Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-06-14
About Getting Captured.
BY JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.

l. w w. ~ k1A4NouC AL du 1i1ltShOly iCNA-
ment, and we We're sharply engaged at
the battle of Hatcher's Run, in Octo-
Der, 1864. If you ask me on what part
Of the field we fought, my answer
would have to be that I hadn't the
least idea. Pretty much all I can re-
member about what went beforesmy
capture is that there was good deal
of fighting and quite number killed
and wounded near me. But when our
lne-or that part OF it that could see
fell back, there we're only dead men
left on the ground Only dead men
and myself; the wounded had got to
the rear some way. Even those who
were badly hurt had got off. I see
now that l never should have remained
there; and if the thing were to be done
again-as, thank heaven, it never will
be!-you may be certain that would
find some way to retreat. Why I did
not, is the most of the story of what led
to my being taken prisoner.
AS to why our line fell back, you will
have to find out from some of the war
histories. I couldn't see any occasion
for it, though there may easily have
been reasons for it that did not appear
to me. We did not seem to me to be
hard pressed, though we were losing
mem all the time; but, as + learned af-
tervhrd from what saw of the ground
in fbnt Of us when taken over it, the
enemy was losing, too.
Bit the order was given, and we re-
treated; all but me. I started with
the others, when a strange accident
prevented me. We were going through
quite 3 stretch of woods, and got my
foot wedged between an exposed root
and the ground. In my efforts to get
it out, pulling and twisting it, the
ankle got turned so that [ could not
stand on the foot or bear it on the
ground. It was dreadfully painful,
too. Some Of my comrades looked
back, missing me from the ranks, and
one of them called out, asking what
| the matter was. replied that it was
nothing; that I had hurt my
foot little, but would "catch up"
right off. OF course, had I called for
help, there would have beeu no lack of
it, and my mistake was to take it for
granted that [ could get off alone. It
| was mistake that cost me four months
| in Libby Prison.
| The pain increased, and so long did
| sit there on the ground, holding my
| ankle, that every soldier in blue had
! disappeared before made an effort to
| get up. I sat down again, grooming.
| / was no more able to stand up than 1
was to fly. Long afterward, when tell
ing this experience, comrades said to
me: We'll, you must have expected
what was coming; and couldn't you en-
dure the pain Of moving long enough to
get so far to the rear that you would
be safe?" I can only say that 1 did, Of
course, expect what was coming; but
that if there had been reason to believe
that death threatened me, instead Of
capture, I could not have moved rod
from where I was. The pain was so
intense that could not bear the idea
of voluntary motion. A desperate ef-
fort might have saved me; but was no
more capable of making the necessary
effort than as though a mimic bullet
had gone through my body.
It is not easy to measure time IN
such a situation; but it must have
been half an hour at least that sat
there before / saw living creature.
Then I began to catch glimpses OF sol
diers in gray moving about in the
woods. It was Confederate skirmlsh-
line, advancing very cautiously, evil
IDENTIFY expecting to be fired on. saw
that they were dispersed all through
the woods, moving in such way as to
keep sheltered by the trees as much as
possible. AS they advanced, one OF
them discovered me at the distance OF
perhaps two rods, and promptly COW
cred me with his musket.
"Hold!" said Don't fire; am
hurt, and couldn't get off.
He was suspicious Of some Yankee
trick" and came up with his gun ready
for instant use. l told him my story
in few words, laying particular
stress upon the fact that l could not
walk step or even stand upright.
He shouted to sergeant, VINO also
came and examined me. BY this time
my ankle was considerably swollen,
and I had no difficulty in making the
sergeant believe the truth OK my
! story,