Connecticut western news., 1889-10-16
Our Little Rebel.

 had been driven back from the Chicka- hominy 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 bris- ting with cannon, was impregnable. I was posted on the point looking towards the Crews house in the dry bed of a creek. It was capital rifle pit, and we were packed in there so thick that we scarcely had 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 infantry, higher up, firing gun.
 Magruder 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 a meadow with hardly a stump ill it stretching away before Us for half mile, and the Confederates hadn't the slightest cover. Being so low down, we could see un- 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 musket and prayed God that the rebels would go back, and thus put an end to the hor- rible work. Then, when they pushed on and got within range, there was flame all along our mile front-fame after fame-and not rebel got within stone's 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 finally heard them sound Gre treat" We sprang up, gave them a last volley, and then dashed forward Q few rods with the bayonet. Out of the smoke and darkness suddenly ap- peared 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 flat to the earth. I had my musket at charge when a voice called out:
 "Hold on, I surrender!''
 I went forward and took hold of him, and who or what do you suppose he was? A boy not yet l5 years old and as pale-faced and gentle-spokcn as a girl. More than that. he was wounded ill the side, in the leg and in the head. We had them driven back to stay, and our boys were cheering and yelling, and I took the boy on my back and carried him beyond the creek and into our lines. He must have been suffering painfully with his wounds, but he never uttered groan. Iheaped two or three blankets together and made him 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. under cover of the gunboats. As my brigade was nearest to the rebels we were the last to move, and it was long after mid. night before we got the word.
 Meanwhile had inspected the boys wounds and soothed him as best ] could. It was plain that he was fa- tally hit, and when he realized this he said: -s
 "I-I don't care for myself, but mother-poor old mother! And sister Mary-and little Jim-it will break , their hearts," i. Bye and bye he fell into sort of stupor that lasted for quarter of an hour. Then he reused himself and exclaimed:
 ''It was glorious charge! We } knew that we were going to death but never man hung back-never $ , man lost the step! Were they driver , back?" "Yes."
 t "But we reached your lines?" , "Yes, a few"
 } "And was one?"
 } "Yes, poor boy. Never one came 5 nearer than you."
 3 "That's grand! They said I woulc 3 be afraid, but wasn't. I didn't fee it when 1 was hit. We were on the : double-quick. was cheering. Hur 3 rah! eHurrah!"
 l Half an hour later he was dead
 There were three of us bending ove3
 him when he suddenly sat up, wavet
 his arm and sought to cheer again, bu
 the blood choked him and he fell bacl dead.
 Twenty long years after, one day il
 a Georgia farm house, I found hi : mother, old and bent and gray, ant
 little Jim, now grown to manhood and sister Mary, now a woman, wifi