The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-03-24
A Shot and a Thrust.
BIZ AN "EX-I;RBEL."

When Ne came to throw out picket4 in
| front Of our lines on the night after dealing
the Federal army the hard blow at second
Manassas, we we're right among the dead
and wounded. We had won victory, and
the bulk Of the Federal army was making
for the Potomac, but there was rear guard
which fought sullenly and with thirst for
vengeance. and along the front from of my
division the blue coats we're alert and ready
for auy night attack. 1t was about ulne
o'clock in the evening when my company
was pushed out, and to get the place as
signed us we had to crawl on our hands and
knees for the last two hundred feet When
finally got settled in place it was at the
base ofIa shade or fruit tree standing alone
in an open field. A ball or shell had struck
the trunk OF the tree and cut 1t in two. and
portion Of the top lay on the ground.
The Federal picket, as 1 presently sscer-
taired, was about fifty steps distant from
me and had the cover Of heap of rails. l
did not locate him until he fired upon me.
| do not think he knew Of my presence, but
rather mistrusted it and blazed away to
draw me out.
There were dead and wounded all ABOUT
the tree. had crept over two dead bodies,
and two wounded men had begged me for
water. and although the evening was very
dusky, could count at least ten bodies on
my side OF the tree. had come out with
a full canteen, knowing that the front was
covered with wounded. Close to me on
my righ: was Federal corporal belonging
to New York regiment. He told me at
the time the number OF his regiment, but /
made no note Of It, He was sAot in the
right leg, midway between the hip and the
knee. This happened two hours before
dark. and considerably nearer our lines,
and he managed to crawl twenty rods to
get to the shelter Of the tree. 1t was only
a flesh wound, and could he have been
taken into the lines that night he would
have been fit for duty within thirty days.
Some men would have almost walked off
with such hurt as that, but the poor fel-
low Sc ,med knocked all to pieces and had
quite lost his courage. l was holding the
canteen to his lips, having raised his head
and put hayersack under 1t, when the
Federal picket fired the shot The bullet
crashed into the head of the wounded man,
and with q sort Of quiver, he fell back
dead.
The incident upset me considerably, and,
being under orders not TO fire shot unless
the enemy were advancing. 1 hugced the
ground at the foot of the tree and remained
quiet. Two more shots were fired at me,
but they were aimed too high and went
over, had been on duty about an hour
when the pleadings of wounded man
about fifty feet to my left for water deter
mined me to succor him. He knew of nv
presence and talked directly to me, saying
that he was shot in both legs and had been
lying there seven or eight hours. left my
gun on the ground and started off on my
hands and knees. The corpse OF Federal
lay directly in my way, and l was Just
making a half circle around It when the
supposed dead man scrambled up, seized
his musket, which lay beside him, and
whirled on me with a sort OF scream.
You see, it all came so suddenly that was
confused. and when he came at me l was
still on my hands and knees and helpless.
He held the gun at ''charge bayoneta' and
made an awful lunge at me, The point of
the bayonet passed through the back of my
blouse, and the lunge pushed me over and
the steel went into the ground almost 70
the muEzle Of the gun. was thus pinned
to the earth, and the man let 60 OF the mus
ket and fell across me, uttering groan Of
pain as he came down.
Ny position was such that could not
free myself for two or three minutes, and
when did the man was dead for sure He
had probably been unconscious for long
time before the frenzy of death caused him
TO attack me in the singular manner he
did. So firmly was pinned to the earth
that had to "skin" out Of my blouse to
get free, and 1t took stout twist at the
butt Of the musket to pull the bayonet out
of tha ha ri haLad soII