The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-08-22

How one soldier hoy Died to Escape .
Court Mnrtlai.

Toward The close OF the rebellion. "
said grizzlcd veteran OF the late war
who. strangely enough. never fights
his battles over again unless he Is
pressed 10 do so by friends who were
not there. II saw a young man die dis
honored. who, believe. was the vic
tim OF wretchcdly unfortunate circum-
stances. don't know what his name
was and | should not mention IL II |
did. but he was not more than IL
years old. and he was beside me ns we
charged some Confederate breastworks
during the preliminary skirmish that
preceded the battle OF Gettysburg. He
was. Enthusiastically. very much fright
ened. for he had been sent 10 the front
with batch of raw recruits, and this
was the first engagement he had par
ticipated 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 / being about the
same height. the point of his bayonet
was in an almost unwaverIng line with
mine. As notice this | remember
/ thinking. This young fellow will make
a good soldier yet II the bullets spare
1 him
The fire was very heavy as wa
/ drew up 10 the works. and our men
went down by scores. Suddenly | saw
the lad beside me roll OVER and sew
eral others observed him falling for
he had attracted good deal OF atten-
ton by has youth and evident nervous
ness.
That fellows fear didn't deceive
him. muttered the man who closed
into his place. His fighting days are
over
I'VE carried the broastworks with
great loss. and there was no more
skirmishing that day. In the evening.
sitting az the campfire, watching the
coffee boil with the rest OF us. was the
recruit whom we had seen, as we sup
posed, shot down in the morning. Be-
yond some scratches aud bruises.
caused by the soldiers In the rear
trampling him, he was not hurt at all.
He told us. in shame-faced way that
he had tripped and fallen 10 the
ground and that he was unable 60 GET
up in time 20 join in the attack.
Not one OF us believed his story. We
were convinced that he had purposely
dropped 20 get out OF the fire The
officers OF the regiment held the same
opinion when they heard of the mat
ter. and the young man had "A narrow
escape OF being tried by drum-head
court-martial and shot for rank cow
ardice that night. He pleaded his
case so earnestly, however, that no
got the benefit OF the doubt and an
other chance.
The other chance came the next
day. We were advancing toward
Gettysburg and again we were ordered
10 charge on some outlaying sand
works from which the rebel marks
men were harassing us. For the sec
ond time the boy was by my side as
we rushed on, and again ! noticed his
pale face and compressed lips. though
! detected no other indication OF ter
ror about him.
Z" Brace yourself up my lad. /
said. 1t 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 the pre-
ceding day.
IL hope he has n bullet in him this
time said 10 the man who had filled
the gap he had made.
/" III he hasn't he will have before
shutdown 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 of 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, and the bullet had passed up
ward through his brain. Nearly all
the regiment believed that In frenzy
OF terror he had thrown himself down
70 escape the danger Of the mQmcgt,
and then realizing the utter hopeless
ness OF his position. had summoned
sufficient resolution TO take his own
life. But | always fanciod that he
may have tripped twice and despair
ing OF explaining the cause OF his fall
ing the second time. blown out his
brains. Under any circumstances
that was the wisest thing he could
have done. New York Recorder
nnaor Incur..s.-