The Winslow mail., 1898-07-09


SUNK away in disgrace. Here was a
strange thing. A soldier who did 20:
hesitate to put himself in position t,
be killed could not be induced to fir,
upon the enemy. His soldierly qualities
were such that he had been taken out
Of the ranks, and yet he refused to
carry out a soldiers first duty-to kill.
We could not call him a coward-no
man is a coward who will face death
but we called him strange and won
dered what was back of it all. The men
of the company fell away from him,
and in a few days he stood almost
alone. When we followed up the enemy
after Yorktown there was some heavy
skirmishing with the rear guard. Am
brose Davis was with his company, and
upon one occasion, when the hunderd
charged and captured gun, he led Us
all in the rush, and was th- first man to
put a hand on it. After that we said
it was a case of nerves. or that he
had hereditary fear of shedding blood,
and he was looked upon more favor
ably.
w = saw 1lQti11liS5 44O4C VI tIiC
" strangeness" of Ambrose Davis until
the battle which drove Mcclellan to
make a change of base. For half day
our regiment stood in battle line, wait
ing to attack or be attacked, and dur
ing this interval oug company lost two
men killed and three wounded. 1t re-
quired all the nerve the men could work
up to stand there and be shot at with
out firing a shot in return, but Davis
showed no more nervousness than any
of the rest. When at length we moved
by the left flank for quarter Of a mile
and then dropped dom to open fire and
hold our ground, Davis was the man
on my left, ard as loaded my musket
I noticed that he was firing high. Five
minutes later lieutenant came creep
ing along in rear of us and warning
each man to aim low. | heard hlm
cursing Davis, and twice after that, ere
we fell back, [ saw the man firing into
TIE tree tops.
The enemy crowded us back day by
day and mile by mile, and there was
fighting ever every foot Of the high
ways. We had fierce grapple at Fair
Oaks, and again at Savage Station, but
all l knew Of Davis was that he was
with us. 1t was only when we turned
at bay at Malvern Hill that I found
myself beside him again. lie had been
three times grazed by bullets, and that
was proof that he had stood up to
soldiers work. Our regiment was sta
toned at the base of the Hill, strung
along in the bed of a dry creek, and the
banks gave us protection and q rest for
our muskets. AS the enemy came
swarming across the open every man
was a fair target. l had fired three or
four times when my muslet fouled, and
as 1 waited to clear it l watched Davis.
He was firing over the heads Of the
enemy by 50 feet. Our position was
one which could not be carried. The
enemy realized this at last, and the
battle began 10 die away. On our front
we had only dead and wounded men, as
far as we could sec, and all firing had
ceased, when a man suddenly rose up
from the ground about a pistol shot
away and stood staring at us. A thou
sand men shouted at him to come and
surrender, but after a moment he
turned his back and began moving
away. | do not know why any of the
hundreds Of mell who had him in range
did not fire, but they did not. Some
were even cheering the man, when an
officer Of artillery jumped down among
US and shouted;
'Shoot him-shoot him-why don't
some of you bring him down?'
His words were heard by 80 men,
but not gun was raised The officer
was storming at us when Davis sud
denly lifted his mdsket and fired, and
the retreating man flung up his arms,
whirled about and sank down. Curses
and Groans followed, and Davis threw
down his gun and hid his face in his
hands and sobbed.
"a splendid shot" cried the officer,
"and if [ were your captain you would
be corporal tomorrow"
Davis had done strange thing. We
looked at him and wondered over it.
The heat of the battle was yet strong
upon us, but the killing of the man
seemed little short of cold-blooded mur-
der.
Did I kiIl-kill him?" asked Davis of
man beside him when he could con-
troll himself
eyes, you shot him dead. the poor
devil. Why didn't you let him get
away?"
you have all been down on me be-
cause I wouldn't kill" nloaned the
shooter, as be hid his face again.
That night we fell back to the James
river. In the darkness and confusion
commands were mixed up, and it was
night again before the company roll
was called. Private Davis was among
the missing. He had survived the bat
tle-the retreat was unmolested-if
alive he was bound to find his command
within a few hours. And vet he never
found it. When the returns were made
up his name was placed among the
dead. He had been disgraced because
he would not kill. He had nerved him
self up at last to fire upon a human
target, and then? We spoke his
name in whispers after that, and said
only good words of him.
Honesty in the Empire City.
The proprietor of one of Manhattan's
most fashionable hostelries ordered
$1,000 worth Of table silverware the
other day. When the goods were de-
livered he refused to take them at anv
price, as the name of the hotel had