Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-10-18
OUR LITTLE REBEL.
A story OF tho War which Is as Roaiist
na II Ia Touching.

A Story OF tho War which IL as Realistic
ns II Ia Touching.
When tho Confederates came swarm
ing across tho Crows farm to reach us
on Malvern Hill, we knew that they
were coming 10 death and defeat. We
had been driven back from tho Chicka-
mahominy step by stop and day by day,
fighting fierce battles at every rallying
point, but this was the end. Malvern
Hill, crowned with troops and bristling
with cannon, was impregnable. l was
posted on tho point looking toward tho
Crows house in the dry bed OF II creek.
1t was n capital riflc-pit, and We were
packed in thoro so thick that we scarce
ly had elbow room. AS the legions in
gray attacked, our rapid fire, assisted
by the batteries above us, was enough
to demoralize tho lines without the in
fantry, higher up. firing n gun.
Magrudcr must have been insane that
afternoon to send his men to their death
across that open MS he did. We could
see them como out OF tho forest in
splendid formation, and ms they got the
order to advance their step was like
clock work. There was meadow with
hardly stump in it stretching away
before us for half II mile, and the Con-
foderates hadn't the slightest cover.
Being so low down, we could see under
tho smoke, and IL was enough TO make
your flesh creep to see the havoc
worked by our she'll before tho lines got
within muskot range. The man on my
left laid down his musket and prayed
God that the rebels would go back and
thus put an end TO the horrible work.
Then, when they pushed on and got
within range, there was flame all
along our mile front-aame after
flame-and not rebel got within
stones throw.
The last charge, made just at twi-
light, was the most desperate of all.
The lines started with n yell and
charged on the run, and though hun
dreds went down other hundreds kept
on. We shattered and scorched and
withered them with our musketry fire,
and l finally heard them sound re-
treat" We sprang up, gave them a
last volley, and then dashed forward a
few rods with the bayonet Out OF the
smoke and darkness suddenly appeared
n figure on my front. There was n
blaze, and the man on my right went
down, shot in the shoulder There was
a whiz-z-z! and the butt OF a musket
just cleared my head and knocked the
man on my left flat to the earth. l had
my musket ut charge when voice
called out:
Hold on, surrenderm
went forward and took hold Of him,
and who or what do you suppose he
was? A boy not yet fifteen years old
and us pale-faced and gentle-spoken as
n girl More than that, he was wounded
in the side in the leg and in the head.
We had them driven back to stay, and
our boys were cheering and yelling,
and took the boy on my back and car
lines. He must have been suffering
painfully with his wounds. but he never
uttered n groan. ! heaped two or three
blankets together and made him bed,
but ! could get no one to do for him.
There were dead and wounded men al
most without number around us, and
that last desperate charge had hardly
been driven back before Mcclellan
issued his orders to fall back to the
river under cover of the gunboats. As
my brigade was nearest to the rebels
we were the last to move, and it was
long after midnight before we got the
word.
Meanwhile had inspected the boys
wounds and soothed him as best could.
1t was plain that he was fatally hit, and
when he realized this he said:
"I-I don't care for myself but
mother-poor old mother! And sister
Maryland little Jim-it will break
their hearts"
BY and by he fell into sort OF STU
por that lasted for quarter OF an hour.
Then he reused himself and exclaimed:
1T was glorious charge! We knew
that VIC were going to death. but never
man hung back-nover man lost
the step! We're they driven back?"
Yes"
but We reached your lines?'
"Yes. few."
And l was onep"
YES, poor boy. Never one came
nearer than you"
That's grand! They said would
be afraid. but wasn't. didn't feel it
when l was hit. We were on the
doublc-quick was cheering. Hur-
rah! Hurrah!"
Half an hour later he was dead.
There were three OF us bending over
him when he suddenly sat up, waved
his arm and sought to cheer again,
but the blood choked him and he fell
back dead.
Twenty long years after, one day in
a Georgia farm house, | found his
mother old and bent and gray, and lit
tie Jim. now grown to manhood, and
sister Mary, now woman. wife and
mother They knew he fell at Malvern
l,.N l., 4 IA.