The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-07-20
SAVED BY" A BOMB.
How a Civil War Court-Martial
Was Suspended.

How a Civil War Court Martial
Was Suspended.
It was duringthe siege of Petersburg
In the summer of 1864. A torrid sun
sent its rays pouring down unmerciful-
ly. The red Virginia soil behind the
union line defenses had been pulverized
by transportation teams, light artillery,
siege trains and the feet of the soldiers
ing through foot or more of veritable
brick dust. The temperature of the
gopher holes, bomb proofs, covered
ways and trenches, where the multi
tude of armed men lay to escape the
sheet of lead and iron hail Continually
passing over them, was the air of
flery furnace. It was hot as the breath
Of cannon and heavy with powdered
soil and whitening vapors. 1t was the
oppressive, almost intolerable atmos-
phere Of a siege that only those who
experienced and endured can under
stand. The shade of the few isolated
pines that had here and there escaped
the ak OF the engineer and quarter
master was a welcome source of occa-
eional relief. Sheltered by hill or ris-
ing knoll sufficient to protect from the
death tempest that swirled above, it be-
came a veritable paradise to those priv
LEGGED to bask in its comparative cool.
1t was to such retired spots that the
boys in blue repaired whenever they
received permission, in small groups, to
leave the trenches to refresh them
selves by breathing spell. Here they,
were won't to indulge in that seductive
and fascinating game, devoid Of moral
turpitude in the army, drawIpoker. It
was in such comparative safe shelter,
too, that the frequent courts-martial
and councils of officers were held.
1t is a court-martial incident this
story relates. Courts-martial in the
terrible days of the war were as fire.
quent as casualties and dire as the ele-
ments of destruction. They were of the
drumhead variety and their decisive
findings were often made known to the
army only by the smothered report Of
half a dozen rifles from some sunken
gulch on an isolated declivity. This
simultaneous detonation carried its
own significant import, dire and yet
without dread,- so calloused had the
stern discipline of war made the true
and patriotic soldiery. To them a cow
ard was even poor food for powder. A
deserter should suffer more disgraceful
execution, but shooting him like coy
ote saved the time and trouble of hang
ing. No one who has had the expert
ence will asseverate that officers de-
tailed for a drunhead court-martial
ever forgot the dictates of humanity,
the responsibility that rested upon
them or the gravity Of the occasion.
Yet, doubtless, in those days of sharp
and peremptory action, when the ut
most exactions of discipline were requi-
site to preserve the morals of the army,
the victims of the grim auxiliary courts
often experienced injustice-sometimes
suffered death undeservedly.
It happened at the place and time
mentioned. The writer, mounted
officer of the line, had just ridden to
that point of the earthworls that coiled
about ST. Petersburg like the folds of
q shining anaconda and was designated
as Fort He'll. His errand was with a
general officer, whom he found sur
rounded by his staff directing the de-
tails of his command behind the COM
parative security of redoubt. Over
their heads swept and whizzed the mis-
siles OF the enemy, whirling clouds of
dust mile beyond on the lower plains,
where they fell harmless To this day
natives in the neighborhood find it
profitable to plow up and gather the
tons of lead that in those days turned
the red fields in the vicinity of the
siege works into vast bank of lead.
While engaged in conversation every
once in awhile one of those incendiary
projectiles known as mortar shells
would drop down from the clouds in un-
pleasant proximity to this group of off,
GERS. One might shield himself behind
breastworlks against musket shot, can
non balls and shell, but only the recess
of gopher hole or a heavily covered
bomb-proof was assurance against the
penetration of these deadly intruders.
Resting securely, as might seem, in
the depths OF a valley, even be-
yond reach Of the whiz and
whirr of shot and shell. the blue sky
above scarcely visible through the
inirky air. ones complacent revery was
liable to be rudely disturbed by one of
these tremendous bombs falling from
the serenity above without the least
premonition. II he escaped to tell of
the incident it was related as q mere,
ordinary, everyday affair, that was all
What may seem to the civilian astrange
and extravagant narration, to the vet
eran is commonplace, without novelty
or interest That is why, perhaps, old
soldiers who love 70 talk Of the war TO
their comrades fnd no enjoyment In re-
latins their expeFfence 70 spch rs arc
devoid Of tbeegs6dlt1y sbsRettsnief ex-
peHesce, who are apt 70 manifsst their
e Sss ~ Va s .ss'sloss q Issrssa "a ~