Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-12-03
THE BATTLE FIELD.
THEY MET AGAIN,
A Strange Story of the Way In Which n
bible Plays n Part.

A Strange Story of tho Way In Which n
Bible Plays n Part.
Three miles west of Douglasville, Ga,
lives John ID. Pope, n battle-scarred
confederate veteran, who day or two
ago enjoyed more real happiness than
has befallen many of the old veterans
since the war Mr.. Pope was men,
ber of company G, Forty-second Georgia
volunteers, and at the battle of Win
chester, in September, 1864, it so hap
pened that in the deadly conflict the
Forty-second Georgia confronted the
Forty-second New York regiment.
Pope used up all of his cartridges and
his gun had got SO hot and foul he could
hardly use it. Seeing dead yankee
with his gun lying beside him, he threw
down his own gun and took up the yam
kee's. While STOPPING to take Off the
dead mans cartridge-box he was shot
in the top Of the shoulder, the ball COM
ing out at the small of his back. Pope
fell by the side of the yankee soldier
and lay there for hours totally uncon-
scious. When consciousness returned
the battle was over, and save the groans
of the wounded and dying the stiffness
of death reigned over the field of car
mage. Exerting all his strength the
wounded confederate raised himself on
his hands and knees, and seeing a small
pocket Bible lying by the dead yankee,
he placed it in his pocket and crawled
away. He was taken up by che ambu-
lance corps, carried to a hospital and
finally got well enough to come home,
but he has never gotten over his terri
BILE wound and never will.
On examining the Bible, he discov-
that it belonged to John II. Coe, of com
pany G, Forty ty-second New York regi-
ment. and had been presented to him
by his fathev giving the name and ad-
dressed of Goes father. The coinci-
| dence of the letters of the companies
| and the numbers of the regiments to
which the two men belonged, being the
same, and their both being shot down
on the same spot impressed Pope very
much, and he decided it was his duty to
let the parents of the dead yankee boy
know the fate of their son. So, about
twenty years ago, he wrote to the boys
| father in New York, telling him how
and where his boy had died, and telling
him that he had his Bible, and would
send 1t back on receipt of instructions
how to send it Pope never heard any
thing from his letter until about two
months ago, when letter came, in
closing cabinet photograph of fine
looking business man, with the name
of John II. Coe, Ottumwa, Ia, attached.
1t transpires that the yankee boy was
not dead, as Pope thought, but that he
IL. u 4 Ill
after the war went to Iowa to live.
About two months since he was look.
ing over some old papers left by his
parents and found the old letter re-
ceived from Pope twenty years ago. He
Immediately wrote to Pope, telling hin
of his narrow escape from death on the
field at Winchester, of his slow recov
cry, removal to Iowa, his business sue
cess, etc, since the war, and asked tha
his old Bible be returned to him. Pop,
replied, asking Coe to come to see him
and telling him that if he wanted th'
Bible to play the old soldier again ant
come and take it and eat 'hard tack
with him for awhile. Mr.. Coe, being ;
wealthy business man of Iowa, ant
having nothing to hinder, decided h
would make raid into Georgia an,
capture John Pope and his hard tack,
and recapture his old Bible, taken iron
him during the war. About a week ag
Pope received a telegram from Chatta
nooga signed by Mr. Coe, telling him h
would be here Saturday evening.
great many people had heard of the cor
respondsnce and telegram, and whel
the five o'clock p. m, train came quite
crowd vas present to witness the NEE,
ing between the old Yank and Johnnie
Their curiosity was certainly gratifie
and in manner to convince them tina
the war is over, for such hugging an
crying between men who were tota
strangers to each other has rarely bee
seen. Atlanta Constitution.