Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-12-07
THE LITTLE CONFEDERATE.
The Heroic Charge and Death of a 49,
Year-Cld SnlAier.


Tear-Cld Soldier.
When Confederates came swarming
across the Grew farm TO meet us on
Malvern Hill, we knew they were
coming to death and defeat. We had
been driven back from the Chicla-
hominy, step by step and day by day,
fighting fierce battles at every rally
ing point, but this was the end. Nal
vern Hill, crowded with troops and
bristling with cannon, was mpregna-
bic. was posted On the point looking
toward the Crew house in the dry
bed of a creek. 1t was capital rifle
pit, and we were packed in there SO
thick that we scarcely had elbow
room. AS the legions i'll gray attacked,
our rapid fire, assisted by the batteries
above us, was enough to demoralize
the lines without the infantry, higher
up, firing gun.
Magrudcr must have been insane
that afternoon TO send his men to
their death across that open as he did,
We could see them come out of the
forest in splendid formation, and as
they got the order to advance their
step was like clock work There was
meadow with hardly stump IN II
stretching away before us for half
mile. and the Coufedcrates hadn't the
slightest cover Being so low down
We could see under the smoke, and 1t
was enough to make our flesh creep to
SEQ the havoc worked by our shells be-
fore the lines got within gun range
The man on my left laid down his
muslet and prayed God that the Con
federates would go back and thus put
an end to the horrible work, Then,
when they pushed on and got within
range, there was fame all along our
mile front-Game after flame-and
not Confederate got within a stones
throw.
The last charge, made just at twi
light, was the most desperate OF all:
The lines started with a yell and
charged on the run, and though hun
drcdS went down other hundreds kept
on. We shattered and scorched and
withercd them with our musletry fire,
and finally heard them sound re
treat" We sprang up, gave them
last voiley, and then dashed forward
few rods with the bayOnct. Out OF
the smoke and darkness suddenly APP
pearcd a figure on my front There
was a blaze, and a man on my right
went down, shot III the shoulder.
There was a whiz-z-z! and the butt of
a muslet just cleared my head and
knocked the man on my LEFT Hat 10 the
earth. had my muskot at q charge
when a voice called out:
sHOld on | surrender"
| went forward and took hold OF
him, and who or what do you suppose
he was2 4 boy not yet 10 years old
and as pale faced and as gentle spoken
as a 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 upon
my back and carried him beyond the
creek into our lines. He must have
been suffering painfully from his
wounds, but he never uttered groan.
I heaped two or three blankets to-
gether and made him a bed, but !
could get no one to do for him. There
were dead and wounded men almost
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 un-
der cover of the gunb0ats. As my
brigade was nearest to theS Confcdcr
ates we were the last to m6&e, and it
was long after midnight before we got
the word.
Meanwhile had inspected the boys
wounds and soothed him as best /
could. II was plain that he was fatal y
hurt, and when he realized this he said :
Il don't care for myself, but mo
ther-poor old motherl And sister
Maryland little Jim-it will break
their hearts"
By and by he fell into sort Of a
stupor which lasted for a quarter OF
an hour. Then he reused himself and
exclaimed:
1T was a glorious charge! We
knew that we were going to death,
but never a,man hung baci-never q
man lost the step Were they driven
back"
Yes"
But we reached your lines1"
YES; few"
"And l was one?'
YES; poor boy. Never one came
nearer than you.
That's grandl They said l would
be afraid, but l wasn't. didn't fee
it when l was hit. We were on the
double quick. was cheering. Hur'
rahl Hurrahl'
Half an hour later he was dead
There were three of us bending ovel
him when he suddenly sat up, waved
his arm and sought to cheer, but the
blood choked him and he fell bacl
dead.
Twenty long years after, in a Geor
gia farm house, found his mother
Old and bent and gray, and little Jim
now grown to manhood, and siste
Marv, now n woman, wife and mo
thcr They knew he fell at Malvern
Hill, but lie had been buried anon!
the unknown, and how he died the!
knew not.-Detroit Free Press.