The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-12-19

Union soldier He replied, 'Then
am willing to die With my load, ]
started to crawl towards our lines, max.
ing about three inches with each effort
until reached the abatis, which / could
not pull him through, and asked some
one to lend me hand, which was done
by the Orderly Sergeant of Co. c of oul
regiment, who jumped over to me.
1t was now getting dark, so we lifted
him over the sticks and threw him ovei
the works into the arms of our comrades
eager TO receive him. An officer gave
him a flask half full of whisky, and after
a long pull at it he revived little.
ran through the brigade to find a
stretcher and when | got back he was
surrounded by crowd of our men. |
picked out four of the many that vol
unteered to carry him to the rear, and
started for the main line of works.
When crossing the Norfolk Railroad
track | tripped on the first rail, it was
so dark, and fell on my knees. | tried
to keep him from striking the ground,
but he did, and gave a great cry of
pain.
"' Captain / said, / could not help
it.
"'I know it, he replied you must
not mind me; could | find fault with
one who is doing so much for me, after
what you have already done? You are
stranger, but you have played the
part of a brother in going out to where
/ lay to fetch me in. You will be well
rewarded for your work this day. Hold
on; don't lift me up yet. Last night,
when | was crawling over the field, |
saw men moving around, and knew what
they were after, so | took my meerschaum
pipe, a present from my friends when |
left home, and a SO gold-piece, and hid
them where they would not be likely TO
look for them. The first fellow was
satisfied with my pocketbook; the next
took my soft hat and threw me this
hard one, which did me
GOOD SERVICE IN THE HEAT
as fan. He took my sword, belt, and
pistol. Now, Sergeant, take these as
small token from me- | told him that
his pipe would be a comfort to him
while getting well in the hospital.
Fortunately, we found an ambulance
at the entrance of the approach to the
mine. We put him into it, and bid him
good-by. He tried hard to get me to
90 with him and see his leg amputated.
And such leg as it was; swelled so
big in his trousers that it threatened to
burst the clothing.
+" As we lifted him in a shower Of white
maggots-great big ones-fell from his
trousers Leg to the ground. 1t was hard
TO part with him, he pleaded 50 for me
to come along with him. | promised to
see him next day, and returning to-
wards the mine, ] met my regiment, and
with it marched back TO our old posi-
ton on the bank Of the Appomattox
River.
Next morning, Aug. 1, / hurried
through with my duties, got leave of
absence, and started for the Ninth Corps
hospital, where the Steward took me to
where the Captain lay. lie told me not
to talk too much, or disturb him, as he
was very weak, his leg not having been
long taken of. When asked why it had
not been taken off the previous night, he
replied, 'Oh, you are the Sergeant he
spoke about as having brought him in
off the field
I" / found the poor fellow very weak,
but very glad to see me.
az / wiss you had come with me last |
night he said. Il passed a terrible
time. The doctors were all exhausted |
from overwork, and not one could be |
found to attend to me until to-day
{" said that if | had known that, / |
might have prevailed upon them to at
tend to him.
"'Well,' he said, YEARLY, Il only
hope that God will spare my life until
my father comes. | have sent tele-
gram to him, and he will be here as
soon as steam can bring him.
:" shook his hand and
BID HIN GooD-BY,
he asking me to come and see him every
day, which ] promised to do.
1.-The next day ! got Serg't Martin to
90 with me to the hospital, but on reach
ing the ward where he had lain the cot
was gone, and one of the attendants,
pointing to the end of the ward, said,
: You will find him there And he
was, poor fellow, or rather all that was
mortal Of him, covered with ice and can
vass-all that was left Of that handsome,
gallant fellow. The Surgeon expected
the arrival of his father, or he would
have been at once buried, as bodies were
not long kept above ground in those
dreadful days.
"The poor fellow was Capt Hector H.
Aiken, 29th u. s. (colored troops, and
was supposed TO have come from Quincy,
iii. His father came too late to close
his eyes, and though he searched all
over for me, never met him; but his
sons rnfimelv fate has alwavs caucad