Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-05-12
MIscELLANEous
Somebody's Roy.

Aswe were falling back upon Malvern Hill
In the peninsular campaign, the rear gnard
hghting back the Confederate advance. our
brigade was wheeled to the left and another 10
the right to cover tho narrow highway and
give the wounded and the stragglers an oppor-
tunity to close up. Across the fields. which
were broken and wooded. advanced the en-
emy's skirmishers followed by double line of
battle. We checked them with a Solley, but
they reformed and charged with a cheer.
could see their faces very plainly unde- the
smoke, and as they rushed forward. / noticed
thatthe man directly in front of me was not
Ia man but STRIPPING of boy. He didn't look
TO be more han Is years old, and his face was
white and scared. had Ciead-rest with nv
mnsket, and thisboy was coming straight upon
me. Had he been q man 1 should have killed
him could have hit him with my eyes shut.
When saw It was a boy couldn't fire upon
him covered him once, but his scared face
turned my gun away.
we let them como charging up until some OF
the more impetuous were almost over us. and
then there was nm awful crash Of mtisketry--n
great billow of lamc--a thousand cries and
curses. The fame of death had licked up their
lines. Twas looking for the boy tx the smoke
lifted. He stood musket in hand. looking
about him as II 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 rotrcuted 10 cover
rejoiced over his escape, and hoped that If
another charge was made he would not be with
them.
Half an hour passed and now we were the
rear guard-a brigade holding 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 a little to the left of me.
Don't shoot that boy!''I called 10 the men
beyond me.
The third man on the left was in limo with
the boy. he looked up at me with sardonic
smile aud then he rested his musket aud Gov
cred the boy to kill him when the word came
to fire. An enemy was an enemy TO him wheth-
er 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 follow.
ing us to destroy they had no mercy. And
yet, as fired into tho smoke, knowing that
my bullet must find a human target, I was con-
soled by the reflection that was not shooting
~ #As cbAAODJul bOys II nc 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 TANKS, aud . charge In front was
simply slaughter. Our volleys broke their
lines, decimated them, threw them into confu.
sion, and they breasted back again. sprang
to my feet and looked for the boy. The now
der smoke whirled about, dove down, lifted up
and flnated away among the tree tops, and my
heart bounded as IsaR somebody's bog again.
He stood with two comrades--the remnant
perhaps of his whole company. dust as Igot
glimpse of him the three turned to obey the
call to retreat, and 1 swung my cap and
others because they, had again repulsed the en-
etny-I because sotnebody's boy had again es-
capped g
And when looked along our line to the left
wondering how the man with the grim face
and niurderous hesrt had missed his tatget. /
saw him lying dead on the ground. a bullet
had struck him fair in the forehead.