Evening star., 1898-10-29
which was caused by his inexperience as a

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General William Walker of Nicaragua
fame arrived on the steamer Daniel Web
ster, in charge of the United States mar
shall. This was an event The boy anX-
lous to be the first to- report (there were
no extras in those days). ran to the office
in big letters, General Walker the little
great filibuster chief, has arrived, and is
prisoner at the st. Louis Hotelr'
me next morning, when. the boy went
10 the ONCE the local editor placed in his
hand to read challenge to mortal combat
from the adjutant general of General
walker, Tor the gross insult to his master
the day before. Here was a dilemma.
NAT was TO be done? The boy, in his fear
lest his innocent friend Would be killed
hastened to the hotel. ready to make ali
Kinds of apologies. He found General
Walker and began to tell him how 1t hap
pened. Inc general had not yet heard that
he had been insulted, and questioned tEe
boy as to what he had written. and while
ne was explaining as best he could the
colonel came into the room, when General
walker remarked, That is probably the
man you want to see"
The colonel was man of nouarfu, fr,r,a
ana as ne looked down upon the boy who
Stood there "at attention." in a rorada bout
jacket, with his cap swinging in his hand,
@ ashed IN loud tones what he wanted. lie
stateo that ne had come to apologize for
what he had written about General walk
er. he explained that the editor did not
know what was on the board, that he had
meant th no oHense when he wrote 1t. and
nocent man. Then" said the man Of ter
rloie aeeds, you confess that YOU alone
are responsible for this insult?'
Yes, Sir, l am. he responded, and his
.yes sought the floor, not daring to raise
them until he should know his fatc
The man eyed the boy closely. noticing
the changing color He saw the terrible
conl5hotl9n that was passing through his
lilino. he then took a step nearer. and
assuming ferocious attitude said: "'Then.
sir, shall hold you personally responsible
and you will have to fight me-" For a mo-
ment the boy was in mental agony. He
thought of his home, of his mother, who
was widow. and he her only son; how
she would feel when she heard that he
had been killed, what would she do with
out him He made another desperate at
tempt to arrange matters. but the great
man raised his hand as if to push him
away, and said: That will do"
The boys feet began to get cold and his
mead hot. dead silence pervaded the
room. moment later he raised his head;
ne looked his antagonist straight in the
eye, there was no sympathy, no mercy
there. Then drawing himself up to his
1ull nelght, while outwardly there appeared
no emotion, apparently every nerve in his
BODY was as quiet and peaceful as when
six weeks before he had recited his last
lesson-twenty verses in the New Testament
in the home Sunday school, he said:
Colonel Thompson. 1 know nothing about
duellng, never saw a duel l know moth
ing of the use Of deadly weapons, but if
you will give me tWenty-four hours to prac-
tice, will be ready to meet either of you"
Loud boisterous laughter greeted this re-
mark, which extended to the generals
room The strong man reached down and
seized him by the hand and led him by
force into the presence of the general and
several visitors who were with him.
Here said he, ''is a gamey little cuss
who offers to fight me if / will give him
twenty-four hours to practice More loud
laughter followed, then followed flood of
questions, who he was, where he came
from, etc, but he answered them not
word; his lips were sealed. He was too
much in earnest to be trifled with His
the moment the iron grasp was released
he left the room. They, however, related
the incident in the hotel and in the clubs,
and 1t was repeatedly told about town, but
he would not get over his bitterness to-
ward those two men. He refused to dine
with them or have anything whatever to
do with them.
Four years had passed after this incl
dent had occurred. The horizon was red
with war. 1t was in April, 1861 he re-
turned from the south. when we together
became soldiers and together we marched
side by side In the war. At Blackburn's
Ford. Va, l saw him when he refused to
retreat with his command when ordered to
the deadly range of the enemy's artillery
which was masked on the banks of Bul
run. Infantry, also masked, poured in a
deadly fire
He would not move until the entire bat
talicn of 500 men had been swept in disor
der from the field. He seemed not to no.
tiee the dead and wounded, he was obliy-
ious TO his surroundings, but yet held his
ground with an old Harper's Ferry muskat
that had been changed from flint lock.
Inc ground was plowed in all directions by
shell and solid shot. The only injury he
received was from flying dirt and stones.
The enemy at this time seemed to pity
him. and finally refused to fire on him.
Even then he would not fall back, but
worked his way across deep ravine.
where he found the command of Capt
Barnum, later Gen. Fl. A Barnum who
We're on their faces firing. not being able to
rise to their knees to load but turning
on their backs for that purpose. H. crept
up to them on his knees, joined the line
and fought with it to the end of the en-
gagement. This gallantry won him the
medal of honor.
was with him in every battle from Bull
Run to the seven days battle before Rich
mond By my side at Gaines Mills he fell,
a musket ball crushing through his body,
mashing his tight shoulder to ieIlv- T saw
MN rise to Ills feet, the life blood sp,lrtine
lnio his eyes and ears. l saw him seize a
ciod Of earth and cram it into his wound
trying to stanch the flow. Later T heard
nat wagon is needed for those wto cart
walk. | saw him the next morning after
the battle. without coat or hat the ball
arce OF his clothing a mass of CONCEALED
blood. His trousers ratified as he walked
so Stiffened were they with his life's blood
his face and hands white snow. He was
looking for a surget n to amputate his arm
l offered him seat on a camp chest He
said; No; if l sit down l am afraid I can't
get up ! offered him a tin cup of coffee.
he could not take it: his left hand was
holding up his shattered right arm AS
put the cup to his lips l noticed the blood
tr1ckle from the corners of his mouth
When l asked the cause he gave me a
characteristic answer: Il guess I must
have swallowed a bullet" He was later
taken to Savage Station, where his right
shoulder joint and six inches of the shaft
or the arm were removed. Portions of shat
tered shoulder bone and fragments of his
clothing were taken out through his back
the bullet having passed through his lung.
The night after the operation he was
placed in tent near the railroad track
Nine had been placed there at sundown.
At sunrise seven had to be removed TO the
trenches. The vacancies were Immediately
hIled. One was confederate major named
Lamar. from Alabama. They soon became
friends. both too weak to stand; vet thero
they lay. side by side the blue and the
gray. drinking from the same canteen
Some years ago he gave me description
Of the battle Of Savage's Station. which l
har