Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-05-22
THANK We. JOHNNY"
How a Confederate Rendered q Grent
Service to % Union Soldier.

Service to u Union Soldier.
Our brigade was changing positions
TT Stone river SO as To cover the ex-
posel flank OF another brigade, when
] suddenly sank down in heap, says
a writer in the Detroit Free Press.
can remember OF falling. and it seemed
to me as If fell distanceof fifty feet.
l also heard PARKWAY voice saying:
Forward, men-forward! Steady
on the right"
III the missiles which struck me had
reached vital spot death would have
come without pain or consciousness.
! sank away like one going 10 sleep,
and the roar OF the battle lulled rather
than disturbed me. think it was as
much as twenty minutes before ! came
TO, and the fight had then gone down
the line TO the left. and it was COM
parativcly quiet where ] lay. | had
been hit! The thought gave me n
sudden shock and cleared my mind.
Where had the bullet struck me? |
felt no pain, and for n few seconds
hoped that had only been stunned.
Then | located the wounds. One OF
Bragg's shells had exploded near by.
1t must have been charged with special
reference TO my case, for three OF the
bullets it contained struck me in the
right leg, the left shoulder and the
clght hand, respectively.
By and by | sat up. / was weak
and thirsty, but felt no pain. For
tunately, had a canteen Of water. and
my wounded hand gave me no pain AS
lifted it up and drank my FILL
had just worked along into Il hollow
spot, where | had a rest for my back,
when ferce-looking fellow, whose
dress showed him to be teamster or
n camp-follower Of some sort came
out of clump Of bushes about ten rods
away. His object, as | suspected at
first glance, was to rob the dead.
1t was very seldom that even the
worst OF the army bummers had the
cheek to play the ghoul in broad day
light, and that with fighting still going
on, but this fellow went about as coolly
rs you please. He went through the
pockets of every dead man in front of
me, getting considerable plumber from
each, and when he had finished with
the last he came over to me regarded
me with evil eyes moment. ind then
asked:
What have you got?"
About $40 in money" / replied
Shell out and be - quick about
Il, too,n
Il can't. I'm hit in three places,
and the money is in a pocket under
me-"
Hand it over | say"
MY friend, don't be rough on n
wounded man. If you'll raise me up
I'll try to get it for you"
Raise -" he growled. Il know
of way to get it without SO much
!rouble.m
He hadn't far to look TO find loaded
nus!Set, and he picked it up, raised it
| 20 his shoulder, and stepped forward
20 put the mu2zle TO my head before
he pulled the trigger The Internal
ghoul meant to blow my head of and
hen rob me at his leisure. | saw il
IN his eyes as plain as day. | believe
his finger was on the trigger when he
suddenly staggered ba . and fell to the
earth, the musket being discharged in
The air as he fell. ! also saw %he bullet
as it struck him. 1t hit hiJo in the
center OF the forehead. and seemed to
be enveloped in smoke as it struck.
That's what / think OF BIN. nc
matter which side he belongs to-"
called a voice behind me.
knew by the voice that he was q
confederate, and | called:
''Is that you, Johnny?'
Eyes, that's me, Yank.
''Dld you shoot that fellow"
Thar ant nobody else around yere
Is could have done it.
Thank We, Johnny. What regi-
nent do you"
But couldn't finish. | tainted dead
AWAY, and when | came to | was being
picked up by the ambulance corps and
was suffering such pain that / forgot
all about my friend. When | did ask
Tor him he could not be traced, and to
Ibis day / have MT learned his name.
The Side the Bread - Buttcred.