The Irish standard., 1898-09-10
HOW SOLDIERS DIE In BATTLE
Judge Murphy Says Most of the Nor
tally Wounded Await Death Calm

Judge Murphy Says Most Of the Nor
~ and Bravcly.
IF you want to know how men die III
battle, ask some of those who have been
at Wilson's Creek, on one side or the
other" said Judge David Murphy, of the
criminal court.
Il was in Totten's Battery and saw
them wounded and dying, falling thick
and fast around me. You may say that l
saw not one man funk in the face Of
death on that terrible day of fight and
bloodshed. While | was firing my gun
from Bloody Hill youngster, not more
than 20 years old, suddenly jerkcd his
leg. He uttered a sharp, quick cry, then
bent down and tore the trousers away
from the place on his shin where mimic
had struck him. He looked up with a
smile, patted the wound with his hand,
pulled the torn trousers down. and went
on shooting. Five minutes later he yell
ed again and his hand went up to the
he said, sat down behind the battle ranks
and examined his arm. The wound was
only skin deep and that seemed to please
him hugely, for he tied his handkerchief
around it. and again went forward into
the ranks with his musket.
You're fighting in bad luck today,
Pete, said a cOmrade. The youngster
turned his face to answer back, and by
the swapping of his eyes it could be seen
that his mind framed a saucy, defiant
reply. Just then his jaw dropped. A
ball plowed it's way through his mouth,
leaving nothing but bloody, tongueless
cavity. With hoarse gurgle the fellow
threw his gun on the ground and fled
back of the lines. He was found in Il
hospital afterward. but never recovered
"On that same day encountered three
men under a tree. Their faces were ashy
gray, showing that they We're mortally
wounded l asked them why they were
not attended to and one of them said that
it was all over with them; they wanted
the surgeons to attend first to those who
could be saved. One OF the men was
smoking short. briarwood pipe.
What are you doing, my friend?'
asked.
Taking my last smoke he answered,
his CLASSY eyes looking steadily at me-
Another was reading letter. He held it
n ic h,ytT 4
not making any Roadway. His eyes were
growing dim and his weak, trembling
hands folded the missive and thrust it
l'Ho his breast pocket. He was perfect
ly resigned 70 his fate. and had not u
word to say. When l returned in the
evening after lull found the three
men dead. Their faces were white and
set in the shadow of the tree under
which they lay. By the pacidity of the
features knew that they had met death
without flunlsing.
That's all bosl about men raving
about mother, home and heaven. All
the men | have seen die, or near DEATH
were quiet and perfectly rational. They
made no fuss. Those that lid were
usually delirious, entirely out of their
minds. The faces of these were frequent
ly distorted, and gave every evidence of
the mental and physical agony they un~
consciously had endured
One thing struck me rs peculiar
Nearly I'll che regulars exhibited an in
slant desire 10 examine their wounds
when thay were nit, and the expression
of their faces Indicated in Il moment
unfailing certainly. If the wound was
slight and in a place where they could
tie it UP conveniently they did so, and
then went back into the fighting lines
If it was mortal their grave, pale faces
betrayed their knowledge. The volun-
teers were not so well posted, but they
were brave as lions and seldom gave up
unless seriously hurt.'-St. Louis Re-
public.