The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-20
SOMEBODY'S BOY.
The Whole Line Cheered, and at Least One
Voice Was for an Enemy Spared.

The Whole Line Cheered, and at Least One
Voice Was for an Enemy Spared.
AS we were falling back upon Malvern
Hin, in the Peninsular campaign, the rear
guard fighting back the Confederate ad-
vance, our brigade was wheeled to the left
and another to the right TO cover the mar
row highway and give the wounded and
stragglsrs an opportunity to close up.
Across the fields, which were broken and
wooded, advanced the enemy's skirmish-
ers, followed by q double line of battle
We checked them with a volley, but
they reformed and charged with cheer.
| could see their faces very plainly under
the smoke, and as they rushed forward |
noticed that the man directly in front of
me was not man, but STRIPPING of boy.
he didn't look To be more than 10 years
old, and bis face was white and SCARED.
/ had dead rest with my musket. and
this boy coming straight upon me. Had
he been man | should have killed him. /
could have hit him with my eyes shut.
When 1 saw it was a boy 1 could not fire
upon him. 1 covered him once, but his
SCARED face turned my gun away.
We let them come charging up until some
of the more impetaous were almost over
US. and then there was an awful crash of
musketry, a great billow of flame-a
thousand cries and curses. The fame Of
death had licked up their lines. | was
looking for the boy as the smoke lifted. He
stood, musket in hand, looking about him
IS il psralyzed. Every man had gone
down for feet either side of him. As our
cheers burst forth the boy faced around
with tue remainder of the line and re-
treated to cover. l rejciced over his es-
cape, and l hoped that If another charge
was made he would not be with them.
Half an hour passed. and now we were
the rear guard-a brigade holding the mar
row road. We saw the enemy massing for
another charge. and again we made ready
TO receive them. As they came forward
saw the same white-faced boy, this time 8
Don't shoot that boy! ~ called to the
men beyond me.
The third man on the left was in line
with the boy. He looked up at me with
sardcnic smile, and then be rested his mus
ket and covered the boy, to Kill him when
the word came TO fire. An enemy was an
enemy to him whether boy or man. He
was there to kill. l held my breath as the
double line again advanced. A little closer
and they fired a yolley and then charged.
They sought our death-they were follow
ing us 10 destroy-they had no mercy. And
yet as l fred into the smoke, knowing that
my bullet must find human target, | was
consoled by the reflection that was not
shooting at the bOy-somebody's boy. If
he was killed il would be 0y the men on
my left and he must answer for it.
The enemy could not bulge US. They
couldn't touch our TANKS, and a charge in
front was simply slaughter. Our volleys
broke their lines, decmated them, threw
them into confusion. and they were
breasted back again. sprang TO my feet
and looked for the boy. The powder smoke
swirled about dove down, lifted up. hoated
away among the tree toLs, and my heart
bounded as l saw Somebody's Boy again.
He stood with two comrades, the remnant
perhaps Of his whole company. just as
got glimpse Of him the three turned to
obey the call 10 retreat, and swung my
cap and cheered. Our whole liue was
cheering. the others because they had once
more repulsed the enemy, and becaus }
Somebody's Boy had agaig escaped.
And when looked along our line to the
left wondering how the men with the grim
face and murderous heart had missed his
target, l saw him lying dead on the ground,
stone dead. A bullet had struck him fair
in the Northumberland Free Press.