The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-21
rHE STORY q AN EMPTY SLEEVE
How South eerolina's New Commit
teemah Lost His Arm.

i HOW South cerolina's New Commit
teemaa Lost His Arm.
wallace P. Fed in Atlanta Constitution.
II was at thebattle of Gaines mill.
Old soldiers rmember it as the most des-
perate haDd-tohand fight of the war.
The blazing June day was drawing to its
close when Loigstreet. grim and powder
claimed. but full of grit, called Col Haskell
If south Carolina to his side.
"Colonel, rid over and order Anderson's
men forward"
Almost befors the sentence was finished
the South Caroinian was speeding away in
hot haste.
When he reached the front he found the
line broken and the men scattered.
He took a s5and of colors in his hand.
rallied about 200 soldiers and advanced with
them to within hundred yards of the
euemy's breastworks.
a rain of shot and she'll flew about the
little band. Their leader felt a warm cur
rent of blood rickhng down his flag staff.
One of his fingers had been broken by a
fragment of bombl
still the colonel dashed forward. A shot
struck his horse and the animal fell on his
knees.
With a mighty effort the fearless rider
uulled the horse up and spurred him on
ward. The noble charger rushed wildly
into the midst of small group of federals
and fell dead, pinning the colonel's foot to
the ground
tain.
It took time for Haskell to free himself,
and the captain made dash at him to seize
the colors in the unldcky confederate's left
hand.
But the man in gray had a sword swung
TO his wrist by knot, and, grasping it, he
made furious lunges at the federal.
The captain retired a safe distance and
drew his pistol.
Bangl
The well-aimed bullet struck a star from
the collar of HaskelPs coat.
Bang, bang, hang!
The shots riddled the colonel's uniform,
and tore up the dirt.
Keeping up his hot fire, the federal made
several attempts to capture the colors.
Finally the colonel jerked himself free
from his horse and staggered to his feet.
Quick as lightning he struck his foeman
tremendous blow over the head, bringing
him to his kneesl
The federal captain was game to the back
bone. His men were out of hailing distance
but he would not surrender. He faced about
and leveled his pistol.
There was not a second to be lost. Has
kell Edarted forward, but his sword was
knocked aside by the pistol. He tried an
other deadly blow over the officers head,
but again the pistol warded it off,
But fencing match between a sword and
a pistol could not last forever At the first
opportunity Haskell ran his blade through
the captains body, and not until he drew it
dripping from the quivering flesh did he
feel that he WINS saved.
Then the confederate ran at the top of
his speed over to-the left, where he found
his men in front Of twenty-four gun bat
terry that was moving them down.
Waving his colors, he rallied his soldiers,
and led them forward with Hoods brigade.
The hot breath of the cannon scorched
his cheeks. He was blinded and deafened by
the thunderous roar of the big guns.
Crash after crash came from the flaming
guns. and the blizzard of lead and iron made
the long line Of gray waver, melt and dis
appear.
Still, In the midst of that sulphurous and
suffocating smoke one solitary figure toiled
onward TO the breastworks. His uniform
was black with burnt powder, and his hair
and eye rows had been singed in his bap-
tism of fire.
Almost at the very mouth of a cannon he
fell-still grasping his precious colors-his
right arm shattered into shreds.
1t was nearly night when Gen. Whiting
rode along and recognized the unconscious
hero.
The wounded veteran wasat once sent to
the field hospital, and day or two later his
arm was amputated.
When Col. Haskell took the lamented
Editor Dawson's place on the national
democratic executive committee in New
York, last week, many strangers wondered
how and where he had lost his arm.
The story of the empty sleeve excited
their admiration. and the plucky confederate
found himself among friends.