The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-07-11
RALEIGH. N. c.. JULY IL, 1893.

oak woods from which we had ad-
vanced. On reaching the opening a
Federal color bearer left the thicket
behind us and was making to the rear.
Dave yelled out: ''HeIlo, Yank! That
won't do, bring us that flag" Seeing
that there were two to one, and not
knowing that both of us were unarmed,
the ''Yank" obeyed. 1t proved to be
the flag of the Fifty first Pennsylvania
regiment. now have in my posses
sion receipt for that flag, written in
pencil, ION the battle field, " by Colonel
Venable, Gen. Lees aide de camp.
While Dave" marched his prisoner,
with colors flying, through the oak
woods, in the direction l had ordered
the brigade to take, I turned to the
right, in the same woods, and soon fell
exhausted on pile of rails Here was
found by two young soldiers of my com
mand who had also escaped. I have
forgotten their names. Their faces
were almost black, especially around
their mouths, from biting so many
cartridges. They insisted upon taking
me up bodily and carrying me out of
further danger, but told them it would
never do for them to lug me out of the
woods, in the presence of my brigade,
when was not wounded, only physic-
ally exhausted. They then expressed
their determination to remain with me.
When we entered the open field near
the ice house my brigade, already at
the Court House, recognized me, and 1
could not keep back the tears as | list
tened to their prolonged cheers Of de
light.
at once took the necessary steps to
find out who it was that had saved my
life in the thicket, and l soon learned
from Surgeon D. Mel Graham that it
was Private Peter A. Parker, Company
D., Thirty seventh North Carolina
Troops. He had been wounded in the
thicket afterwards and Graham had
dressed his wound and sent him to the
rear. gave orders for Parker to be sent
to my headquarters as soon as he re-
turned to duty. We had a very inter
esting interview, and promised to get
him special furlough as an evidence
of my appreciation of his personal kind
ness to me. AS soon as I thought the
exigencies of the service would admit,
I applied for the furlough over my own
signature, and endorsed the applica-
tion as follows:
HEADQUARTERS LANES BRIGADE, !
January 18th, 1865.
! have the honor, very respectfully,
to ask that this application be approved
as a special favor, for reasons stated
within. It is the only request of the
kind that I have to make. Private
Parker behaved very gallantly in the
charge made by my brigade in front of
Spottsylvania Court House, the after
noon of the 18th May, 1864, at which
time heAWas seriously wounded. He
was represented to me by his late col
Onel as an excellent soldier in camp
and on the march, as well as on the
| battle field. He is the only survivor
of five brothers who entered this army,
the rest having lost their lives in the
service. He has never received fur
Tough of indulgence
JAMES Fl. LANE,
Brigadier General.
This application was soon returned
approved by Generals Lee, A P. Hill
and Wilcox, and sent it to the young
soldier with the following note
HEADQUARTERS LANES BRIGADE,
NEAR PETERSBURG, Va,
January 18th, 1866. \
| u d A
Co. D., 37th N @. Troops:
Dear Sir:-I send the accompanying
furlough as an appreciation of the per
sonal service you rendered me, in saw
! ing my life at Spottsylvania Court
House on the 18th of May last The
! following is an extract from my off
cial report of the engagement of that
day:
IT am indebted for my life to Private
P. A. Parker, Co. D., 37th Regiment,
who killed the Yankee that had leveled
his gun and was in the act of firing
upon me. The Yankee was not more
than ten PAGES from US at the time.
Private Parker is a brave young man,
and has shown himself an excellent sol
dier in camp and on the march as well
as in battle"
I have no fear that any act Of yours
will ever dim your present far fame as
a soldier. Very respectfully,
JAMES III. LANE,
Brigadier General.
Parker returned on time and broughts
me a large cake and many Kind mes
sages from his patriotic mother, with
the request thai I would let her dear
/ boy come to see her again soon. He was