The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-20
THE CANNONEER.
A Comrade Praises Both Him and Johnny
Cook.

A Comrade Praises Both Him and Johnny
Cook.
HAVE just been reading Buell's article
in your issue of April -, in regard to
- the bravery of comrades in the great
war, and was much pleased with it.
think the most beautiful description of
bravery is that of Johnny Cook in The
Cannoneer," where he went into battle with
his discharge in his pocket; and his bugle
never sounded more clearly, and of all the
heroes of the war the one / would like most
to see is that same Johnny Cook.
But what l want to tell you is of boy in
my company (Co. l, 7th Mo- named John
Enslow. John was light hearted genial,
goOd-natured boy, but I believe utterly
destitute of fear.
l will give you only two instances where
he had not the enthusiasm of battle nor the
terror of the halter-strap" to encourage
him. The first was in the siege of Vicks-
burg, where we used to go on picket in front
of the enemy's most terrible fort, Fort Hill,
which was about 500 yards distant. The
boys soon learned to make themselves COM
Portable as possible on their picket-pOsts,
each containing three men and a Corporal,
and would take advantage of any little ridge
or knoll, and excavate nice little casemate
where one could do the shooting and the
others rest at ease.
The quartet with which Ensl0w was
selected little knoll about as high as man,
dug it out in nice shape, and then tried to
bore hole through near the top through
which to shoot, and in doing so came in con-
tact with an old log which lay in their
way, and to remove which it was necessary
to expose the whole person in plain view of
the enemy.
But John must have that log away, and
went out and tackled it in front, which, of
course, drew a hot fire. But all the same
that log must be removed, and when the
fire stopped John would go at it again and
dodge in when the fire became too hot. And
he never let up until, after many attempts,
the log was removed and John Enslow and
his party took their comfort every five days
during the remainder of the siege in their
neat little casemate.
The next time was still during the siege.
We had dug trenches to the apex of tue fort
(Hill), and while some were mining under
the fort, others were digging ditch along
under the parapet itself. On this day our
regiment was on fatigue in the ditch. We
had got along about $50 feet from the apex,
when, by standing on tiptoe and looking
back, we could see man crawl up on the
inside and fire over at our men in his front.
This was too much for John, and he
begged the Captain to let him go back and
get gun from one of our sharpshooters and
try for the man. After good deal of coax
ing the Captain consented, and Enslow went
back and got gun and crawled up opposite
the man on the inside, and our squad
stretched our necks to see the duel and
signal to John. They both crawled up at
the same time, and both fired at once with
the muzzles of their guns not more than six
feet apart The reb fell in and John fell
out, being struck in the right temple at the
roots of the hair, the bullet passing over the
skull, cutting a groove about five inches
long through the scalp.
l rushed up and helped to catch John as
he fell. The furrow in his scalp was white
as snow before the blood started. / asked if
he was hurt much, and he said no, and
wanted to put On his hat and 60 to work
again.
I asked about the other fellow, and John
said he had good bead between his eyes.
We sent him to the hospital, and in two
weeks he was with his company again, and
/ presume is now farming in his native
State--Illinois.
1 hope / have not tired you with my
description of man who, l believe, was
without fear If Buell. or Johnny Cook
should ever come to Seattle, WASH, please
let me know It would do me lots of good
to shake" / think the Cannoneer is the
best YEARBOOK ever written.-GEoRGE I.
FONDA, Lieutenant, 7th No. Keeper West
Point Lighthouse, Ballard, Wash.
Cure Dyspepsia, Constipation,
n.