Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-09-09
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl.
dcnts of the Late War, and in
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.
An Innocent Boy spx.

nephew, Albert BOynton:" asked Col.
Sam Boynton. Of Chicago.
For some time after the battle Of
Shiloh supplies for the army were haul
ed by team from Pittsburg Landing.
Our regiment had sent three teams for
.ations. My company was doing pro-
vost duty in Corinth when the teams
returned. I noticed little boy on a
load of hard tack. He was covered
with dust; his hat was badly torn and
his clothes were ragged. When the
team stopped in front Of my quarters
ne called out: Hello. Uncle Sam, I
guess you don't know me-
Il didn't, but said, Come here He
climbed down from the wagon and
timidly came to my side. Then recog
nized him. He was my brothers boy.
the brother then living in Galena. said
to him: What on earth are you doing
down here, Alberto
well. uncle, wanted to see fight
and father wouldn't let me go to the
war: he said / was not old enough to
be soldier. SO l ran away
How did you manage to get here"
night and went to the depot and laid in
with the engineer. and he took me to
Chicago, and then Clipped in with an
other engineer who took me to st.
Louis. There l got on board Of the
steamer John Warner. The captain
was going to put me off at Cairo, but
hid away in bunk and he couldn't
CT a non
out and told the captain l wanted to
find the Eighteenth Wisconsin: that
my Uncle Sam was in that regiment,
| and if could find him he would pay
| for my passage. The captain told me
| that the Eighteenth was at Corinth.
| twenty miles from the river When l
got off the boat at the landing l asked
| some men if they knew where the
Eighteenth was camped, and one Of
| them said he belonged to that regiment,
so l piled onto his wagon and came
| with him. Uncle Sam, do you think
| you fellows will have fight here
soon? l want to see fight awful bad
- can't tell. We may and we may
not
| AFTER he had cleaned up a little the
boys got him some supper and then he
lay down and was soon fast asleep I
wrote to his father telling him that his
boy was with me and would 60 back
home as soon as he saw fight He re-
manned with me until October before
he had chance to see a fight. About
the list Of October he came to me and
said: Uncle Sam, l want to get out into
the country and see what l can find out
| there | had bought him some new
clothes. regular butternut suit. and
boy, one would bet he was Johnny's
son. He was only 13 years old and quite
| small for his age. / told him did not
like to have him go away alone. But
he was bound to go. ! saw no more of
him for four days. ] was greatly alarm
ed. On the fourth day he came back.
| He had three chickens and a lot of
dried peaches tied up in womans
skirt. asked him where he had been.
4 have been TO Ripley. That was about
twenty miles from Corinth. 4 saw
Price and Van Dorm. Both were there.
l stayed all night with one Of the Ar
kansas regiments. The Colonels name
Is Rogers. l was close to Price. He is
quite an old man and fat. Van Dorm
Is young man. tall and slim, with
dark hair and chin whiskers. with n
mustache. They are coming to fight
you; soon, too, and they are coming by
way of Chewalla. l heard them talking
1t over. They have lots of soldiers
there, too, and cannon and horses
II became convinced that he was tell
ing the truth, SO went with him to see
General ROsecrans. The General hard a
long talk with the little fellow and was
much interested in him and his story.
He said to me: Captain. this boy Is a
hero. and l want you to let him stay
with me. can make good use Of him
told him he was not my boy and
couldn't do it.
I'm few days. sure enough, Price
and Van Dorm made an attack on our
outpost at Chewalla. Then came the
battle Of Corinth. During the hottest
OF the fight Albert came to the front
Here, Uncle Sam. is some water for
you and the boys He had four can
teens. 1t was what the men most want
ed. scOlded the little rascal and sent
him to the rear. He did not 60 far. |
saw him behind a big tree watching
the fight.
''rhe day after the battle. and while
we were walking over the field. we saw
a wounded Johnny sitting under n tree
In the brush. He had been shot
through the leg. We took him to the
hospital, where his wound was dressed,
often called to see him afterward.
One day. while talking with him, he
said to me: 4 saw that boy Of yours
over at Ripley few days before the
battle.
"'Oh. guess you are mistaken
"'But know did; he's the same
boy that stayed all night with u.s..
while in Missouri some eight years
ago l met a Johnnie who had lost IN
arm at Vicksburg. He said: Say, Cap
tain. | think know you. Wasn't you