The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-27
TO- A HERO DIED.
The Young Soldier Who, Lying at Deaths Door
Upon the Battle. Field, Fulfilled His Vow.

Col. Henry Jordan retains clearly many
recollections of his army experience, and
no one is more entertaining in telling
them. 1t is the out-of-the-way incident
that gives his stories q zest; the incident
tina would be forgotten and crowded out
of the record by those of greater historical
Importance. "Soon after Wilder's Brigade
said the Colonel to a reporter, recently,
had been armed with that implement of
destruction, the Spencer repeating rifle, the
rebel women whom we CHANGED to meet
along the line of our expeditions told us
that John Morgan had determined to arm
his forces with repeating rifles captured
from Wilder's Brigade. This taupt had its
desired effect. 1t enraged our men, and
consequently delighted our fair tormenters.
But it had another effect, unforeseen by
General Morgan and his female allies. 1t
made our men solemnly resolve never, IN
der any circumstances, to surrender a gun
to the rebel forces. There was no fear that
the brigade. while in its organized condi-
any other rebel commander. Nor had we
the slightest fear hat any regiment of the
brigade would lay down its arms TO any
force. however powerful it might be-. Our
rifles. borne by brave and r~esoiute men,
COuIQ upon . Ndy ~ uS uClON we CHOSE
to GO; forward through rebel line of battle,
or backward through lines thrown into our
rear to cut of retreat. Capture under such
circumstances was not to be thought of. for
1T was impossible.
"But there was a danger against which
provision had to be made. Often after a
line of march had been agreed Upon and
point of destination fixed, the organization
of the brigade was temporarily broken up,
and the men sent in small squads to sweep
tho en1nfrv for mvlac m hnfh oIhao ~ ~
road. Often our line, moving towards our
point of destination. would be ten miles
long. sometimes even longer. Such a line
could not be maintained unless the men
were widely separated, and wide separation
made easy communication and rapid con-
centratiOn impossible. Capture Of single
men or small d-etachments was not only
possible, but quite probable, and it was
against this danger that provision had to
event of capture, and thus defeat Morgan's
design, was the problem that confronted
officers and men alike. The latter. grouped
around their camp-fires at night, discussed
the matter with great earnestness, but
Finally it was suggested r ole of the men
that. as their guns would AVE TO be given
up in the event of capture, all that could
be done would be to destroy their eff
before surrendering them. Investiga.
ton disclosed the fact that by re-
moving a single screw the whole
loading apparatus could be removed in a
sin gle piece, and, this piece thrown away,
there would remain nothing but the stock
and barrel of the u to be surrendered. In
such a plight the rifle would be reduced to
the condition of a club. and no more effect
i've. This discovery made, the men gave,
Zach to the others, a solemn VOW that. in
the event of capture. the. effectiveness of
their rifles should be thus destroyed.
"Wilder led the advance of the Army of
the Cumberland. and sweeping through
Hoovcr's gap with his horsemen. carr ing
everything before him. stood at bay az the
further end. lie held it against over
whelming numbers until the infantry.
which he had left far in the rear. came TO
his support. Standing in the ranks of the
seventeenth Indiana that day was a Young
soldier. beloved by all his comrades for his
intelligence, manliness and splendid cour-
age. 4 mere child. with a womanly ex-
preston upon his face, one could
only regret that the wal should have
dragged him away from his home to