Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-11-04

surgeon steadily in the eye said, quite
emphatically: Mark me for duty" The
surgeon quickly complied. Easton
again took the colors, and with help
reached the front. lost sight of him
until about three o'clock p, m. Our
ammunition had given out; we were or
dered back. We had to abandon II bat
terry, and the enemy turned on us i'm
nediately. Seeing this our lieutenant
colonel, Hall (the colonel having been
badly woundedD, although shot through
the leg, ordered us to charge with the
bayonet and recapture those guns.
The charge was led by Sergt. Easton,
The enemy were driven back and
Sergt Easton, Capt. Neal, and few
other boys spiked the guns" then beat
hasty retreat for the Landing, over
three miles away.
Easton had taken the government
bunting flag into the fight, leaving the
regimental banner and silk flag in the
company quarters. In retreating he
made detour to the quarters, and amid
a rain of leaden hail secured the two silk
flags, and with the remnant of the old
bunting made a safe retreat.
One more incident: During the sum-
mer of 90, while camped on the Hatchie
river in Tennessee, Gen. NJ. NJ. Crocker
had the Eleventh Iowa moved across
the river from the rest Of the brigade.
The enemy formed a line almost around
us, and were daily expecting attack.
Our force was too small to hold our
ground without reinforccments. Our
position was critical. The colonel
called for a volunteer sergeant for vi
dette duty. Sergt, Easton responded,
and was sent up the river mile or more
with 26 men to see that the. enemy did
not close our only avenue of escape.
Toward midnight an OWLS boot
sounded across the river to the right.
In few minutes similar sound an
swered from the opposite direction.
They seemed to be about mile apart
The sergeant was standing with his
back against tree, motionless. Soon
came a second call and reply. "Not
much owl" remarked the sergeant to
me sententiously, "but the sort of a
bird we're out here after" Calling
for four men to follow, he led the way
into the dense, dark forest, getting as
nealy on line between the hooters us
possible. Suddenly we found we were
lost. But one man said; "Sergt. E., you
catch the fellow on the right, and III
try for the one on the left"
Nearer and nearer came footsteps
with an occasional cracking of twigs
underfoot. When they were four oil
five feet from us: "Halt!" sang out
the sergeant, making spring toward
his FOWL" A rapid exchange of shots
rang out. The birds" wheeled and ran
the sergeant in close pursuit, firing al
the retreating "owl," until the bird
jumped or fell into the river.
In a short time the sergeant put il
an appearance, hot, dirty and woe-be
gone-looking, scratched and bleeding
from coming in contact with the low
hanging beech limbs. But his feelings
were the worst lacerated, as he hac
failed to accomplish what he had ex
pected to do.
But the colonel had heard the shoot
ing, also the owls (O. and had come out
to see what had been done. He was
more excited than the sergeant, as
he was in undress uniform and on his
horses bare back. He said brave Off
GERS were in demand, and he would
never rest until Sergt. E. wore shout
der-straps.
In the spring of '63 a large envelope
reached Easton containing captains
commission and an order to report a
headquarters for duty. And so he lief
us-A Veteran, in National Tribune.