The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-06-16
"A SOLDIER 5 TARGET
By CHARLES q. LEWIS.
4 5s4% 5S3$S5 -Copyright, 1855.

H. the enlistment roll, realized that
war meant fight. and that fight meant
kill. This idea was further drilled into
us in camp; it formed the basis of the
colonePs address as we marched to the
front; it brought our 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. 1t was
to be looked upon as matter OF bust
ness, as we'll as a patriotic duty. The
sooner the strength of the enemy was
exhausted, the sooner we would have
peace.
We thought that every man 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 score
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 man OF 30
a plain, everyday man who had laid
down the tools Of mechanic to take up
the musket of soldier. He was not
given to enthusiasm, but he was an
obedient soldier and the best shot in
the company. AS we clambered over
the fence and took "open ORDER on the
broad field which dipped down to the
creek, the enemy in the fringe had
dead rest on every man. War with
them also meant kill. To kill one OF
half million men means little, and yet
it means to kill. Zip! Ping! Zip! 1t was
not firing by tile--it was not firing by
volleys into 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-s
spot where a farm road crossed the
creek. The enemy to the right and LEFT
of this road were using the bank of thu
stream as a breastworks, and we were
firing good deal at random. An Oil
Ger suddenly appeared in the center o.
this opening, and raising a pair Q:
glasses to his eyes he took cool sur
vey of the regiment far back of us OF
the hill. He was within pistol shot O.
Davis, and he must have known it, an(
yet he stood there as cool and calm a
you please to take his chance. It wa
sheer bravado. Four of our 20 hat
hno,, Ill 1o1 1,o coo1yins
the lives of the rest. 1 was to the RICH
of Davis and could have almost hi
the officer with a stone; the man on hi
left had just as fair target. He wa
not our game" however-he belonge.
to Davis. We saw our comrade thrus
forward barrel of his musket an,
bring his eye down to the sights. The1
we watched the officer to see him throw
up his hands and fall. Thirty second
passed away, and we glanced back a
Davis. He had lifted his head and wa
looking at the officer over his gun. A
the end of a quarter of minute h
dropped it again. 1t was his duty t.
kill, but this was killing in cold blood
and he had to have a few seconds tt
nerve himself up. Back went our eye
to the officer. He was slowly sweepin,
the glasses across a front of half
mile, and I wondered if he would dro
them as the bullet struck him, o
whether his fingers would clutch an
hold them the tighter. My heart cam
crowding into my throat as watched
and as the seconds passed, and a
length I heard the man On Davis LET
shouting to him:
Shoot! Shoot! Why the devil don
you drop that officer!"
I turned to look at Davis, and as
did so he slowed the muzzle of 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 humming tune, h
slowly disappeared into the bushes
Later in the day, when Davis singula
action had been reported, the capital
said to him:
"Davis, can't believe you are COW
ard, because you went down on tn
ckirmisn line to be shot at, but whe
you had an enemy fair under your gul
and an officer at that, why didn't yo
bring him DOWN.
''Iwas going to, sir, but II couldn't,
was the reply.
"But they were shooting at you t
kill"
eyes. I know"
The captain could hardly repriman
a man for not killing an enemy as h
would have shot down a rabbit, an
there was not one to hint that Davj
lacked courage. The incident was fo1
gotten after little, and such was tn
soldierly conduct OF the man that b
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 shar]
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, major and private were kille
by a sharpshooter who was located i
tree top. He could be plainly mad
out, but the range was too far for on
army muskets. A Berdan rifle was ser
for, and when it arrived our capital
put it into the hands of Private Davj
and said:
"You are by long odds the best she
in our company. With dead rest owe
that log you can tumble that man OF
of his tree"
Davis hung back and turned pal
Just then, brigadier rode up to Civ
an order, and his horse had scarcel
come to holt when bullet from til