Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-01-17
HOW GEN. sEOowICK DIED.
The True Story OF His killing Told IL
Print for the First Time


The Ninth Corps, under burnside
lay on the left of the Sixth corps uh'
der the Brave Gen. John SedgwicK.
His sterling worth was combined
wi h an almost feminine modeSty.
and he never posed for public ap'
plause; but his achievement at SaieH
Church, above Fredericksburg, when
he fought Lees victorious troops ioi
five hours with a single corps, ano
then safely tranferred his men across
the river under the fire of the rebel
guns, was not surpassed in. the foul
years But, alas! his cool bravery
/ onIy served him Cnce, as martyr.
His corps was ordered 10 move from
the right to the left toward Nortn
Anna River passing the Ninth Corps
to the rear Of it. The writer wa:
with others commanding the picket
line.
| Located Immediately in our front,
In the arms Of large oak that rose
! above the second growth OF timber
that was skirted with our picketS,
who were in skIrmish lines, was q
sharpshooter who had played deadly
havoc on the lines OF both the Sixth
and Ninth Corps, dealing death tc
every officer espec ally who came
within range. i had been obliged all
day to avoid his aim by hugging close
to the fine timber just back or our
line Gen. Selgwick had been exam
ining his route of marcn, which must
be made in the night, when he came
through the open pine woods where ]
was. Seeing him approaching an
open space he was warned OF the dan
ger. He smilinglY replied:
Captain, have you been ont here
80 long that your knees are week"
Can we not dIslodge the Teb with
she'll? Let me see"
Riding out to where the view was
clear he halted his horse. lifted his
field glass to his eyes and sat thus
Leshaps a half minute, when his
sight went out forever. One of the
sharpshooter's minnie balls shrieked
across the open and pierced his fore
head. His death was instantaneous.
During the day an Indian nam q
SilVerheels, belonging to the artillery,
was shot on the skirmish line. His
tent mate, named Rattlesnlke, WIS
much bereft at the loss He was close
by when Gen. Selgwick fell. He wa:
4 great lover of Sedgwick, who hal
made him several presents for dan
ger us service.
Coming to where was RattlcSnake
said: TOO mush, too mush. dat. He
lie or me die" pointing to the sharp
shooter.
Covering himself with pine bOughs
he ventured cautiously into the open
field, stood still like a bush when the
rcb was hring on the Ninth Corps
moving swiftly when his gun smoke
spouted toward the Sixth. Almost
brcath!essly l gladly saw him enter
tn woods. a few minutes only aud
the crack OF the rifle in the tree
ceased forever, and Sedgwick and Sill
verheels were reyenged. One lOny
stifed rife shot down low in the
woods was all that came to our ears
Rattlesnake reappeared, proud, erect,
fearless. and hasteued to NE.
His hands were red in spots, so was
his bosom. l was afraid he had been
wounded himself He only said slow
Iy and in bad English:
"Maior, he no want scalp" allud-
ing to the commander of our battll-
ion.
I said, "Ah. no. that too muchy
like In5un."
lie said, "No more shooty seds-
wick"
He had a Spencer rife and 100
rounds OF new cartridges
He told with many geSticulations
how he had crept to within few feet
Of the tree, took deadly aim, aud
then sad, drop dat shooter" The
rebel dropped his gun and his car
tridges Then he jumped to the
ground and offered to go anywhere.
Rattlesnake examined him to see
that he had no other weapons and
tesaid: "Go, 60" The sharpshoot-
er was not long in obeyIng. After he
had gone little way the Indian cried
out:
Hello, reb; halt"
The reb stopped and turned when
Rattlesnake said "Sedgwick," and
the sharpshooter's deadly work was
ended.
l always had my suspicion as to
how that blood came on his shirt bo-
sOm, but do not know. One thing
is certain, Rattlesnake did not 60 to
the hospital for any wound to be
jrocSpd Neu Vorl- proes