Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-12-18
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FEAR IN BATTLE
bne Mans Desperate Effort 20 Cure
Himself of 1t.

bne Mans Desperate Effort 10 Cure
Himself OF 1t.
"Some of us think there never was
Biuch q man; others have been contend
ing that hundreds of men fought
straight through the civil war on each
side without ever knowing n qualm of
personal fear. What have you to say
about it, colonel? You certainly ought
to know for you were in it from start to
finish"
'Yes, ought to know" answered the
colcnel "and do know. was lad
when I enlisted. l shall never forget
that day. Ny father had fine country
place up the river then. 1 had just
passed my 18th birthday. There was
nothing but talk, talk. talk about the
war and enlisting, and 1 got very much
aroused on the subject. slipped off to
little island near by early one morn
ing and staid there alone that whole
day thinking the matter over; when I
went home that night my mind was
made up. L would steal away down to
the city next day and enlist. did.
'When got back home the next after
noon was shaking in my boots, for
had no idea what my mother and father
would say to me. You know a young
Gimp always tackles his mother first
under those conditions. So l went in
to where mine was busy with her house
hold duties and said:
Mother, I've enlisted
"'How dare you do such a thing?' she
answered, angrily and shut her lips
tight.
fa1 6,o,r III Col
over the way she took the news, be-
cnuse my boyish heart was full of the
ciuse. I made my way hesitatingly to
my fathers study, opened the door and
stood face to face with the old gentle
man.
"'What is it, young man?' he asked.
Father, I've enlisted I answered.
"'Well, what of it,? he answered. IF
you hadn't 1 should have drowned you,'
and he took my hand in his. Then he
looked at me hard. and before knew it
he gave me the kiss that should have
come from my mother.
''I started in rs lieutenant. NV Ia
ther was influential, and he saw to that.
When 1 started out 1 felt sure that
would never know what the feeling of
fear was, and experience taught me that
all soldiers went forth with the same
impression. Cad, how / changed my
mind during my frst slsirmish! We
were behind an embankment and was
in command. 1t just rained lead across
our heads. Every time n man raised
his head above the breastworks it came
whizzing off his shoulders as sure as
shooting. I got scared. 1 could feel
myself growing colorless. 1 couldn't
articulate. My arms grew rigid, and to
save me 1 couldn't have put in n load.
All of n sudden it came to me that the
men under me knew that was scared.
This thought loosened up my tongue
and joints bit. Then it flashed over
me that it would never do for me to let
my men know that / was afraid. and
that must do omething to prove that
was not. What could do? The man
next me poked his head up at that point
and mimic ball took him right between
the eyes. 4 cold sweat broke out on me.
and was ready to collapse, when all of
a sudden it came back to me that all
would be lost; that / should be ruined
IL 1 let my men go on thinking that /
was n coward. seized my field glasses
and with n shout leaped to the top of the
breastworks. I raised those glasses to
my eyes, and for Il second our enemy al
most stopped firing they were so as
fonished. 1 looked from one end of
their lines to the other.
"'Come down from there, you blamed
little fool!' said a rough voice behind
me, and l was ierlSed back into the
ditch by powerful force. Doyou want