The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-29
A DoY's DARING AT GETTYSBURG.
Brings on His wounded Captain be-
tween Two Fires.
From the Boston Herald.

The friends OF Mr.. Charles W. Reed. the
him on his receiving the medal of honor for
most distinguished gallantry in action at
the battle of Gettysburg, July 2. 1863.
Mr.. Reed was chief bugler of the Ninth
Independent battery of Massachusetts,
Light Artillery, and his experiences on
that eventful second of July were of the
most exciting character. lie was one OF
the very few men in his battery who came
out of the engagement without scratch.
He was subjected to the hottest kind Of
firing for many hours, and ran the gauntlet
of a heavy fire of confederate guns, with a
wounded, commanding officer whom he
had to hold on his horse. The officer was
Mai John Bigelow of Minneapolis, who,
but for Bugler Reed and Orderly Kelly
might have been left on the battlefield TO
die. /
on the second day of that famous en-
gagement, the Ninth battery was forced to
a stone wall, near the peach orchards at
Trestle's. and for half an hour the en-
gagement was one of the hottest of the
war. Five batteries were pulled out, one
after another, and the Ninth was made a
cat's-paw for the others.
Capt. Bigelow," said Mr.. Reed, ere
ceived orders to hold the position at ali
hazards until line could be formed in the
rear. We made the fire as hot as possible
until we had fired the last of our $40
rounds, and during the engagement We
used up about 1--WE tons of ammunition.
1.-THE excitement was intense, and l re-
member one incident in connection with
the loading of the last gun, which showed
the nerve of some of our men.
Charlie Quinn, a Cambridge man,
driver was going to the rear. when the
captain called him.
Where are you golngT he shouted.
lin driver said Quinn. and my last
horse has been shot
1.-THE captain ordered him back to help
man the gun, and his position was at the
touchhole. He did not stop TO put on the
glove of the man who had been shot down
at taat post. He placed his bare thumb
over the touchhole, hot as II was, as the
gun was being loaded, realizing what il
would mean TO remove IL. Although he
could feel the flesh being burned to the
bone he knew that to remove the thumb
would cause a discharge, which would
cost one of his comrades an arm or per-
haps his life.
HE held out until the last. and when he
finally removed his thumb It was burned
through to the bone. Then the other boys
guyed him about 1t. saying that he wanted
to be put on the list of wounded. His only
thought had been. however, to get the
gun loaded and fred as soon as possible,
and when the others said anything about
It he would offer to fight the whole bat
terry, wounded thumb and all, and in the
face OF the fire OF the enemy.
THAT was an incident Of that exciting
half hour, after the last round had been
fired. Then 4. was that the captain re-
ceived word 70 get his men out Of the hole
as fast as their legs and horses would let
them.
Both the captain and myself wero on
horseback and we cleared the wall to-
syethor The question Of getting the guns
through presented itself. but this matter
was soon settled In the most surprising
way. The horses attached 10 the carriage
followed MS. They got over the wall AZ
place where some Of the stones had fallen
or. and II was In such way that FIRST
the heels on one side went over and then
the others.
THE enemy's fire was sfill kept ~. and
kept my horse moving, but the captain sat
sfsli. A Hbot struck him. and he dropped
forward % his horee and about che same
moment his horse was shot ne dropped
70 me ground and began q puli himself