The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-06
JOHN BURNS. OF GETTYSBURG.

The Old Hero Who Wanted to Fight for
His Country.
One of the quaint heroes of the civil war
was John Burns, of Gettysburg. Burns
wanted to enlist in 81, but he was rejected
for old age; then he became wagner in
the Army of the Potomac. On the morn
ing of July /, 1868. he took up his gun and
tramped across the meadows to meet the
troops. bound to fight whether or not. The
members of the One Hundred and Fiftieth
Pennsylvania regiment were the first SOL
diers to see the venerable figure come upon
the field of battle.
With his long brown rifle and bellcrown hat
And the swallow tails they were laughing A.
I hey looked the oddly dressed civilian
ov curiously. but their ranks were full,
they said, and when he iterated his desire
to fight they pointed to the left where the
Seventh Wisconsin. a portion of the ia
NOUS "lron Brigade" was preparing for
warm work. "Over there" they said to
him. "you can get all the fighting you
want"
Realizing after some delay that he had
better go further. the white-haired fighter
hurried across the intervening space and
accosted Col. John Is. Calls. Col. Calls
relates that while viewing the operations of
the skirmish lines he heard some one ask
for permission to fight. Upon looking
around he beheld as grotesque an object
as ever walked field of blood and carnage.
Gray hairs and wrinkled face were capped
with bell-crowned hat of antique design;
and blue swallow-taiied coat was worn as
shiny as the big brass buttons that held it
tightly about the person of John Burns.
Grasping firmly his rusty rifle, the old man
presented arms to the officer. Colonel"
said he, "can fight in your regiment?"
'.Old man, you had better go to the rear.
People are liable to get hurt around here
I he roar of cannonading and the scream
ing of shot and shell gave emphasis to the
words of Col. Calls.
That's no difference" unfinchlngly
replied old swallow-tails. 1--WE heard the
whistle of bullets before and if You won't
allow me to fight in your regiment I'll fight
by myself"
How can you fight, old man? Where is
your cartridge box?"
'Oh, Eve got the bullets" said he, draw
ing handful of them from his trousel 5
pocket. "And I've got the powder, too" he
added, bringing forth from his swallow
tails powder horn. the venerable appear
ance of which indicated that it may have
been the veritable one that the veteran
carried when only Is years old while march
ing to Baltimore in the war of 1872, more
than half a century before.
The soldier from the Badger state could
not resist an appeal like this. silver
mounted rifle, just captured from Archer's
rebel sharpshooters, was given the new vol
unteer, and his old-time shooting iron was
laid aside. It was not lost. however, and
is to this day preserved in the flag room of
the Commonwealth at Harrisburg.
Burns showed some uneesiness for action
to begin. The old man scented the battle
from afar, and was impatient to be in its
midst. Finally he shouldered his gun and
IoA ho a n
tion of the Union skirmish line.
few minutes later Colonel Calls saw a
Confederate officer mounted on gray horse
riding in the distance. He also saw his
aged recruit take aim at the adventurous
officer. In few moments the horse gal
Hoped riderless across the open space into
the Union lines. Thus one of the very frs
officers whose blood Redeemed the now his
toric soil fell a victim to old John Burns
unsrring aim.
Throughout that hot July day he engaged
earnestly in the conflict. Little is know
of the particular things he did after the
conflict became general, but that he Tough
like q brave man, long and we'll, his wounds
attest.
Close at his elbow all that day
Veterans of the Peninsula
sunburned and bearded charged away.
While Burns unmindful of ieer and scott,
Stood there picking the rebels off.
That the old man lay all night on the fiell
Of battle is both asserted and denied
Whether or not he did, his anxiety II
1Rht resulted in i've rebel balls leaving