Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-18
A BAYONET CHARGE AT BLACK
BURNS FORD.


Mr.. John G. Adam, the Confederate
veteran who is the inside guardian of
the relic room of the Confederate re-
lief bazaar, has the distinction of being
the first to use the bayonet during the
civil war. A comrade in arms tells the
story. 1t was in the skirmish at Black
burns Ford, Bull Run, July IS, three
days before the first Manassas.
Johnny" Adam, as he was then
called, was delicate youth with thick,
curly hair and the white and pink COM
plexion of q maid. He was without
beard. and on his upper lip had just
sprouted the beginnings of dainty
brown mustache. He was one of the
dressy youngsters of Capt. Morton Ma
yes Company A of the Seventeenth
Virginia Iufantry, which on that day
held the ford, aud where Longstreet
spoke to the command before sending
them, with another company OF the
), venteenth, across the stream to "dis-
IDdge those fellows on the other side
~ho are feeling our 'front.'"
The words of the commander were
received with q responsive shout and
rush waist deep into the water in pell-
nell fashion. This, however, would
never do, and they were recalled. Then,
under orders to charge bayonets, they
moved in orderly fashion across the
stream, deployed as skirmishers
trough woods ON the other side, and
quick found themselves engaged with
tue enemy.
General Beaureeard, in his report of
this affair, records the fact that it was
the first bayonet charge of the war.
Aud so it was. The two companies
went over in gallant style at q cnarge.
but Johnny" Adam was, perhaps, the
only man in the detachment who &C
tuslIy used the bayonet. How he did
it was in this way
Captain Marye, naturally humane and
instinctively averse to the unnecessary
shedding of blood, urged his men to
take prisoners rather than kill. A num-
ner who yielded their arms were thus
AIKEN and rushed TO the rear, while the
ticing was kept up on both sides during
the progress of what was pretty stub
born engagement.
The fighting progressed into an open
ing where tall sedge grass and bushes
grew instead of trees. Here stout
middle.aged private of Johnny" Ad-
ans company named Wa1ield got the
drop" on 1.-the young federal soldier
and summoned him to surrender. The
"Yank" hesitated about complying, and
Warfsld, running up to him, grabbed
bis gun, and the two, then and there,
in the midst of the firing going on all
around them, cinched in a rough and
tumble fight on the battlefield.
The Yankee was too much for his
stouter opponent, and when they rolled
over op .he ground the Confederate Was
the under dog" in the fight Al this
juucture young Adam ran to the res
cue. He ad, perhaps, never killed
chicken, and hesitated to run cold steel
into human being. He warned the
YANG tha: he would stick him" if
be did not let up, and finally he had to
do it in order to release his comrade
He ran bis bayonet into soft spot OF
the anatomy of the Union soldier, who
relaxed his hold, and Warfield, catch
ing up his own gun aud that of the
enemy, ran the prisoner to the rear,
where the commanding officer patted
him on the back and said he was q
good boy" and directed him to 60 IN
again aud fetch out another.
Wal field had black eye and was
covered with mud. The Yankee pria-
oner had slight flesh wound and
Johnny" Adam had had his first les
son in the use of the bayonet. He aud
the other men of the Seventeenth Vlr-
ginia Infantry went through the war,
particip .ting in many memorable con-
h:cts and perfectiDg themselves at
close quarters on numerous historic
fields. He, like other youthful sol.
diers of the Confederacy, developed
into manhood amidst the hardships OF
sctive military service, and the hair OF
hi' head, now silvered by advancing
ears, which he vowed never to cut
until Confederate independence was
won, is an honorable badge of loyalty.
A Narrow Escape
Thankful words written ov Mrs. Ada
E Hart, of Groton, S. D. "Was taken