San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-02
A SHOT AND A THRUST.
Experience of a Confederate Picket-The
Frenzy OF Death.

s~S - ~
When we came to throw out pickets
in front OF our lines on the night after
dealing the Federal army the bad blow
at second Manassas, we were right among
the dead and wounded. We had won a
victory, and the bulk of the Federal
army was making for the Potomac, but
there was a rear guard which fought
sulenly and with thirst of vengeance,
and along the front OF my division the
blue coats were aler: and ready for any
night attack. 1t was about o'clock in
the evening when my company was
pushed out and to get the place assigned
us we had to crawl on our hands and
knees for the last 200 feet. When l
finally got settled in place it was at the
base OF a shade or fruit tree standing
alone in an open field. A ball or shell
had struck the trunk OF the tree and cut
it in two, and portion of the top lay on
the ground. The Federal picket, as
presently ascertained, was about fifty
steps distant from me and had the cover
of heap of rails. did not locate him
until he fired upon me. I 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. 1 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. l had come out with full can
teen, knowing that the front was covered
with wounded. Close to me on my right
was a 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 shot 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 al
most walked off with such hurt as that,
but the poor fellow seemed knocked all
to pieces and had quite lost his courage
| was holding the canteen to his lips,
having raised his head and put haver
sack under it, when the Federal picket
fired the shot. The bullet crashed into
the head OF the wounded man, and with
a 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, l
Rugged the ground at the foot OF the tree
and renamed 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 determined me to suCcor
him. He knew of my presence and
talked directly to me, saying that he was
shot in both legs AMI 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
Law directly in my way, and | was just
making 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 l
was confused, and when he came at me
l was still on my hands and knees and
helpless. He held the gun at charge
bayonets" 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 to the muzzle OF
the gun. was thus pinned to the earth,
and the man let go of the musket and
fell across me, uttering groan OF pain as
he came down.
My position was such that I could not
free myself for two or three minutes, and
when l did the man was dead for sure.
He had probably been unconscious for a
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 it took stout
twist at the butt OF the musket to pull
the bayonet out OF the hard baked soil.