Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-05-07
STORIES OF THE WAR.

Ion Days Which livery Brave Man Has
Experienced at Times.
Not long since, at a social gathering
at which a number of middle-aged and
elderly men We're present. party com
posed of some four or five, gathered in
a convenient corner of the ROOM and be-
gan the discussion of the physical cour-
age of some of Kentucky's prominent
men of the early part of this century.
brought about by narrative which had
been read in their hearing. Among this
party were to be found more than one
man who had personal knowledge of
the late war. and all were more or less
interested in the subject. One a distin-
guished soldier, and probably as brave
a man in action as could be found in the
confederate army. and whose expert
ences and opportunities for observation
We're numerous, embracing some of the
most dashing and arduous cavalry serv-
ice ever performed by any body of
mounted troops, took occa sion to ex-
press himself in about these words: ''In
my experience with men | have seen
many things tending to convince me
that every man, no matter how brave,
has his off day. | mean by that that
there are times when the best men
men whom you know to be absolutely
fearless as rule-will quail in the
presence of danger.
This expression of opinion from one
so well qualified to judge, and whose
personal courage was undaunted, nat
urally caused his listeners to assume
~
sured that he would follow his remark
with an illustration. This he did. Con-
tlnuing, he told of an incident which
came under his own observation. He
gave no names, although he did men
ton the places at which the events he
narrated had occurred These viii not
be located, as it is not wished to identi-
fy the unfortunate victim of "a day Off
in any manner
u remember the circumstances per-
fectly WE'LL" said the veteran. MY
command had been fighting a superior
force for some time and the fellows on
the other side were making it very hot
for u.s. | think my regiment lost about
125 men in a short time. While the
fight was going on, | had occasion to
pass short distance to the rear, and
found to my establishment, a young
lieutenant who had left his post and
sought shelter behind tree. had my
pistol in my hand and raised it and
pointed it at him, ordering him at the
same time To go to his post. He obeyed
without a word, and during the re-
mainder of the fight he was all right.
!, 4 -
and could not account for his conduct,
except on the idea | have Just given
that every man has his off day. But this
was not all of it. did not want to have
the man cashicred: | knew that would
ruin him forever: but ! was at loss as
to what to do. | could not, however.
pass it over. | reported the case to
Gen. Breckenridge a lew days later,
without giving the lieutenant's name,
and asked what | ought to do about it.
The general was pretty cross that
morning and at onae said: Have him
cashiered Well, | went back to my
command, but | still hesitated to prefer
charges In the meantime we were sent
off to another place and engaged the
enemy at point near where there was
long covered bridge. across which we
supposed they had retreated, but of that
we We're not sure. 1t was necessary TO
find out, and took some men and went
down the bank of the stream-u under
the bank. which was Highland kept on
until we got beneath the bridge All
was still. We could tell nothing about
the situation. Col . the lieu nant
and a number Of others We're with me-
l consulted with the colonel, who
agreed with me that it would not be
right to order any an to go into the
bridge on an errand which was sure TO
result in his death did not know
what to do. l certainly did not want to
go into that bridge myself, and did