The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-13
The Wish of a Dying NJ an.
A Short Story Of the Civil War
Told by an Old Soldier

Here was battle golug on SAID
an old soldier: nothing very heroic
about it not anything very tremendous
except that nlore or less men were get
ting killed ADD wounded all the time
Patches of woods with open spaces ln-
terveniog, the liue stretched along the
edge Of the woods and across the open
spaces. Along in front an open space
and on the other side of that the con-
federatcs in woods like ourselves, where
there we're woods, but 10 light earthworks
and rife pits between. That was their
nosltion, and we had advanced toward 1t
as part of some general movement.
and our business was to stay there and
keep the troops in front engaged.
..Veteran troops, ours we're. ex-
cept for such recruits as were scattered
among US and ezceptiforIa fe" enthusiastic
men that liked to shout, using ammu-
uition sparinely and DOT shooting much
unless they thought they had some sort
of chance of biting something.
Thought sometimes about them
selves. but pretty careful generally,
and protecting themselves as much as
they could. But even with that and
With fighting slow, we managed 10 the
course of the day to lose pretty good
lot OF men.
Here, now, was man in my regl-
ment shot through the body. He
crawled away toward the rear. [ don't
know why he wasn't picked up by the
hospital men. but he wasn't. Just back
of tha, part of the line where our regl-
ment was stationed was little farm
house. In front Of this house was one
tree: it wasn't very big tree, and |
don't remember what kind of tree it was
but remember that two of Its roots
ran away from the trunk little above
above ground for four or Eve feet. and
between these roots was little hollow.
Just little sort Of depression in the
ground. The front yard was, maybe.
eight or ten rods back from the line;
that is. it might have been that much
back to the tree. The mau crawled
along slowly along until he came to
to the tree, and he crept partly into
that little depression; I suppose it look
ed sort of Inviting; it was place; 1t
wasn't just outdoors, but was a sort of
place by itself, and toe tree gave it a
kind of companioDship, too. He crept
partly into the little hollow and then
stopped and raised himself up so that
he was half sitting up, propped up on
on one arm and band. aud be sat up
in that way aud looked at the brigade
commander, who was standing i'll the
yard. The brigade commander had
been the colonel Of the wounded mans
regiment, and he knew every man 10 it;
be knew this man, aud, Of course, every
man in the regiment knew the colo
nel-the general, be was now-and
from knowing him so loug and so we'll
the men had all come to rely on hin
and look to him.
Red was creeping out. around the
wounded man now, aud staining the
little hollow as he sat there, propped
up on his arm looking at the general.
There was sort of wistful look on his,
face, as though be thought the general
could help him, and the general looked
down on him very soberly; in fact, with
very great pity. Just few feet
away, more or less, meu were being
killed aud wounded all the time, bet
that vas going ou in an orderly, bust
ness fashion This man was just dying
just simply dying by lrimself, and you
could see his life fade as you looked at
him, and you could see the red stain
spreading 10 the little hollow, and
making scallops here aud there, where
it ran up into little shallow CULTS and
bays, making off from the main depres-
sion
He was getting weaker, and weak
er. aud was going fast, but ali the time
looking up at the general with that look
on his face
If | could only have one more
shot y be said You see. be wasn't
thinking of home or friends He was
thinking of the battle; bis last wish was
for one more shot; and a second later
he collapsed aud fell dead. " 7.
Sun.