Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-02-03

''YoU sHAN'T LOSE THAT CoRPoRALsHIP.
charge was repulsed about twilight.
Darkness soon came. There was no
moon. but the woods were afame, add
ing smoke to the smoke of the battle.
The air was filed with the groans of
the wounded and dying. Some were
being roasted in the woods.
A skirmish line was sent out to ascer-
tain whether the confederates were
forming for a new charge. The writer
was a volunteer. We had gone ont
some distance when we came to a
fence that had been thrown down in
the assault.
stopped close to the ground look
Jag at the Inning of the sky. This is
a habit contracted while on picket
duty at night. l saw in the distance
lined against the sky a figure l knew.
1t was that of Corporal Mason, of New
ark, n. j., who had gone out with me
on the line
Between Mason and myself shot a
human figure. The confederates were
doing the same as we were doing, feel
ing for their opponents. The skirmish-
ers were passing each other in the
darkness Shouting to Mason, turned
and overhauled the confederate skir-
misher, who had gone between us Ma
son came up on the other side; astound-
ed at our appearance, the Johnnie threw
down his gun and began to take off his
traps
An order came in withdrawing our
shirmishers. 1t was passed along the
line. We took the prisoner with us.
He was member of the Thirteenth
Mississippi, and said he came from Pom
tiac. He had haversack made of un-
dressed COW skin, to which pair of
new shoes were 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 brigade before Hooker had
crossed the river. Regiments were
moving in the darkness, and there was
very little noise
Our prisoner answered all questions
in monosyllables. He seemed much
cast down. He listened to pleasantries,
but made no return. At last, learning
that one of his captors was member
of the typographical union, he opened
his heart. He said that he was print.
er 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 battle 1t had
taken over year for the officers of the
regiment to discover his merits, but al
1nst hnh "a UnC
that he was to be made IA corporal or
the following day, His capture would
lose him the honor, and he was totally
broken up about it. His voice was pa
thetic If he had lost his mother he
could not have been more grieved
His trouble touched our hearts. Poor
Mason, who was afterward killed a.
Petersburg, suggested that we let hin
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 turr
him over to brigade headquarters.
In the darkness we came near {
knoll where there was a confused heaI
of dead horses. Turning to the con
federate soldier / blurted out: Here
johnnie, I'm typo myself. Yo,
shan't lose that corporalship if car
help it. Lie down here among thes'
dead horses and you will be safe. No
body will see you in the darkness. Oul
army is moving toward the river ant
within twenty minutes your skir
mishcrs will be this way in pursuit.
only hope that you will not be disap
pointed in securing your warrant as
corporal"
Tho onfederate soldier shook handl
and disappeared in the darkness. Mean
time shot and shell were falling be
yond us and the sharp humming of bul
lets could be again heard. The Sixtl
corps began to mass around the earth
works, but before daylight it hat
marched across pontoon bridge lait