The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
SOMEBODY'S BOY.
The Whole Line Cheered, and Mt Least Ono
Voice Was for Enemy spared.

From The DSfrOt FIRE. Press
As we we're falling back uron Malvern Hill.
in the Peninsula campaign, the rear guard
fighting back the Confederate advance. orr
brigade was wheeled 10 the left and another to
tho right TO cover the narrow highway and
give the wounded and the stragglers an op-
portunity TO close up. Across the folds; which
were broken and wooded. advanced the on:
emy's skirmlshers, followed BY double line OF
battle. Wechocked them with yolley' but they
reformed and charged with cheer. could
SEQ their faces very plainly under tho smoke.
and as they rushed forward | noticed that the
man directly in Il ont OF mo was not man, but
a stripping OF u boy. He didn't look to be more
than ! } years old and his tace was white ana
scared. ! had dead rest with my musket
and this boy coming stra light upon me- Had
he been IA man ! should have killed him.
could hnvo HIT him with my eye, shut When When
him. covered him once, but his scared face
turned my gun away
We let them come charging M until some Of
the moro imre uous Woo almost over us ana
then there WAS m awful crash OF muskotr' q
great blow OF iiame,-n thonsnnd cries and
lines. | was looking for the boy rs tho smoke
lifted He stood musket in hand. ookln4
about him Is y p%ray@GdE Xxx " nan h9a
our cheers burst forth The boy laced 'onnd
with tho r"mnant Of the line and rctIeated 70
covor | roJoiced ovor his escape, and hoped
that il another charge was made he would not
Hail an hour pnesel. and now we woro tho
road. "" saw tho enemy massng Tor another
charge. ana again wo made ready to rorHlHo
them. A. Trey came forward saw IN" shilo
wlIitn-face boy this timo a little to my lott
Don't shoot that boy" called to the men
beyond me.
tho boy. He looked M NJ mo with sardonic
smile, and then he rested his mpSkct aud Gov
cred tho boy, to Kill him wHen tho word cnmo
10 fro. An enemT WAS m Gn"my to himi
whether man or boy. He was there to XIII. |
held my nr"Hth rs the double ine ugain ad-
vnncod. A little closer. and they fired q ley
and then charged. They sought our deaf 4
they woro following US t. de.trOv-thcv had no
mercy. And yot, ~ fired into the smoke.
target. WIS cuns)!od by the reelection that |
was not shooting at tho boy-at somebody =
boy. 1t he was killed 1t would BIO by tho man
on my lott, AMI lie must answer for It,
The euemY cOu' not HudEe u. lhey
couldn't touch our innks, and charge IN
front waS simply slaughter our voIlHys broke
their lines. drclmated them Ihrew them into
confusion, aud thoy were breasted back again.
! sprang TO my feet md looked for The, S1v.
The powder smoke Swirled about. dove down,
lifted M. iOatel away among tho troG TOPS.
and my heart bounded us ! saw somebody 4
Boy again, lie stood with Two comrades, tie
remnant peIhRps. OF his whole company. just
as got CLINT SO Of him the three turned to obey
tho call to retreat, aud swung my CAP ana
cheerod Our whole line WINS cheering, the
others because they had once moro rGpnls
tho enemy, ana because SOMEBODY'S boy huu
again escaped -, =,
And when looked along our limo TO the left.
wondering how the man with the grim face
and murderOnS heart had missed his target |
saw him lying dead on tho ground, stone dend.
A bullet mad struck him fair in the forehead