Middletown transcript., 1894-05-26

ned and complete surprise. I do not se'
how the Union army could have beer
SURPRISED more perfectly.
We were, most Of us, cleaning our gum
or sitting around talking A few wer,
playing cards, while others were telling
them they had better be going to church.
I was myself practicing at a target
down by the creek, where large crowd
of the boys were washing. We had heard
continuous musket firing since very
early in the morning, but as this hap.
pened every day no attention was paid
to it. Some of US were surprised at the
cannonading we heard, and one man
mentioned it, but that was all
Presently a volley Of musketry opened
up right in our faces, and not so yards
from us was the front line of the rebels
Talk Of surprisesl If you had seen our
men running and lodging through tha
woods that morning, some without
boots, some without hats or coats, some
even without shirts and nearly all with
out guns, you would need no further
| evidence to convince you as to the COM
| pleteness of the surprise Why, we
didn't have single picket or guard out
Well, at first it was simply race,
bat as soon as the camp was cleared out,
which was very speedily done, the race
stopped, for the Confederates at once
abandoned Us in order to plunder our
tents. This gave nearly all our men the
time necessary to escape.
The Fifty-fifth had scattered in every
direction, as had number of other regi-
ments found myself running along
with a member Of some Michigan regi-
ment, and having been down at the creek
washing when the enemy came up he
had on not thing except pair of draw
ers There were few of the enemy still
following US, and as bullet came whiz-
zing along and scraped the inside of his
arm he turned off 10 one side and ran
off down the ravine, while ! cut across
little open place as fast as could to
some denser timber. The bullets whizzed
around me in quite lively manner as
I was going across the open, but as soon
as got under cover determined to turn
the tables
It now became almost like squirrel
hunting or game Of hide and seek.
Away off to my right was b1uecoat,
while opposite him as opposite me were
several rebels watching chance to pick
us off. We were better shots than they
were, however, and they showed their
realization of it. after few shots, by
keeping behind trees. Presently saw a
rebel creeping up till he got behind the
front tree in the opposite timber, OBJ
iquely OF to my right, and just where he
could get good shot at the Union SOL
dier on my side. He did not see me at
all, and for the first time since entered
the army I took deliberate aim at sim
gle human being.
Firing as one Of a crowd at another
crowd is very different thing from
picking out an individual human being
and deliberately taking his life away
This thought flashed through my mind,
and I had no sooner raised my gun and
taken aim than I at once lowered it
again. It was too much like plain mur-
der. And yet there he was raising his
gun and preparing to kill my ally and
my friend. II he had been close enough
for me to be sure Of ''winging'' him by
breaking his arm. my mind could have
been made up easily, but he was so far
away. What should doS
All this rushed through my mind
while he was raising his gun to his
shoulder, and my decision was formed
in flash as I threw my gun up and
fired He fired an instant after did,
but my ball had shattered his elbow,
and by destroying his aim had saved the
life of my bluecoat friend. My comrade
took In the situation as the Confederate,
with an oath, leaped into the open space,
his arm hanging limp by his side. Wav-
ing his thaL,rs to me, the bluecoat broke
from his shelter and ran down the hill |
with an entire regiment Of rebels after |
him, while was left alone as the crowd
passed me by.
After waiting long enough for them
to get out Of the way I followed them |
over the hill, and half way down the
slope | came across my comrade, the |
bluecoat. Hewas lying on his back. gaz-
Ing up into the bright morning sun, with |
a bullet hole through his head
/ soon found regiment Of my own
color-they were Michigan boys-and
we at once reported to General Prentiss,
VINO was just coming up, telling him
the situation and who we were. Before |
he had time to issue any orders, however,
. perfect cloud Of the enemy svooped
down upon Us, and we were prisoners,
sbout 8. 600 Of u.s.
HARRY " CocKERIIIA