St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-14
STORY OF THE WAR.
How One Johnny Reb. Was Not
Cheated Out of Promotion,


Cheated Out Of Promotion,
4 The interest in war stories never
abates. Fifty years from now it will be
greater than ever. There are tales of
herofsm and tales of suffering, all more
or less touching. There are also quaint
stories, amusing and otherwise. Here
is one:
The incident occurred in action be-
yond Fredericksburg on Monday. May q.
1862. Sedgwick had captured the
heights on the previous day, and
marched from the Rappahannock to
effecta junction with Hooker, at Chan
lceilcrsyille. Lees army, however. inter-
rupted him. He suffered severely near
Salem Church on Sunday night. Mean
time the Coafederates we ntarouud his
fank1 and occupied Fredericksburg,
taking as prisoners those wounded in
the assault on the heights. He was
thus cut off from Hooker's army.
On Monday evening Lees troops
made determined attack upon Sedg-
wick in an effort to drive him into the
river. 1t was desperate fight. The
Confederates, as usual, charged in
several lines. In some places the Union
lines were brakeman there were hand
to-hand fights over cannon. But the
troops always rallied tn the original line
of battle. The last Confederate charge
was repulsed about twilight. Darkness
soon came. There was no moon, but the
woods were aflame, adding smoke to the
smoke of the battle. The air was filled
with groams of the wounded and dying.
Some we're being roasted in the woods.
A skirmish line was sent out to as
certain whether the Confederates were
forming fer a new charge. The writer
was volunteer. We had gone out some
distance when we came to fence that
had been thrown down in the assault.
/ stopped close to the ground, looking
at the Innings of the sky. This is a
habit contracted while on picket duty at
night. 1 saw in the distance lined
against the sky figure knew. 1t was
that of Corporal Mason. of Newark, NJ.
who had gone out with me OH the line.
Between Mason and myself shot
human figure. The Confederates were
doing the same as we were doing, feel
ing for their opponents. The Skin
mshers were passing each other in the
darkness. Shouting to Mason, turned
aud overhauled the Confederate Skin
misher, who HAD gone between us.
Mason came up on the other side;
astounded at our appearance, the
Johnnie threw down his gun. and began
to take off his traps.
An order came in withdrawing our
skirmishers. 1t was passed along the
line. We took the prisoner with us.
He was a member of the 18th Mis-
sissippi, and said he came from Pom
| tiac. He had haversack made of I'M
! dressed COW skim to which pair of new
| shoes was strapped.
! On reaching the old line of battle we
| found that our troops had already been
drawn back toward some earthworks
| constructed by Wilcox's and Jenkins
Confederate brigades before Hooker
had crossed the river. Regiments were
| moving in the darkness, and there was
very little noise.
| Our prisoner answered all question in
monosyllables. He seemed much cast
down He listened to pleasantries, but
made no return. At last. learning that
one of his captors was a member of
| typographical union, he opened his
heartn He said that he was printer,
and that he had been serving in the
| Confederate army ever since the war
began. He was trying his best to drive
the Invaders from the soil of the South.
| He had tried earnestly to do his duty
and had never shirked a battle. 1t had
taken7over year for the officers of the
regiment to discover his merits, but at
| last they had done So. He was told
| that he was to be made corporal on
! the following day. His capture would
! lose him the honor, and he was totally
broken up about it. His voice was
pathetic. If he had lost his mother he
could not have been more grieved.
His trouble touched our hearts. Poor
Mason, who was afterwards killed at
Petersburg, suggested that we let him
go. / replied that he would be certain
! to be captured by somebody else, who
possibly might not have so much SYM
| pathy for him. They might rob him of
his shoes and haversack, and turn him
over to brigade headquarters.
1t the darkness we came near knoll,
where there was confused heap of
dead horses. rurning to the Confed-
! crate soldier, / blurted out. Here,
Johnnie, Pm a typo myself You
shan't lose that corporalship if l can
help it. Lie down here among these
dead horses and you will be safe. NJ