The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-04-12


lli3A ly picket was heard,
GiNNE,A which kept on in
WlVNSEYA Crpasing until day.
LiM$&$AL1 break. when IL grew
H{nrsSy5 heavier and louder,
TTT~W awakening the boys
~, GJaNW{ g. in gray, who arose
IN / hrAaw1sg rom their beds OF
III, MEN leaves aud began tO
X1TbfZ ~ prepare Tor the fray
- MyWHJ ~ 1t WAS the first
hM tW1 :. battle and baptism
1LtIN- NlT'2NN . of blood for the 9th
WA>SSs= NANN&Ss$, Texas Infantry. I
r-. EAJ - was one OF the sew
- EEME - cntpen ycar.ol Il
psfeGs--=s TSx k<,s5ss&S boys, who had left
- xGi19suTJS,s- home In Paris
-- .sS.,a,... Texas. to see and on.
% ~N,-~' jOy the fortunes Ot
war Having enlisted at his place in Aug.
,Ist, 1861, we went into Camp and drilled
until January. 1862 hpgnn to get restless
tor fear the war would be over before we
had the opportunity of meeting the enemy
and testing the difference between Southern
chiva ~ and Nur hprn grit aud remember.
ed the first battle of Manassas how the boys
in gray had routed ani pat to flight the
boys In bluc-which victory was n blessing
in disguise After marching and counter
marching several Tours we came In sight
of the Federal iu'ccs In an open field where
we could see them painly and could hear
At this time we were standing upon hill
and in front ot rivin". east at ~, where We
could see the boys I'm blue aud gray ~ they
charged and advanced upon each other in
deadly battle array" Here we halted for
awhile and had the pleasure of letting the
Federal artillery play upon us for some ar
thirty minutes OF more While We were
standing here waiting on the enemy. we
saw a regiment Dt men come heller skeltcr,
pcll nell, stampeding. aud paniC.strlcken
and we thought General Grant and his en-
tire army were making a grand charge but
our delusion was dispel ed when we fecOg.
nized our boys IN grav. who had made
chnrge and been repulsch; they had ~
brave hearts ~ we. but their Cownrdly legs
had got scared aud run away with them.
When we charged buyunets nnd stopped
them, they recovered their panic, marched
back 10 the front, AMI charged the enemy
with as much zeal and valor rs 1t they had
never retreuted ur fallen back. | would not
tell of this episode but thirty years have
passed. and all ui MS buys ARE past the con.
script age. While standing on the hill ms
this was our first battle, we must play
brave.
While other regiments in the brigade who
were chrl,tened M Fort Donaldson lay down
upon the ground, so the shot anu shell
would pass over them, we cried ont that
'the bloody Dth Texas would not play the
coward and show the white leather in her
shot and shell iell faster and thicker, now
and then some oi our boys being struck and
wounded, and occasionally n bnyOnet bent
down by u spent ball. we concluded "disCrc-
liOn was the better part OF vnlOr,' and we
lay down quietly like the old soldiers who
had seen some actual service. Soon the or
der was gwen TO forward march, ANA IN AN
open glade in front OF us General Patton
AndersOn's brigade was ordered 10 charge
the enemy and take the battery that had
been playing upon Ns, which was hand
somely done; in thls charge ! received IA
wound in my right Icy from II MIME ball,
which prUstiaied me. White lying on the
ground received second shot, through my
right foot which CAUSED the umputatlon ot
my yvrIio LEI uo, ,,,n. ~, ,,o ,,,,,o no,,
wounded, one Oi the boys ~ blue, who had
been struck aud knockcl down ny n Mimic
ball whiCn struck his Bible in his vest
pocket, just over his hcart-the Bible say
ing his lfe-tume up to me aud suggested
an armistice 10 whl,h | agreed upon the
condition that he would permit me ride hlm
oil the battlefield, back TO our hospital tent:
and here brought into exercise my Cpw-
boy experience IN fcxus and told him to
get down on all tours like horse AMI
would climb up on his back. You can i'm.
agnc the picture OF the Texas boy in lray
riding on the bach oi one OF the boys ~
blue; such n hugglng gave that boy no pcn
can desc ibe suffice II To say, all my war
fever subsidized. and have b en- in favor Of
"p-ace Oh earth aud good will to men" ever
since. Now ii any person doubts this story
can pfoyeit.
After this brave hoy in blue had deposited
what was left of me in the hospital tent, hc
returned to his command, aud was lett
sick and wounded in the hospital tent on
the battle field, near the turinth road.
While lying there on that beautiful Sabbath
day, thinking over the fortunes OF war, and
watching The captured Cannons and baggage
wagons passing back in the direction of
Cornth, about 1 p. IN. ] saw brigade OF
boys in blue marching by as prisoners, and
| first thought We had captured General
Grant and his entire army, but ! soon learn.
ed that it was Prentiss' Brigade, aud it may
be the boy IN blue was one OF his men. and
taken prisoner after iavoring one of the
boys in gray by permitting him to ride him
of the battle field. Such are the scenes and
fortunes of war.
Just before was wounded | saw many
sights, some horrible, some amusing aud
novel. remember seeing one OF the brave
boys in blue, poor fellow, who had offered
up his life upon the altar of his country:
lie was lying on his back, with his quiet
face upturned to heaven, his head upon his
knapsack, and his hands folded upon his
breast cob pipe in his mouth, as If smoK-
ing the pipe OF peace" never would
have dreamed or believed that soldiers
could have INDUCED in such levity upon
the battle field, in the presence OF death, IL
my own eyes had not witnessed this strange
sight. As passed on beyond and over tn.
brave boys in blue, lying OH the battle field
wounded, dead, and dying saw me
around the tents and camp fires with thei,
pans and slap jacks in their hands. as il tc
say to us: Rebels from Texas. can't yor
wait until breakfast is over before yol
make this uncerinOnious call2'
As to the conduct of the 9th Texas Regi
ment during the battle, | can only say thai
| Colonel Stanley in one of the charges seized
| the colors, and holding them high ovel
head, called upon the regiment to follow
him. and charged over the hill, amid
shower OF lesden hail tT9m the enemy. The
| effect was electrical. and General Patton
Anderson in his report says the language oi
eulogy could do no more than simple Justice
TO Colonel Stanley and his valorous Texans
who were ever in the thckest Of the night
| their courage and endurance.