The Forrest City times., 1892-04-15
POOR JERRY BLOSSOM.
HE WAS A HEART-KILLER
 FROM WAY BACK.
The Fate of Young Ctvairyman who Had Hundred sweethsarts-There Was Not One to Follow Him
 to the Grave.

fought October l9, 1864. On the alter noon of Sunday. October 9. which was clear and bright a sergeant in charge of twelve men rode up to little house In Front Royal. Va, and said to n black-eyed girl. Here is your ax. Miss, that we borrowed. The young lady said, T reckon you found that ax mighty dull. Yes" said the sergeant it is dull. sure enough. However we had dozen axes with us and did not use oue. We were sent to blockade Manassas Gap but could not find a tree within stones throw Of the gap. But changing the subject miss, who was that soldier who just rode away from this house?" The young lady blushed and sad, Why that was Jerry Blossom. He is ever so nice. Do you know himpr fes said the sergeant Il know of hlm- 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 a genuine heart smasher and boasts that he has ninety-nine sweethearts. Yes. said the young lady, Jerry Blossom told me that l was the hundredth sweet heart but he IS so fine looking can t help liking him"
 On the 17th our brigade, command ed 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 bade his hundredth sweetheart good-by then returned and joined h s respective company During the two days we remained at Bucksford we guarded the crossing. Everything seemed quiet Forage was scarce The evening before the 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- dicated an attack before daylight
 Some of the members Of Jerry Blos- som's 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; "i | thought heard the voice of my hun dredth sweetheart calling me to come back. as 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 my hundredth sweetheart? l am sure it is my own business can't go to sleep tonight right somehow. doze for little while then wake up. Strange feelings come over me, and every thing seems odd to me to night. | can not account for it. Even the birds, that ought 10 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 i if pursued by hounds? Sailors say that animals have the presentiment of what is coming. Rats they say will desert ship that is going to be lost at sea. l have presentiment that something dreadful will happen to me tomorrow. Listen! The corporal is calling out the third relief for horse | guard. It is 12 o'clock, and l can't go to sleep. Come. old boy. givo me part of this blanket for 1 am chilly Turn over and stop sticking me with your big spurs, for l want to go to sleep"
 1 ''Stop your chatterbox and go to sleep" said Jerry's bedfellow. Jerry Blossom went to sleep and slept until 4 o'clock the next morning (the l9th). when everything appeared to be as still as death.
 Bang! bang! went the guns.
 What's that boys?' said an officer. as he jumped to his feet
 A soldier who was on horse guard, yelled: Our pickets are attackedi"
 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 Jeff of the Union army. The enemy's sharpshooters were in the houses o Middletown. Our brigade wa: ordered to move back into piece o woods. The enemy's artillerymen or the mountains saw this movement and shells fell among the trees lik, hail. Jerry Blossoms horse wa. killed and he was severely wounded in the left breast by piece of shell Our wounded were taken to Winches ter. In the evening our brigade wa, ordered to White Post near Ashby'i Gan 10 join the other brigade o Powell division.
 Always after a battle many peopl, from the North would come to thu front to look after their relatives
 Among them were many ladies'
 mothers searching for their sons ant
 wives their husbands.
 A few wee6s after the battle O
 Cedar Creek there were many stranger
 about Winchester They visited al
 the hospitals and private houses wer
 there where any wounded. Jerry wa
 at a private house and many ladie
 visited him. As Jerry was in criti
 cal condition. the army surgeon gay
 orders to the ladv of the house not L
 allow any more visitors in the room
 The hundredth sweetheart heard tha
 Jerry was wounded and one cold We
 day in November walked to Wincheste
 to see him. She called at the house but the laudlady not being at home
 she saw no one but an old eolore
 woman. who said; ''Missie. you can