the moonlight could see the cross
belt Of a man in front OF me- and saying to myself
think IN get you before you get me- fired,
belt, crossed. But / never saw what happened.
was blinded by my own fire tor few moments
and when preparing TO reload my musket was
lieutenant picked It up. said: Let me have the
musket; Will give them hts. l amt hurt He
said: see. winchell, you win bleed to DEATH. 4
want that musket,' SAID i don't want to be
disarmed by the red coats Never mind the
musket,' he said; Uncle Sam viii take care Of
that
$50 retreated," he went on. "When had gone
a little way a ball whizzed by my head, and
said to myself: They mean to kill me yet Invent
back to an old house that was used as hospital,
extracted the bali, which had Struck the bone and
did not go through IL had nattened out so that It
was an inch and quarter wide. 1t seemed to
have been split before II was fired, 50 1t would
open and spread out remember the watchword
for that night. II was, 'Where are they?' Some
people believe in presentiments / don't know
any thing about theGi but there Is curious thing
connected with my wound. The evening before
the battle was talking with my comrades about
being wounded. / remember saying that did
not want TO be hit at all, but II I had to be
wounded, and had my choice, would rather have
the ball right there. and put my finger on the
be hit there, as a wound there would not disable
my right arm and hand. Well the next day the
ball struck as near where put my nnger on my
arm as could BE-
TRAINING TO FORT ERIE
''That night after the surgeon got the ball out
went to the camp. In the morning / got into
wagon to ride to Fort Erie was shaken up 30 in
the wagon and the pain in my arm was so great
couldn't stand 1t. so told the driver to let me
out ann tramped 10 miles. For most VI the way
l was narefooted. My shoes were rather loose,
and going through q buckwheat held they slipped
OF. AS Twas on my way an old Dunkard, who
was sitting by the road, laughed at me and called
out, what little boy for soldier My arm
panied me so that for two or three days, In the
hospital at Buffalo, could not sleep. When /
finally got TO sleep l remember waking up and
finding an attendant fixing my blanket. l went
to sleep again and slept sOundiy and while asleep
the attendant robbed me OF $l4, all the money /
had excepting little change. He found my
wallet and took the money out He was looking
for 1t when I woke, and he pretended to be ar
ranging my blanket. There was not much left
OF Buffalo then; the place had been burned. A re-
port came that an army OF Indians Was coming
from Canada, so the officers In charge Of the
wounded had US all conveyed across the creek TO a
place OF safety In the woods l went from Fort
Erie to q hospital at Willfamsvflle, and remained
there until was discharged in October"