The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-08
A SOLDIERS TA.>uA
By CHARLES B. LEWIS. s
Copyright. 1898.
rACII man, as he signed his Larie On

kill. Il.!s ICca ": IuflE, &C.,. 4 ~"
us in CAM; "a 10, med IL - - I! 'hs
co,oneis acC.trs = we n-ii'Lec - 'ne
flort; j: brought our nHSht'S 10 az
ANA" .. t.> caught sight q 'ie eiFiA9
fer tie iiist tine. We h'd become so'-
Giers 10 IL: oh, :iSht a"G i;'H. II wac
10 be looitG urci. a. matter q rn;''-
ress. a. we'll as patriotic C"'H' in0
toner lie strength CT the enemy ""s
exhausted, the sooner we "o"ii nav !
peace.
y, bought that every nan III ooi -,
:aay & had tHr me f'e!ihS 10 h'''
bul Wc had ret ~ g iora - ''e ! o.
hen "" foHEd ~ ~%cep'ioi' a 80.
{ skiri3i>hei> Ns'' ordered ''""i -"
irCrt q the J, '.i.FEt ~ ~
strength CT TIE {. :" :. III h' ''''S -
It,. i.ce along = ci' *. .'i.!H', '' ir"' -
was c"e Gi W. ne WAS .--"n =,
Il PLAN. everyday man VII" '"'
cow &c ;."!s CT Il intc-aiiic 10 '"Ne u
he r. 81 q '"'cici' ne was NV
given r. s't"rz:::s-''' bu' E' WIS On
e., l"f n" tH'' - ,''' -
;"= >-,-. 49,. - we OK ''''
the / r' 81" trNh II" i I 60 vi -
hrcao i|r'd Nh;r:' tii'Ftc COW" - ,'-'
erect, TIE enemy n the lri..z' LAX. g
lead rest @" every man. wa "'''a
them also meant XII. 10 Ell one u
h2lf Il E.fi;~.' men means 49,. CIV -
itr"GnG e XII. up iiii9 |'l'' t 90
not tiir& ~ hfC~~It Wa - - -
yolleya into Il ha''e-iihP ~ H'"oeii Ia
the smoke, puI every ou!i"' .ii''. c,'i''1
rlnGirg was meant TOT IN ii'oN III '''
soldier.
We crOuched down ana ran ior"aid'
We ziS-zaGged 10 IlSht ana lett. We
tcok the shelter Ct every Knoll, busn
and stump. The enemy mad 20 oeFelCP
his strength to check us. In front OF
Davis WAS an opening III the 1riEGe-a
spot where farm road crossed the
creek. The enemy to the right "Ed !eil
Of this read were using the bank OF The
stream as a brea*tworks, and we were
firing good deal at random. All olii-
Ger suddenly appeared IN the center or
this opening, ana raising PAR OF
glasses to ms eyes he TOOK cool sur
vey OF the regiment lar back of us on
the hill. lie was within pistol shot OF
Davis, and he must have known IT, and
yet lie stood there as cool and calm as
YOU please to take his chance 1t was
sheer bravado. Four of our 20 had
been killed, and the enemy Was"eeklng
OF Davis ana could nave almost hit
the officer with a stone; the man on his
lett had just as lar target. lie was
not our game, however-he belonged
10 DAVIS. We saw our comrade thrust
forward 6 barrel OF. his nusket and
BRING lis eye down to the sights. Then
we watched the officer to see him throw
up his hands and iail. thirty seconds
passed away and we glanced back at
Davis. Al length heard the man on
Davis left shouting to him:
ohoot! Shoot: why the devil don't
YOU drop that Cfilcer.
turned TO LOOK at Davis, and as l
ava so ne sleWed the muzzle OF his gun
10 the right and hred INTO the bushes.
Y few seconds later the officer lowered
ms glasses, and swinging them in his
hand and perhaps cumming tune, he
slowly disappeared into the bushes.
Later IN the day, when Davis singular
action had been reported, the captain
sald to him;
Davis, | can't believe you are a cow
. nnD 1yC-n Il L
@ldrmisn line TO he shot at, but when
YOU had an enemy fair under your gun,
and an otIice! at that, why didn't YOU
bring him DOWN."
Twas going to, sir, but II couldn't"
was the reply.
But they were shooting at YOU to
kill"
Yes | know"
The captain could hardly reprimand.
a man for not killing an enemy as he
would have shot down rabbit, and
there was not one to hint that Davis
lacked courage. The incident was for
gotten after a little, and such was the
soldierly conduct cf the man that he
was made a corporal. When the enemy
withdrew behind the works at York
town to bar McCIellan's road to Rich
mond he covered his wings with sharp
shooters. and our officers were their
special targets. One day, as three COM
panies Of us were dragging some of
the heavy siege guns to be put in posi-
ton. a major and Il private were killed
by Il sharpshooter who was located in
tree top. He could be plainly made
out. but the range was too far for our
army muskets. a Berdan rifle was sent
for, and when it arrived our captain
put it into the hands of Private Davis
and said:
H. \ L