Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1891-07-30

and ne was beside me as we charged
some Confederate breastworks during
the preliminary skirmishing that pre-
ceded the battle of Gettysburg. He
was unmistakably very much fright
ened. for he had been sent to the front
with a 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 bis nlusket
9rmly, and. he and | being about the
Iame height. the point Of his bayonet
was in an almost unwavering line with
mine As ] notice this remember
thinking. This young fellow viii make
a good soldier yet If the bullets spare
him
THE fire was very heavy as we drew
up to the works. and our men went
down by scores Suddenly | 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.
e That fellows fear didn't deceive
him. muttered the man who closed
into his place. His fighting days ara
over
I'VE carried the breastworks with
great loss. and there was no more slzir-
mishing that day. In the evening. sit
ting at the campfire, 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 trampling 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 bis story.
We were convinced that he had Pur-
posely 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 a mar
row escape Of being tried by drumhead
court martial and shot for rank COW
ardice that night. He pleaded his case
so earnestly. however. that he got The
benefit Of the doubt and another chance.
THE other chance came the next
day. We were advancing toward Get
tysburg. and again we were ordered to
charge on some outlying sandworks.
from which the rebel marksnen were
harassing us For the second time the
boy was al my side as we rushed on.
and again | noticed his pale face and
compressed lips though I detected no
other indication of terror about him
"'Brace yourself up. my lad. ! said
1t will all be over in a minute
Il had hardly spoken when he pitched
forward on his face He fell exactly as
he had gone down the preceding day.
81 hope he has bullet in him thls
time said to the man who filled the
gap he had made.
"'If be hasn't be win have before
sundown. was the grim reioinder
"A couple of hours later the dsad
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 mnsket
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. be 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 bis own
life But ! always fancied 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