The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-10-31
HEROIC DEEDS.
Old Soldiers Recount Acts of Bravery In
War Times.
atlanta Constitution.

Have you ever thought Of asking al
old soldier "what was the bravest thing
you ever aaw done during the war 2"
That is just what the Constitution asked
number of old soldiers on yesterday
And here is the resul;, and very pretty
collection ofgallant things it is, too!
GOVERNOR GORDON was asked th'
most conspicuous example Of bravery h'
ever saw on the other side.
"The finest exhibition of courage
ever saw on that side," said he, "wa
at sharpsburg. 1t was the major WHIT
led their men against us. They hat
three or four lines, and he brought then
up against US three or four times. W.
broke them as they came up, end wher
a line was broken he would put frest
line in front of the broken one and bring
them up again. In this way he brough
them up until they were all broken
Then he tried to lead them up again but
they would not come. I had told my
men to hold their fibre and could se'
him gesticulatiug and urging his mer
on, but to no purpose. Finally he walk
ed out about third of the way, stucE
his sword in the ground and stood il
front Of us with his arms folded, noN
and then looking over his shoulder at hiI
men as if to say, "I am going to staut
here till 1 die or bring you up" ane
they did come at last about two.third
of the way. Itried hard to find out WHIT
be was, but I was knocked senseles'
about that time and never saw hin
again. The men eaid the last thing
said before fell was, "No don't hur
that man."
snow give us one on our side" sale
the interviewer.
"I could give you 8 thousand thai
would make your hair stand on end,'
said the Governor, "but I cannot give
you one: it would do Injustice to ter
thousand"
CAPTAIN W. b. HARRISON, who was
on Gordon's staff in the army, tells,the
following:
"It was at Harper's Ferry, short time
before the surrender, and my company
had been out all night on picket. Just
at daybreak, when we began to see where
We we're, man, named Miles Thornton.
looked over his head and saw pear tree
full of ripe pears.
Captain, let me go up and get some
o. them pears said he.
II told him to go ahead, if be wanted
to, but he might get shot.
"Oh no, I WON'T" he said, and began
climbing the tree. A yankee gunner OF
the other side of the river saw him, and
just as he reached out his hand for
pear shell went through the top OF the
tree about six feet over his head.
"Lock out, Thornton,". said /, "don't
you see the yankees are shooting at you
They'll get your range in a minute, and
the next shell will knock You out O
there"
"Oh, no, cap'n," said he, ~ won'
get hit, just let me climb up where tha
shell went through" and the fellow
climbed up and plucked a pear from the
very spot where the she'll had gone
through
"That man was shot through the lef
leg soon afterward. It was badly bro
ken, but he got two muskets for crutch
es, aud was hobling of the, field wher
another ball struck his left elbow ant
broke his forearm all to splinters, so tba
it had to be amputated near the shoul
der. He was captured and taken t,
Baltimore, and in less than montl
from the time he was shot he had whit
tied out a wooden leg, which he used 70
years. he sat up in bed, and with hi
one hand and the stump of the othe
arm managed to draw the piece of WOO
down with his pocket knife until it wa
in the shape of a wooden leg, with a Ion
piece that came up to his hip, and wa
held in place by leather strap. Tha
man was tax receiver of my country fo
several years, and died since the war"
JUDGE W. L. CALHOUN: cat Vickt
burg our men were all heroes. The
had been through. a severe campaign
and every man who lacked grit had falle
off by the wayside long before the sieg'
I saw one example of desperate courage
A half dozen men were out in the trench
es in front of our works, and q party {
twenty of the enemy made rush
capture them. They surrounded an
captured them, but there was one ma
who would not surrender. With do;
en- guns pointed at him he de6ed then
and shot their lieutenant dead. Tt
next moment his body was riddled wit
bullets, and the yankees buried him an
puta stone to mark the spot where
brave man died.
"I saw another instance of dare dev
daring which had ludicrous en'
When the enemy had just como up tbs
brought out little rife piece and bega
out little rifle piece and be6an shoe
ing at our works. Lieutenant B.
Walker got up and danced on the par
pet, making all sorts of gestures at Il
gunners who were throwing shells ov
his head. I saw that they were gettir
down nearer to his range and told hi
they would take him off in few minut
if he did net get down. No, they car
hit me- be said, and as he could see Il
flash of the cannon be dropped dow
every time and escaped the shells. II
first thing 1 knew Walker came tumbli1
1ou,, ,,;th +ba ryho1o top nf tho moron