The Van Buren press., 1893-07-29
SAVED BY A BOMB
How : Civil War Court Martial
Waa Suspended. ss

n the summer Of 1864. A torrtd sun
ssnt its rays pouring down unmerciful-
u. The rcd Virginia soil behind the
union line dcfenses had been pulverized
By transportation teams, light srtinefy,
siege trains and the feet Of the soldiers
= thut wherever one went Il wns wsd-
Ing through foot or more Of veritable
brick dust The temperature Of the
gophor holcs, bomb proofs covered
ways and frenches w,tetssthc mnltts
tndo ofs afgned mon lay u escape thsD
sheet q lead and iron hail continually
rasripe ever them was ~ Or Of ,
derry furnace. Il was hot as the breath
d cannon 16d ks1vy- Win powdered
aoil and witherinRzxa zxaporA II WAS the
oppresslyo, nlmost into1enble Atmus-
phere a. Asiegc that only those who
experieneed and endured. can under
: n<aad. 9h0 shade of the few isolated
pines that had here and there escaped
tho ~ Of the engineer and eVuarter-
master was welcome source Of occa-
sional relief. Sheltered by hill or ris-
Ing tpqal sufn fneicnt % prutect frun The
death t(mpest hat nwirlsd above, itbcv
ea.a.a vcFitahlc paradise to those priv
ilegcd to bask in its comparative cool.
Il was to such retired spots that the
boys In blue repaired whenever they
received permission. In small groups, 70
leave the trenches to refresh them-
selves BY . breathing spell. Here they,
wero won't - zindulec Id that seductive
sni fesqinaflpk gAne. sdetpid Of uoesl
turpltude in the army, draw poker. 1t
/ was in such comparative safe shelter,
too, that the frequent courts-martial
and councils Of officers were held.
Il IBsg oouf<< <<maftiaf incident this
story seiatsA coefts-martisl y the
terrible days Of tie war werc rs fire.
qpent - casualties and dire rs the ele-
.ments Of destruction. They were Of the
drumhcad variety and their decisive
Andings wore often made known, to the
army only BY tho smothered report Of
half : dozen rifless from come sunkenl
gulch ON an isolated declivity. This
Simultaneous detonation carried its
own significant import, dire and yet
without dread, % calloused had the
stern discipline of war made the true
and patriotic soldiery. To them cow
ard was even poor food for powder. A
dessrter should suffer more disgraceful
sxecutjou. bus shooting him like Z coy
ote sav6d the 1ime and trovble Of hang
ing. No one who has had the expert
ence viii saaseverate that officers de-
tailed for . drumhead court-martial
over forgot the dictates of humanity,
the rssponslhilitys thAt s,sested, upon
them or the gravity bf ~ occasion
Yet doubtless, iIfthosA days Of sharp
ard psFpmptpry syctioaa, when thesuts
SnoGt exncticns Of discipline were requi-
'uits 70 pessss~op tho usorals Of .tlss ufuy;i
the victims Of the grim auxiliary cpnrts
oftpn ezp>xisho6d innssice somelimes
suffered death undeservcdly.
u happened Atsahe place and time
ncnttdned The writer, = mounted
c0oer Of The line. had just ridden TO
that point OF the earthworhs that coiled
shout St. PetefAhurx like the folds OF
shining anaconda and was designated
- Fort He'll. His errand was with
general officer, whom he found sur
rounded by his sta6 directing the de-
tails of his command behind the com
parative security of = redoubt Over
their heads swept aud whizzed the mis-
siles Of the endly. whfrling clouds of
dust = mile beyond on the lower plains,
where they fell harmless To this day
natives h the neifhtDrhood fnd It
profitable - ploN up and gather the
tons Of lead that in those days turned
the red sflelds in the vicinity of the
siege works into : vast bank Of lead
While engaged in eonyeration every
once imawhile one Of those incendiary
projectiles knOwn4 as mortar shells
woald drop down from the clouds in nm
ple.sanA proximity TO this group Of offi-
cesR One lmight shield. himself behind
breastworks against musket shot, can
non balls and shell. bat only the recess
a. ; gopher hole or Z heavily covered
bomb b-psoof was assurance against the
penetration ~ these deadly intruderA
Resting securely. ss might seem, in
the Depths Of . valley even be-
yosSd I yeaeh Of tie whiz aud
whir OF shot and shell, the blue sky
above scarcely visible through the
mirky air. ones eomplacent revery was
Liable 70 be rudely disturbed by one of
these tremendous bombs falling from
the serenity xbove without the least
premonition- II he escaped to tell of
the incident it was related a. q mere.
ordinary, everyday affair, that was all
What may seem to the civilian strange
4 and narration. - ths VET
eran is commonplace. without novelty
" inpa14L FIhze = whY, perhaps, On
seldie1s vholdset u talk, * the y II -
their comrades find 10 enjoyment in re-
lating their experiepce "a such as are
devoid Of the crednlity beeotten Of ex-
perience, who are apt to manifest their
apprehension that the narrator draws
the long bow with reckless disregard
The canteen had just passed around.
For an instant there WAS one of those
momentous lt1lls tliat everyone remem-
bers who has experienced the operations
Of : siege or { battle. The soldiers
raised their heads TO glance along the
trenches and take survey of the silent
camps Ear Il the distance to the rear.
1ieu assl officers moved hitner and
thfther sscsife, for the moment in the
silence. Death in the air rested to
eazeh rs bre.sh Then from gulchat
some distance came = dull, mufled ssx-
plQaion, and . cload Of smoke and dust
rising showed that mortar shell from
the siege batteries Of the enemy had