Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-17
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A LUCKY SHOT.

An Incident of the Battle of Stone River
Related by n wounded Soldier.
Our brigade was changing position at
Stone River so as to cover the exposed
flank of another brigade, when / sud-
denly sank down in a heap. / can re-
member of falling, and 1t seemed as II
/ fell distance of fifty feet. i also
heard far-away voice saying:
Forward, men-forward! Steady on
the right"
If the missile which struck me had
reached vital spot death would have
come without pain or consciousness. /
sank away like going to sleep, and the
roar of battle lulled rather than dis
turbed me. / think it was as much as
twenty minutes before ] came to, and
the fight had then gone down the line
TO the left, and it was comparatively
quiet where lay. had been hit! The
thought gave me sudden shock and
cleared my mind. Where had the bullet
struck me? l felt no pain, and for a
few seconds hoped that 1 had only been
stunned. Then / located the wounds.
One of Bragg's shells had exploded near
by. 1t must have been charged with
special reference to my case, for three
of the bullets it contained struck me in
the right Leg the left shoulder, and the
right hand respectively.
BY and by 1 sat up. I was weak and
thirsty, but felt nc pain. There were
four dead men in front of me and two
on the left and one on the right. OF
the seven four were Federals and men
of my own regiment, who had been
killed by the same shell which wounded
me. could not see behind me, of course,
but heard two or three wounded men
groaning. Fortunately, / had canteen
of water, and my wounded hand gave
me no pain as lifted it up and drank my
fill. / had just worked along into a
hollow spot, where l had a rest for my
back, when 4 fierce looking fellow,
whose dress showed him to be teamster
or campfollower of some Sort came out
of a clump of bushes about ten rods
away. His object as l suspected at first
glance, was to rob the dead.
1t was very seldom that even the
worst of the army bummers had the
cheek to play the ghoul in broad day
light, and that with fighting still going
on, but the fellow went about it as
coolly as you please. He went through
Ihe poChSbS Va every uCdu hisbh lEOuU
of me, getting considerable plumber
from each, and when he had finished
with the last he cane over to me, re-
garded me with evil eyes moment
and then asked:
What have you got?"
"About ten dollars in money" / re-
piled.
shell out and be hanged quick about
it, tool
81 can't 1 am hit in three places,
and the money is in pocket under me. "
Hand it over, 1 say!''
My friend, don't be rough on a
wounded man. If you'll raise me up,
I'll try to get it for you"
Raise nothing!' he growled. know
of way to get it without SO much
troublc!'
He hadn't far to go to look to find a
loaded musket, and he picked it up and
raised it TO his shoulder, and stepped
forward to put the muzzle to my head
before he pulled the trigger. The
internal ghoul meant to blow my head
off and then rob me at his leisure. saw
it in his eyes as plain as day. l believe
his finger was on the trigger, when he
suddenly staggered back and fell to the
earth, the musllet being discharged in
the air as he fell. 1t hit in the center OF
the forehead and seemed to be en-.
veloped in smoke as it it struck.
That's what l think of him, nc
matter which side he belongs to!'
called voice behind me.
/ knew by the voice that he was q
confederate, and called:
rs that you, Johnny?"
Yes, that's me, yank.
Ibid you shoot that fellow?"
THAR aint nobody else around yere
as could hev done it,"
''Thanli We, Johnny! What regiment
do you-n
But | couldn't finish. l tainted deao
away, ana when l came to l was being
picked up by the ambulance corps, and
was suffering such pain that / forgo'
all about my friend. When l did ask
for him he could not be traced, and tc
this day have not learned his name
American Tribune