St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-07
HE MAY HAVE TRIPPED.
How One Soldier Boy Died to Es-
cape a Court Martial.

How One Soldier Boy Died to Es-
cape a Court Martial.
New York Recorder.
Toward the close of the rebellion"
said a grizzled veteran of the late war,
who, strangely enough, never fights his
battles over again unless he is pressed
to do so by friends who were not there,
II saw young man die diShonored,
who, | believe, was the victim of
wretchedly unfortunate circumstances.
l don't know what his name was, and l
should not mention it il [ did, but he
was not more than seventeen years old,
and he was beside me as we charged
some Confederate breastwOrkS during
the preliminary Skirmish that preceded
the battle of Gettysburg. He was, un-
mistakably. very much frightened. for
he had been sent to the front with a
batch of raw recruits, and this was the
first engagement he had participated in.
His face was ashy pale, and more
than once | saw him looking back over
his shoulder. But he held his musket
firmly, and, he and l being about the
same height, the point of his bayonet
was in an almost unwaYering line with
mine. As | notice this l remember
thinking, This young fellow will make
good soldier yet if the bullets spare
him.
1.-THE fire was very heavy as we drew
up to the works, and our men went
down by scores. Suddenly l saw the
lad beside me roll over. and several
others observed him falling, for he had
attracted a good deal of attention by his
youth and evident nervousness.
THAT fzsfow's fear didn't deceive
him. muttered the man who closed into
his place. His fighting days are over.
1--WE carried the breastworks with
great loss, and there was no more Skin
rnishing that day. In the evening, sitting
at the camp fire, watching the coffee
boil with the rest of US, was the recruit
whom we had seen, as we supposed,
shot down in the morning. Beyond
some scratches and bruises. caused by
the soldiers in the rear tramping on
him. he was not hurt at all. He told US,
in a shamefaced way, that he had
tripped and fallen to the ground, and
that he was unable TO get up in time to
join in the attack.
Not one of us believed his story. We
were convinced that he had purposely
dropped to get out of the fire. The
officers of the regiment held the same
opinion when they heard of the matter,
and the young man had narrow escape
OF being tried by drum head court
martial and shot for rank cOWardice
that night. He pleaded his case so
earnestly, however, that he got the
benefit of the doubt and another chance
1.-The other chance came the next day.
We were advancing toward Gettysburg,
and again we were ordered to charge on
some outlying sandworks, from which
the rebel marksmen were harassing US.
For the second time the boy was by my
side as we rushed on, and again |
noticed his pale face and compressed
lips, though | detected no other indica-
ton of terror about him.
Brace yourself up, my lad" l said.
at will be all over in minute
Il had hardly spoken when he pitched
forward on his face. He fell exactly as
he had gone down on the preceding day,
Il hope he has a bullet in him this
time" | said to the man who filled the
gap he had made.
9 If he hasn't he will have before
sundOwn,' was the grim rejoinder.
"A couple of hours later the dead
body of the boy was found on the
cleared field. He had killed himself
The shoe and stocking were off one of
his feet, and his bare toe was pressed
upon the trigger of his empty musket.
The muZzle OF the piece was in his
mouth, ana the bullet had passed up
ward through his BRAIN Nearly ali
the regiment believed that. in a frenzy
ofterrOr. he had thrown himself down
to escape the danger of the moment,
and then. realizing the utter hopeless
ness of his position, had summoned
sufficient resolution to take his own life.
But | always fancied that he may have
tripped twice. and, despairing of ex-
planning the cause of his falling the
second time. blown out his brains.
Under any circumstances, that was the
wiSest thing ne could have DONE"