The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-09-10
SOMEBODY'S BOY,

As we were falling back upon NAL
vern Hill. in the peninsular campaign,
the rear guard fighting back the Con-
federate advance, our brigade was
wheeled to the left and another to the
right to cover the narrow highway and
give the wounded and the stragglers
an opportunity to close up. Across
the fields, which were broken and
wooded, advanced the enemy's
skirmishers. followed by double line
of battle. We checked them with a
volley, but they reformed and charged
with a cheer. 1 could see their faces
very plainly under the smoke, and as
they rushed forward noticed that the
man directly in front of me was not a
man, but STRIPPING of a boy. He
didn't look to be more than Is years
old, and his face was white and scared.
had dead rest with my musket, and
Had he been a man / should have
my eyes shut. When I saw that it was
boy I couldn't fire upon him. 1
covered him once, but his scared face
turned my gun away.
We let them come charging up until
some of the more impetuous were al
most over US, and then there was an
awful crash of musketry-a great
billow of f1ame-a thousand cries and
curses. The flame of death had licked
up their lines. was looking for the
boy as the smoke lifted. He stood,
musket in hand, looking about him as
if paralyzed. Every man had gone
down for ten feet either side of him.
As our cheers burst forth the boy faced
about with the remnant of the line and
retreated to cover. rejoiced over his
escape and 1 hoped that if another
charge was made he would not be with
them.
Half an hour passed and now we
were the rear guard brigade hold
ing the narrow road. We saw the
enemy massing for another charge.
and again we made ready to receive
them. As they came forward / saw
the same white-faced boy, this time
little to the left of me. Don't shoot
that boy!' l called to the men beyond
me.
The third man on the left was in line
with the boy. He looked at me with
sardonic smile and then he rested his
musket and covered the boy to kill him
when the word came to fire. An
enemy was an enemy to him whether
man or boy. He was there to kill.
held my breath as the double line
again advanced. A little closer and
they fired volley and then charged.
They sought our death. they were fol-
lowing us to destroy, they had no
mercy; and yet, as l fired into the
smoke, knowing that my bullet must
find a human target, l was consoled
by the reflection that / was not shoot
ing at the boy-at Somebody's Boy. If
he was killed it would be by the man
on my left, and he must answer for it.
The enemy could not bulge US.
They couldn't touch our fanks, and
charge in front was simply slaughter,
Our volleys broke their lines-deci-
mated them-threw them into con-
fusion-and they were breasted back
again. sprang to my feet and looked
for the boy. The powder smoke
swirled about-dove down-lifted up
-foated away among the tree tops,
and my heart bounded as l saw Some
body's Boy again. He stood with two
comrades-the remnant. perhaps, of
his whole company. just as / got a
glimpse of him the three turned to obey
the call to retreat, and swung my
cap and cheerci. Our whole line was
cheering-the others because they had
again repulsed the enemy-I because
Somebody's Boy had again escaped.
And when looked along our line to
the left, wondering how the man with
the grim face and murderious heart had
missed his target, saw him lying dead
on the ground-stone dead. A bullet
had struck him fair in the forehead
| Detroit Free Press.