Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-10-08
ANECDoTAI LITERATURE,
Contributed to tie Independent
by n. G.
! q .aNFNg oy waa-LoaE.

| an very fond OF listening to The
recital of war experiments, especial
" by one 10 whose yeFacity can
place full confidence. Directly after
my graduation in Is4i, | spent
short time at my parental home in
Westmoreland county, Pa, before
entering the Theological Seminary
at Gettysburg. a number ofirieads
and Eeighbors called on me during
this time to congratulate me upon
having rescued the acme Of college
glory. Among these was distant
relative, veteran of the Napoleonic
war. Upon request, he related some
of his personal experience while in
service, few of which transferred
to ny diary, aud now, after the lapse
OF 81 years. offer for publication, as
IA item which may interest at least
some of those who have q similar
taste Tor war-lore as mine, and those
veterans of the civil war who hsye
experiences OF = similar Kind.
Compiler.
Said he, II vas no volunteer the
government forced me into the
army. Much as dislIked it, l had
to 20. Our corps, though compos-
Ell CT Germans, wss at that time
obliged to tight in the army of Ma
poIeoa. At the battle Of Leipsic,
which commenced on the l3 Of Oct,
1913, and lasted three days We we're
lighting the AustEisns. Our corps
occupied The front directly opposite
the enemy aud exposed to the de-
structive FIRE OF the Austrian arsil-
lery. One OF their cannons was SO
planted and directed that the ball
passed within q few feet OF me, and
as it swept away one of our men, the
gap had to be filed Immediately in
the rank by It's motion iu thst d.
recti1n. Being close to the range
of the cannon, I did not know how
soon might be the next victim. l
saw six of my companions swept
away by that destructive cannon.
Soon l wss forced to move on the
fatal spot, expecting nothing else
but sharing the fate of my compan-
ions, through that death-dealing
weapon. But as it happened, either
the cannon was moved little out of
its position, or 1 stepped g few
inches beyond the range, at sny rate
just as I was loading my gun, the
bali which ] expected to land me in
eternity, just grazed me and carried
away With it the cartridge and mus
ket of nv next companion. my
God" cried he, "my weapons are
gouel' "Neyer mind, - said /, $50
your body is unhurt.n With that
another ball struck my companion,
cutting Of both his legs. Unable
to longer endure the calling fire of
the enemy, We were compelled to
retreat. As we were in front in the
attack we were in the rear on the
fetrest, and in the greatest danger
from the pursuing enemy. Ny leg
less companion entreated Us to drag
him along, but our attempt to do so
only endangered Us the more. Our
commander at the same time order
ell Us to leave him to his fate and
save ourselves.
In our fight We had to cross
ditch, which, together with the
bridge Eas full OF dead bodies, and
difficult to cross. I made directly
for this ditch, and while struggling
70 get over, saw our German Prince
Emil trying to cross on horseback,
but his horse was shot from under
him and he wss obliged to cross on
foot Ike myself. By the help of
my musket l got on the opposite
hank. and ran IN order to overtake
ny companions just as they ran
into Prussian Regiment. In the
excitement of the moment our com
msnder iDjudiciousiy ordered s vol
ley TO be poured into them, which
set caused the pursuing enemy to
fall upon Us and many a soldier hit
the dust. had gotten so far in the
rear OF our men, that l found it i'm.
possible to escape. In my precipi.
fancy ] stumbled over s wounded
soldier, aud the Austrians went
over NE, but left me, fortunately
unharmed. AS | rose 8 struggling
soldier came up TO rife ny person.
An officer seeing it said: "Let him
alone, be is German child as well
as you He then asked me where
my knapsack was. Telling him, il
had already been taken from me, he
said 'just take any one you can
GET And / did. But in 8 short
time it was again taken from me BY
6 Russian Cosssck. Meeting with
no further obstacle, struck out in
a round about way, sud fortunately
reached that part OF our corps
which had escaped.
On one occasion We we're besieg-
ing town and lay entrenched close
by the wall Prince Emil was ever
alert watching the movements of the
enemy. Whenever he saw a shell
coming, he would exclaim, tut!
tat! tu.! tut! children, stoop there
is another one coming. One of