The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-11-29


zach man, as he signed his name on
r, the enlistment roll, realized that
meant fight, and that fight meant
kill. This idea was further drilled into
us in camp; it formed the basis Of the
e~olonel's address as we marched TO the
front; it brought u muskets to an
aim as we caught sight Of the enemy
for the first time. We had become sol
diers to march, fight and kill. IT was
to be looked upon as a matter Of pusl-
ness, as well as a patriotic duty. The
sooner the strength of the enemy was
exhausted, the sooner we would have
peace.
We thought that every mar in Com
pany G had the same feeling--to kill
but we had not been long at the front
when we found an exception. a seore
of skirmishers were ordered down in
front Of the regiment to feel the
strength of the enemy in the fringe OF
bushes along a creek. Ambrose Davis
was one of US. He was q mar of 30
a plain. everyday man who had laid
down the tools of a mechanic to take up
the musket of a soldier. He was not
eiven to enthusiasm, but he was an
onedient soldier and the best shot in
the company. As we clan-.ered over
the fence and took open order" on the
broad field which dipped down to the
creek, the enemy in the fringe had a
dead rest on every man. War with
them also meant kill. To kill one Of
half a million men mean little. and yet
it means to kill. Z:pi Ping! Zip. 1t was
not firing by fle-it was not firing by
volleys into a battle-line half hidden in
the smoke, but every bullet that came
pinging was meant for an individual
soldier.
We crouched Down and ran forward
We ~zig-zagged to right and left. We
took the shelter Of every knoll, bush
and stump. The enemy had TO develop
his strength to check us. In front OF
Davis was an opening in the fringe
spot where a farm road crossed the
creek. The enemy to the right and left
of this road were using the bank of the
stream as a breastworks, and we were
firing a good deal at random. An Off
Ger suddenly appeared in the center oil
this opening, and raising a pair OF
glasses to his eyes he took a cool sur.
vey of the regiment far back of us on
the hill. He was within pistol shot o.
Davis, and he must have known il, and
yet he stood there as cool and calm q:
you please to take his chance. 1t was
sheer bravado. Four OF our 20 haC
been killed. and the enemy was seeking
the lives of the rest. was TO the righr
of Davis and could have almost hi
the officer with a stone; the man on Iii
left had Just as fair a target. He wal
not our game" however-he belonged
to Davis. We saw our comraGe thrus
forward a barrel of his musket ant
bring his eye down TO the sights. Thel
we watched the officer to see him throw
up his hands and fall. Thirty second
passed away, and we glanced back a
Davis. At length 1 heard the man OF
Davis left shouting to him:
shoot! Shoot! Why the devil DON
you drop that oficerl"
l turned to look at Davis, and as
did so he slowed the muzzle CT his GU
TO the right and fired into the bushe:
a few seconds later the officer lowere
his glasses, and swinging them in hi
hand and perhaps cumming a tune, h
slowly disappeared into the bushes
Later in the day, when Davis singula
action had been reported, the captai
said to him:
Davis, / can't believe you are a COW
ard, because you went down on tn
skir1nisn line to be shot at, but whe
-you had an enemy fair under your gul
and an officer at that, why didn't 70
bring him DOWN."
Twas going to, sir, but II couldn't,
was the reply.
But they were shooting at you t
kill"
YES, I know"
The captain could hardly repriman
q man for not killing an enemy as /
would have shot down a rabbit, an
there was lot one to hint that Dav
: lacked courage. The incident was 70
gotten after a little, and such was tn
soldierly conduct of the man that /
was made a corporal. When the enem
withdrew behind the works at Yorl
town to bar McClellan's road to Ricl
!, mond he covered his wings with sharl
shooters, and our officers were the
special targets. One day, as three con
/, panies of US were dragging some
the heavy siege guns to be put in pos
ton. a msjcr and q private were kill'
by a sharpshooter who was located
a tree top. He could be plainly mac
out, but the range was too far for OF
army muskets. A Berdan rifle was sci
: for. and when it arrived our capita.
put it into the hands of Private Day
and said:
"You are by long odds the best sh
in u company. With a dead rest ov
that log you ear tumble that man o.
of his tree"
| Davis hung back and turned pal
Just then, a brigadier rode up to 81
an order, and his horse had scarce
come to a holt when q bullet from Il
sharpshooter passed through the sc
erals hat. He was not only a bit sta