The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-04-30
POOR JERRY BLOSSOM.
He WAS A HEART-KiLLER
FROM WAY BACK.
The Fate OF Young C,vairy man Who
Had . Hundred sweethssrts--Thers
Was Not One to Follow Him
TO the Gravs.

The battle OF Cedar Creek was
fought October 10. 1864. On the after
noon Of Sunday October g. which was
clear and bright sergeant In charge
OF twelve men rode up to little house
in Front Royal. Va. and said to
black eyed girl: Here is your ak.
Miss that we borrowed" The young
lady said. Il reckon you found that
ak mighty dull" Yes" said the
sergeant 1t is dull sure enough.
However. we had dozen axes with
us and did not use one. We were
sent to blockade Manassas Gap, but
could not find tree within stones
throw OF the gap. But changing the
subject miss, who was that soldier
who just rode away from this housep"
The young lady blushed and said,
why. that was Jerry Blossom. He
is ever 80 nice. Do you know himP"
Yes (" said the sergeant II know OF
him. He belongs to our brigade. His
name is not Jerry Blossom. but we
call him that He is well known in
the brigade. He is genuine heart
smasher. and boasts that he has
ninety nine sweethearts. Yes" said
the young lady. Jerry Blossom told
me that was the hundredth sweet
heart but he Is so fine looking can't
help liking him."
| On the 18th our brigade command
/ cd by Colonel Moore brevet brigadier
| general was ordered to move to
Bucksford, ON the North river about
half way sbetween Front Royal and
Strasburg. When we were moving
out Jerry Blossom broke ranks and
galloped across to the little house.
and babe his hundredth sweetheart
good-by, then returned and joined his
respective company. During the two
days we remained at Bucksford we
guarded the crossing Everything
seemed quiet Forage was scarce.
The evening before tho battle was
clear and cool and as we lay out.in an
old field we could neither see nor hear
any movements of the enemy that in
dictated an attack before daylight
Some of the members OF Jerry Bios
SONS company said that early in the
night Of the 18th Jerry was restless.
He would doze few minutes then
wake up and talk. He said: Il
thought heard the voice OF my hun
dredth sweetheart calling me to come
back. rs she did yesterday; but am
only dreaming. or else it was the wind
l heard. "A hundred sweethearts are
too many for one young man to
have, 1 know; but / never promised to
marry any of them. Then. why
should you boys talk so much about
it is my own business. / can't 60 to
sleep tonight right somehow. /
doze for little while then wake up.
Strange feelings come over me, and
every thing seems odd to me tonight.
/ can not account for it. Even the
birds that ought to have been on
their roosts hours ago. go hopping
around from brush to brush. What is
the meaning OF all these rabbits and
foxes jumping through our camp. as
il pursued by houndsp Sailors say
that animals have the presentiment OF
what is coming. Rats they say. will
desert ship that is going to BIO lost
at sea. 1 have presentiment that
something dreadful will happen to me
to- morrow. Listen! The corporal is
calling out the third relief for horse
guard. 1t is II o'clock, and can't
go to sleep. Come old boy. give me
part OF this blanket for l am chilly.
Turn over and stop sticking me with
your big spurs for want to 90 to
sleep"
''Stop your chatterbox and go to
sleep" said Jerry's bedfellow. Jerry
Blossom went to sleep and slept until
o'clock the next morning (the 19th).
when everything appeared to be as
still as death.
Bang! bang! went the guns.
What's that boysp" said an officer.
as he jumped to his feet
A soldier who was on horse guard,
yelled: Our pickets are attacked"
In five minutes the brigade horses
were in line. As soon as daylight
came we moved over to near Middle
town. where we took part in the
battle. We were on the extreme left
of the Union army. The enemy's
sharpshooters were In the houses Of
Middletown. Our brigade was
ordered to move back into piece OF
woods. The enemy's artillerymen on
the mountains saw this movement
and shells fell among the trees like
hail. Jerry Blossoms horse was
killed, and he was severely wounded
in the left breast by piece of she'll
Our wounded were taken to Winches-
ter. In the evening our brigade was
ordered to White Post near Ashby's
Gap. 10 join the other brigade OF
Powell division.
Always after battle many people
from the North would come to the
front to look after their relatives
Among them were many ladies'
mothers searching for their sons and
wives their husbands.
A few weeks after the battle oil
Cedar Creek there were many strangers
about Winchester. They visited all
! the hospitals aud private houses were
there where any wounded. Jerry was
at private house and many ladies
visited him. As Jerry was in criti-
cal condition, the army surgeon gave
orders to the lady OF the house not to
allow any more visitors in the room.
The hundredth sweetheart heard that