Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-02-20
WANTtn 10 snsi1 lin.
lie Was Fall VI Rebel Les< and Therefore
Valuable.

Among the few Chicago veterans
who ~taid away from the Milwaukee
encampmeut is one whose preSeu ee
will be sadly missed. To he sure the
graphic recital there of his battlefield
exploits would dim the luster of the
less fortunate vets. But they wouldn't
care for that. The thrills of quietly
listening to The man who saved the
union himself would be self-denial well
rewarded.
This cid soldier is we'll known in
certain circles, but that innate modesty
characteristic of the old vet prompts
him to withhold his name He doesn't
court notoriety aud his wish shall be
respected Unlike the average war
man he doesn't voluntarily come out
and tell what ne knows. He has to be
coaxed and then he only speaks with
the greatest reluctance.
To begin with. each recurring date
Of every battle, skirmish, or accidental
discharge of firearms during the war
is the anniversary of the day on which
he was shot either through the head
or body. In this way he has saved the
lives of thousands of soldiers who
otherwise had been killed The bust
ness of his life in those stirring times
was stopping bullets intended for other
people, and he got no thanks for it,
either. With sublime disregard for
his personal safety he was always in
the front rank making a breastworks
Of himself. When not engaged in ac-
tual battle he was always hustling
along several miles in advance Of the
army looking for lead intended for his
comrades. His body is so Scared and
glazed with sears that it is utterly i'm
possible for him to induce perspiration
even in the hottest weather.
''See these bow-legs?' he said when
he reached this point in his narrative.
"Got that way from carrying rebel
lead. | had caught the bulk of the
bullets fired by the confederacy, and
long toward the close of the war | was
"A walking lead-mine. The enemy had
nearly exhausted their ammunition, and
as | was known 10 have the most Of it
| became valuable. In fact jeff Davis
finally offered a reward of $1,000 for
my capture, dead or alive
what did he want with you?n ask
ed a man who had never been in the
war.
Boil me down and get the lead out
of my system. Used as | was to scenes
OF carnage and war the thought of be-
ing run through q smeltor and nodded
into bullets took the patriotism out of
me for little while. had no partic-
ular use for the lead myself, still |
didn't want to part with it under those
circumstances.
Did they capture you?n
Yes. 1t wasn't a week before the
fighting spirit got into ms again and |
went out on the skirmish line One
day | was about seven miles ahead of
the army looking FOR Johnnies when
squad OF rebel cavalry surrounded me.
They wasn't sure it was me, but the
fact that / was so far ahead of the army
and the sears on my person, along with
my warlike appearance, led them to
think that | was the right man. So
they attacked me, but / pulled my
saber and split two men with it and
was making for a third before | was
conquered. Then they started for the
rebel lines.
"On the way TO camp they stopped
on a high blum overlooking the Ten
nessee river and won't eff on raid,
leaving me i'm charge of one soldier and
dog Before leaving they headed me
up in barrel and left it standing near
the edge of the bluff BY and by the
rebel on guard went TO sleep and |
thought of "a plan of escape. Sticking
my hand out through the bung-hole of
the barrel | WhiStIrd softly to the doc