Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-07-27
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A Incident of the battle of stone River
Related by Wounded soldier
a LUCKY SHOT.

A IHoideot of the battle of Stone River
Related by a Wounded soldier.
Our brigade was changing position at
stone isiver so as TO cover the exposed
flank of another brigade. when ] sud-
denly sank down in heap. can re-
member of falling, and it seemed as if
Il fell distance of fifty feet ] also
heard a far-away voice saying:
Forward. :nen-forwardi Steady on
the right"
If the missile which struck me had
reached yital spot death would have
come without pain or consciousness l
sank away like going to sleep, and the
roar of battle lulled rather than dis.
turbed me. think il was as much as
twenty minutes before ] came TO. and
1.-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 a sudden shock and
cleared my mind. Where had the bullet
struck me? ] felt no pain, and for a
few seconds hoped that 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 ] sat up. I was weak and
thirsty, but ] felt no pain There were
-four dead men in front Of me and two
on the left and one on the right OF
1.-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,
bat heard two or three wounded men
grooming. Fortunately. had canteen
of water, and my wounded hand gave
rue no pain as lifted il up and drank my
fill ! had just worked along into
hollow spot, where / had rest for my
back, when fierce looking fellow,
whose dress showed him to be teamster
or campfollower of some sort, came out
Of elump of bushes about ten rods
away His object as / suspected at first
glance, was to rob the dead
il 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, bat the fellow went about it as
eoolly as you please. He went through |
the pockets of every dead man in front
of me, getting considerable plumber
from each, and when he had finished |
with the last he came over to me, re-
garded me with evil eyes moment, /
and then asked:
What have you got?'
About ten dollars in money" ! re. 4
piled.
Shell ont and be hanged quick about
it, tool''
81 can't ] am hit in three places,
and the money is ia a pocket under me"
Hand it over, ] shyr
my friend, don't be rough on a
wounded man. II you'll raise me up,
I'll try to get it for you."
Raise nothingl. be growled. know
of a way to get it without so much
troubled"
lie hadn't far 10 go TO look 10 find
loaded muszet, and he picked it up and
raised il 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 a. plain as day. believe
his finger was on the trigger, when he
suddenly staggered back and fell to the
earth. the musket being discharged in
the air as be fell 1t hit in the center of
the forehead, and seemed to be en-
yeloped In smoke as il il struck.
That's what / think of him, no
matter which side he belongs toT"
called voice behind me
knew by the voice that he was 3
confederate. and ] called:
'ls that YOU Johnny" -
Eyes. that's me, yank
Did you shoot that fellow
"'rhar Amt nobody else around yere
as could hev done i'll"
THANK We, JOHNNY What regiment
dc you
But couldn't finish. l tainted dead
away, and when | came to l was being
picked up by the ambulance corps, and
was suffering such pain that forgot
all about my friend When l did ask
for him he could not be traced, and TO
this day have not learned his name