San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-24

S %W facing the enemy
MN N in battle without
! ! !. s !" !" J !.
IN. sNS any feeling Of
NSxKSSX fear. I didn't.
III $sAAY Either they were
|Gz n SS ~ lying or am a
X8 \D1bYflH& coward. II lhad
~ [IA WVf%& not been always
wTLN Y in command of q
company, I be-
HON. D. B. HENDERSON. lieve I should
have made q break more than once
Officers don't deserve any reputation
for courage anyway. Ut is pride
with them, not bravery. They would
dodge if they coRld, bat they are afraid.
With a whole company of men behind
yon and watching your every movement
an officer has TO stand up and ibe; AMMAN.
/ was always an officer and was. colo
mel before was %, hut 4 had lost my leg
meanwhile.
The most tGnching InciSentoof the
war feeling under my observation was n
VERY simple ore, continued General
Henderson cit was not a great drama,
not a stirring charge or act Of exalted
herOisna, and yet one OF those little
touches of human mature, one of those
gliInpses into the love of human hearts
that are as Fare a they are beautiful In
the charge at Dmelson q was knocked
over with broken jaw, and carried off
to the field hospital 1t appeared that
they classified thewound~da according to
the nature of their hurts. All who had
in one tent, those hit inrthe legs in an
other and those struck in the head in a
third. In the tent to which, they carried
me all the patients were suffering in
jurJes in the head. As 4 looked about l
saw that one of my fellow patients was
mere boy of 16 or IL. Though the lower
part of his face was .bandaged and the
blood was soaking through, his eyes and
forehead were visible. They were such
blue eyes, the forehead was SO white
and smooth, THAT I half suspected the
poor sufferer was a girl The tent was
as silent as q graxe. Plenty of the suf-
ferers We're in agony, but not moan
was heard. There was not man in the
lot who could speak, and the attendant
had stepped ont for a few moments,
when the tert ftap was Thrown back and
I heard young voice, choking with
emotion:
"-Charleyi Charley! Are you in here,
Charley? Where are your
There was no reply. The inquirer
seemed to overlook the fact thatnone of
us could speak. He repeated his inquiry,
and receiving no reply was about to
turn away when happened to glance
at the poor boy of whom have spoken.
/ will never forget the expression in
that part of his face which could see
1t was mingled joy and agony. Thought
could see recognition in his eyes as he
glanced toward the tent door. He made
convulsive efforts to speak, which 1 knew
cost him terrible pains and started the
blood surging through his bandages 1t
all flashed upon me. Here were two
brothers, one terribly wounded, the 9th
er looking for him, but in danger of
missing him ON account of the mute re-
spouse. Then it was summoned my
strength for one of the greatest efforts
of my life. managed to make Just
noise enough to attract the attention of
the young man, who had closed the tent
flap and started away. He returned and
eagerly asked:
"'Who spoke? heard voice Where
was it?'
Il managed TO attract his attention
in my direction and then looked toward
the cot of the boy soldier. Has eyes fol-
lowed mine, and in a few seconds lie
leaped forward with cry which will
ring III my eais to my dying Gay:
Charley Charley My little broth
err
"He placed his head beside that of
the poor sufferer He fondled the blue
eyed boy with all the tenderness of a
loving woman. When he lifted his face,
i saw that his cheek was covered with
his brothers. blood.
"'Oh, my poor little brotherl My
brave little bEotherp he exclaimed. |
why did you not heed our mothers |
prayers and stay at home? Why did you
not stay with her instead of running
away to the war after me?'
There was no response to this child
ing of love, none except look from the
blue eyes into his brothers., One soldier
to understand. The soul of one
young patient looked into that of anoth-
err
i understand it. Charley. I under