The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-10-08

swarming >ac oss the Crews farm to
rea oh us on Malvern Hill, we knew
that they were coming to death
and defeat. We had been driven
back from the Chickahominy step by
step and day by day, fighting fierce
battles at every rail- ing point, but
this was the end. Malvern Hill,
crowned with troops and briSthng
with cannon, was impregnable. /
was posted on the point looking
towards the Crews house in the dry
bed Of a creek. 1t was capital rifle
pit, and we were packed III there SO
thick that we scarcely had elbow
room. AS the legions in gray at
tackled, our rapid fire, assisted by the
batteries aboveus, was enough to
demoralize the lines without the
infantry, higher up, firing gun.
Magruder must have been insane
that afternoon TO send his men to
their death a.ross that open as he
did. We could see them come out
of the forest in splendid formation,
and as they gothic order to advance
their step was like clock work.
There was q meadow with hardly a
stump in it stretching away before
us for half amile, and the confeder-
ates hadn't the slightest cover.
Being 50 low down, we could see I'M
der 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 mus
ket and prayed God that the re-
bells would go back and thus put an
end to the horrible work. Then,
when they pushed on and got with
in range, there was flame all along
our mile front-fame after flame
and not rebel goa within stcne's
throw.
The last charge, made just at twi
light, was the most desperate of all.
The lines started with a yell and char
ged on the run, and though hundreds
went down other hundreds kept on.
We shattered and scorched and
witherei them with our musketrv
fire, and finally heard them sound
"retreat." We sprang up, gave
them a last volley, and then dashed
forward few rods with the bayone,.
Ont of the smoke and darkness sud
denly appeared a figure on my front.
There was blaze. and the man On
my right went down, shot in the
shoulder. There was Whiz-z-z and
the butt of a muSket just cleared
my head and knocked the man OF my
left fiat TO the earth. had my mus
ket at a charge when a voice called
out : Hold on, l surrender !"
| went forward and took hold Of
him, and who or villa. do you suppose
he was? A boy not yet Is years
old and as paletaced and gentle
spoken as girl. Morethan that, he
was wounded in the side, in the
leg and in the head. Wehad them
driven back to stay, and our boys
were cheering and yelling, aud took
the boy on my back and carried him
beyond the creek and into our line.
He mus have been suffering pain
fully with his wounds, but he never
uttered groan. hearel two or
three blankets together and made
him bed, but could get no one
10 do Tor him. Their. 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
under cover OF the gunboats. As
my brigade was nearest to the rebels
we were the last TO move, and ii
was long after midnight before we
got the word.
Meanwhile had inspecte the
boys wounds and sootbed him as
best | could. II was plain that he
was fatally hit, and when he realized
this he said,
"l-l don't care for myself, but
mother poor old mother! And
sister Maryland little Jim-it will
break their hearts"
Bye and bye he fell into sort OF
stupor that lasted for a quarter of an
hour. Then he reused himself and
exclaimed:
" 1t was glorious charge! We
knew that we were going to death,
but never man hung back-ncver
asmaD lost the step! Were they
driven back 2"
eyes"
But we reached your lines ?"
Yes, few"
And was one?"
" Yes, poor boy. Never a one
came nearer thanyou."
That's grand They said
would he afraid, but l wasn't.
didn't feel it when / was hit. W.
were. on the double-quick. / was
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