The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-25
Died, September 10, 1862.
THE YANKEE GIANT.
"our country's lost its noblest man.


"Our countrys lost its noblest man."
:.................... ....... .............
"rhe Yankee Giant!" he exclaimed.
| 'Isn't that interesting, Bess? / won
der how tall he was"
A weather-beaten though not a very
old man, leaning on q heavy oak stick,
who stood behind them answered the
query.
| ''He fought in the battle OF Antie-
tam in the Civil War;" commenced
the soldier, for such Jack immediate
| ly knew him to have been, sand the
reason I know about him is because 1
| fought in the same battle-only--"
and. the old man paused, "only was
on the other side. 1t was this way:
We came up face to face in the hurried
retreat, and of course knew he was
q Yankee, and he knew was Secesh.
He was as fine looking young fellow
as you want to see, only boy Of
| eighteen or nineteen, should say. 1
was just raising my gun when he
knocked it from nv hands.
| "'I suppose / ought TO kill you, he
pleasantly, 'but somehow i don't
care to. No; on the whole think I'll
take you alive.
"'Better kill me, said I.
| "'No,' he replied, Il promised my
mother would fight my best for the
cause, but that I'd kill as few as posi-
ble,' and then with quick turn he
took me like little baby, flung me on
his back and started off towards the
Yankees"
\ "Why didn't You kick him or throw
him DOWN." interrupted Jack.
''I was so surprised that / made no
resistance, even though I felt my
blood boil in my veins; but it wouldn't
have done any good to resist-he was
as strong as an OK, continued the old
man. "Well, he had carried me about
half q mile when suddenly he dropped
to the ground, shot through both legs.
was up in minute and had reached
for his throat, but the plucky fellow,
though the pain must have driven him
nearly crazy, laid heavy hand on my
arm.
4 "'Don't do that he said. You'll
! be sorry il you do. Besides, and he
drew out his revolver with the other
hand, Il SHALL have to shoot you if you
do. Now I will trouble you to put me
on your back and take me yonder to
join my friends; just remember, if You
!; feel inclined to stop or to throw me
: off, that I have this revolver ready
"The young fellow had such way
Of saying what he meant that before
realized what L was doing was off to-
{ ward the Union lines with him on my
back, his limp, helpless feet dangling
on each side.
"Such q shout as rose when W.
came into tho lines you never heard
the mon thought it was giant coming
along, and they cheered and cheeret
when they saw how the clever boy hat
brought in prisoner.
"Well, I was kept close prisoneI
for few days, until the tenth of Sep
tember, when the sergeant came ant
, told me that the young man was dying
y and went and saw him. His las
| words we're to send a message to Gen
| eral Mcclellan begging him to RELEASE
( his prisoner.
"And then he died?" said Bessi,
softly.
eyes," said the old soldier, "ant
they buried him right where the.
were; no one knew his name, and hi
mother never knew how her boy KEEP
J; his promise. was wounded just be
- fore the war ended, and when wa
l. we'll enough I had his body brough
here among the other soldiers"
~ The old man had removed his hat
~ and Jack did the same, feeling yer.
b, much as if he were in church.
"These are all the flowers I can of
70 ford" continued the soldier, "bu
they show that there's one old ma
who remembers and loves the memor
of the Yankee Giant who saved hi
enemy's life by refusing to shoot
r. fellow man."
Bessie placed wreath OF myrtl
tenderly on the grave as the soldie
turned and hobbled slowly off, tn
tears gathering in his eyes; and JAG
reverently planted his cherished flag
which he was saving to place as
memorial ON the grave of the mos
noble man buried in that soldier
M resting place, by the stone which bor
the date of the Yankee Giants deatf
Or and then they both joined the others