Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-24
OUR Lille REBEL
a Story of the War Which is as Realistic
1t is Touching.

a Story of the War Which Is as Realistic
as 1t is Touching.
When the COnfederates came swarm
ing across the Crews farm to reach US
on Malvern Hill, we knew that they
were coming 10 death and defeat. We
had been driven back from the Chicka-
mahominy step by step 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 the point looking toward the
Crews house in the dry bed of creek.
1t was capital ri1e-pit, and we were
packed in there 80 thick that we scarce
Y nd elbow room. As the legions in
gray attacked. our rapid fire. assisted
by the batteries above US, was enough
TO demOralize the lines without the in
fantry. higher up, firing gun.
Magruder must have been insane that
afternoon to send his men to their death
across that open rs he did. We could
see them come out of the forest in
splend formation, and as they got the
order to advance their step was like
clock work. There was a meadow with
hardly stump in it stretching away
before Us for half mile, and the Con-
federates hadn't the slightest cover.
Being so low down, we could see under
the smoke, and it was enough to make
your flesh creep to see the havoc
worked by our shell before the lines got
within musket 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-Hame after
flame-and not a rebel got within
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
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
a figure on my front. There was
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 fiat to the earth. l had
my musket at charge when voice
called out:
Hold on, l surrenderm
Invent forward and took hold of him.
and who or what do you suppose he
was? A boy not yet fifteen years old
and as pale-faced and 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 l took the boy on my back and car
ried him beyond the creek into our
lines. He must have been suffering
painfully with his wounds. but he never
uttered a groan. l 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:
IL 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 a glorious charge! We knew
that we were going to death. but never
man hung back-never a man lost
the step! Were they driven back?"
Yes"
''But we reached your lines?'
Yes, few"
"And l was one?"
Yes, poor boy. Never one came
nearer than you"
That's grand! They said would
be afraid. but wasn't. l didn't feel it
when l was hit We were on the
double-quick. l 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
Georgia farm house, l found his
mother, old and bent and gray, and lit
tie Jim. row grown to manhood, and
sister Mary. now a woman. wife and
mother. They knew he fell at Malvern
Hill, but he had been buried among the
unknown, and how he died they knew
not -Detroit Free Press.