The National tribune., 1895-04-11
The Last Men.

Will Bates, 1st \. Y. s. s., Bloomington
Neb., writes About p. m. of the day
before the Fifth Corps left Spottsy lvania
Lieut.. J. B. Mcdonald ordered me back to
the rear, rs / was completely used up, and
| started back in the woods to the field hos
pital When about so feet from the tent /
saw soldier leaving the tent with what
looked like an armful of limbs of soldiers
that had been amputated. The sight sick
ened me, in my weak state, aud / turned
aside and found large tree, with fallen
one close mp against 1T, and IN the nook
formed by the two trees sank down.
1.-THE first / knew was being shaken,
and family conscious of someone talking.
| awoke to find II man rubbing me and try
ing to get me up ont of my cramped posi-
ton. / was sitting in about four inches OF
water and numbed to my waist.
"As near as / can remember he told me
the army had fallen back and the rebs were
advancing; that if didn't make an effort |
would be captured or killed. The yelling of
rebs in our former front and the zip Of bull
let's proved him correct; but / was helpless,
and the rescuer gave me some liquor from
his canteen then lifted me on his horse and
started out of the woods. This was about A
or p. m.
I've got out of the woods, with the rebs
close behind / could see the rear of our
army filing out of sight about three miles
distant. The shaking of the horse and the
effect of the liquor revived me so that l
soon slid off the horse The Surgeon took
my place, and after a while we parted, when
safe away from the enemy. | never knew
the Surgeons name, but he and / were the
last men that got away from Spottsylvania."
The Howard House.
d. J. Spencer, Co ID, 25th Iowa, says, as
to the dispute over the Howard House /:
"Our brigade Second, First Division, Fiji
teenth COrps,) was held in reserve on the
morning of July g. 1864, having been
crowed out in the formation of the new line,
and were in plain view of De Gress's battery
when the same was captured. There was
scrubby growth of brush a short distance in
rear of the battery, from which we saw the
rebels emerging. We were Immediately
ordered TO charge and recaptuTe the battery,
which we did with small loss, one killed and
eight wounded in our regiment
"The Howard House was quite large
two-story frame building situated near the
right of our corps and left of the Twenty
third Corps, and but short distance in the
rear. 1t was quite rendezvous for officials,
Il
mans Headquarters on that day. An ambu-
lance was driven up to the house, which was
said to contain the body of Gen. McPher-
SON."
Information.
G. Fl. Crittenden, 1st Mich, National Home,
Ohio, has an ambrotype of young woman,
picked up at Malvern Hill near where the
1st n J. was in line. In the back of the
case is written "Charles P. Fish," This
comrade was in the 1st N. J. The writer
would be glad to restore the property to its
owner.
George Arson, Co. l., 1st Iowa Cav, New
Bridge, Ore, wants some comrade to tell him
by personal letter how Gen. Marmaduke was
captured.
]. N. Sharpnack, Freeport, W. Va, has
medal presented to John Mowry, of Co. K,
LIST Ohio L. A. He will send to the owner
upon an identifying description.
A Good Samaritan.
d. J. Morey, Grant, o., wants to hear from
the Confederate Sergeant who was escort for
Gen. Lee and his wife, when riding on horse
back over the Manassas field, and who
stopped to talk with and afterwards left
Federal prisoner his blanket at the request
OF Mrs. Lee. The writer thinks the Ser
geant was from Charleston, S. G.