The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1888-12-07
WOUNDED UNTO DEATH.
An Incident at the Battle of Fair Oaks.
"Horribfe sWar.o

An Incident at the Battle of Fair Oak.
Horrible WAR"
| a battle Is not always q wkirl of con
fusion and uproar, with mon firing at will
or at random At Fair Oaks when W,
swept down in the gray of morning O,
Casey's division we found two-thirds O
1T unprepared for our reception. / wa.
a sergeant in my company, and as W,
began firing noticed a federal sergeant
of my own rank displaying the utmost
energy in rallying tho men around hin
to check us. Some Of our men noticed
him as well and two or three called out
| that he looked near enough like me to be
a brother BY his own individual efforts
he rallied enough men to check us tenn
porariiy, but after a few minutes wo
drove them again and were in the Federal
camps. Then our lines broke and each man
fought for himself. had singled out tho
sergeant and fired twice at him, and it was
fact that he had also singled me out
and fired at me alone We kept ad
vancing slowly, and by and by, as we
crowded them from their shelters, cot
n fair view Of the sergeant. For a no
ment forgot that there was any one
else in all that battle. had raised INV
gun when he wheeled and raised his. and
we both fired together. I went down
like log, having received his bullet in
the right shoulder, and for two hours I
hugged the earth beside log to escape
being hit again by the missiles of friend
or foe.
When the fury Of battle had passed on
was lame and stiff, and as the location
was strange to me, and did not know
whether we were still advancing or in
retreat could not make my wav off tbe
held. could not tell front from roor
nor was there one chance in ten of find
ing field hospital. After pulling nv
self up, and holding to Il tree FOR \ fcw
minutes, felt better and advanced 70
the spot where had last seen tho Federal
sergeant. found him lying on his back.
My bullet had struck him in tho silo and
ne was fatally hit. AS llnelt down be-
side him he recognized mo and said:
You have given me my death
But You sought to kill me" pro-
tested, in cNtenuation.
cs, fired at you. Some of the
men said you looked like me, and I felt
l desire to kill you.'
Let us be friends" 1 said, as I knclt
beside him. Il can use ono hand and
'rm, and perhaps 1 can stop the bleed
ng."
1T is too latc!n he whispered.
:, 30 1t was. He had lost great GUAM
ity OF blood, and it was still pouring out
nd sinking away into the black soil of
he forest. AS my hand touched his he
rasped it and said:
1--WE were enemies. Letus be frieYoods
live me water" lids.
held my canteen to his lips .. Co
iirst was satisfied, and the possIT t nnIl ~ ms
n I'm and feld his han@c p3Gd o% faS pesido ,no
ith his cvcs ci p!cnJming nearer. lie lay
! last whis,- The iosed for long time, and
'Tell we shpered:
y :" =. Mary and the children I am
.ningw
/ My heart smote INC az | thought of
the wife and children who would never
sec him again-or the LACK pail of sor-
row which would settle down over Il
happy household
'And tell father ana mothcr!' he
Basprf. -I1avv them al cc.-.I ~ .Ae
old home TO meet me-"
And there was Il fathcr--anl Il mother
and brothers and sisters! Md my
bullet would bring tears and aobs and
walls and mourning. And the sunshine
of life would go out of many hearts for
months and yCars-pcrhapS forever. l
prayed him over and over 70 forgive me-
and as dtaCh came nearer I dared not
look away from lis pale face for fear
that should meet tho accusing glanccs
of widow and orphans through the drift
ing smoke of battle. As death finally
came he clutched my hand with frmcr
grip, looked into my eyes with last
effort and family whispered:
1T Is war, horrible war! Let us be
friends! God bless Mary and the chill
dren" - "EX-Rebcl" in Detroit Free
Press.