Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-05-14
THANK YOU, JOHNNY.


uow Confederate saved Union soldiers
Life.
Our brigade was changing positions
at Stone river so as to cover the exposed
flank Of another brigade, when / sud-
denly sank down in heap. | can re-
member of falling and it seemed to me
as II fell distance of fifty feet. /
also heard far-away voice saying:
Forward, men-forward. Steady on
the right.'
If the missiles which struck me had
reached vital spot death would have
come without pain or consciousness /
sank away like one going to sleep, and
the roar Of battle lulled rather than dis
turbed 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 il was comparatively
quiet where ! lay. ! had been hit
The thought gave me a sudden shock
and cleared my mind Where had the
bullet struck me? | felt no pain, and
for few seconds hoped that had only
been stunned. Then | located the
wounds. One of Bragg's shells had ex-
ploded near by. 1t must have been
charged with special reference to my
case, for three of the bullets il con-
tanned struck me in the right leg the
left shoulder and the right hand re-
spectively
BY and by sat up | was weak and
thirsty, but l felt no pain There were
four dead men in front Of me and two
on the left and one on the right OF the
seven, four were federals and men Of
my regiment, who had been killed by
the same shell which had wounded me.
could not see behind me, of course,
but heard two or three wounded men
grooming. Fortunately. had a can
teen of water. and my wounded hand
gave me no pain as ! lifted it up and
drank my fill. had Just worked along
into hollow spot, where | had a rest
for my back. when fierce-looking fell
low, whose dress showed him to be a
teamster or a camp-follower of some
sort, came out of a elump 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 II as
coolly as 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, re-
garded me with evil eyes moment, and |
then asked:
what have you got?"
about ten dollars in money" re-
piled.
shell out and be mighty quick about
It, too.'
Il can't I'm hit in three places, and
the money is in pocket under me"
Hand it over, / say
my friend, don't be rough on a
wounded man. If you'll raise me up
III try to get it for you.
Raise blazes" he growled II know
# way to get it without so much
roubler'
He hadn't far to look to find loaded
nusket. and he picked it up. raised it
o his shoulder and stepped forward to
nut the muzzle 10 my head before he
pulled the trigger. The internal ghoul
meant to blow my head off and then
oh me at his leisure. ! saw it IN his
yes as plain as day. believe his
niger was on the trigger when he sud
enly staggered back and fell to the
arth. the musket being discharged in
he air as he fell ] also saw the bullet
IS it struck him. 1t hit him in the cen
er Of the forehead. and seemed to be
in smoke as it struck.
That's what think Of him. no mat
er what side he belongs to- called a
dice behind me
I knew by that voice that he was a
confederate. and ! called:
Is that you, Johnny,
Eyes. that's me. Yanki"
Did You shoot that fellow"
Thar amt nobody else around we're
IS could have done it,
Thank you, Johnny What regi-
nent do you
But ! couldn't finish / tainted dead
lway, and when came to was being
picked up by the ambulance corps and
vas suffering such pain that forgot