The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-08-17
Curious Chance Shots.

-, an old Confederate veteran,
who at the time Of the scenes related
here rode as captain at the head OF a
Company in the Second Virginia cav
airy. He is known by all, loved by
all and full of "reminiscences which
are very interesting, twice as much so
from his own lips, but enough so by
themselves to deserve print.
he was talking some time ago and
said, "I've noticed in the papers that
war correspondents are always de-
scribing some chance shot or other
that is remarkable for its curious an
tics. Many such things happened in
the sixties. So many that we didn't
notice them particularly and yet a few
impressed themselves upon my mem
ory.
'sIn my Company were two men
both fine soldiers named Andrew B.
Bevil and William Hawkins. Bevil
was Yankee, who originally lived in
Camden, N. j. He came to Lynch
burg, just before the war and when it
broke out he joined the forces Of the
south and fought as valliaptly as any
man that ever shouldered gun.
ssHe was crack shot, in fact, one
Of the finest sharpshooters [ ever saw.
He was rather reckless in exposing
himself, however, and consequently
came to grief from it. 1t was at
Louisa court house just before the
battle of Trevillian's Station, where
/ was wounded. We were skirmish-
ing with some Of Sheridan's cavalry
and were having rather hot time OF
it. Twas lying behind an old rail pile
with Hawkins stretched out by my
side, while Bevil was enscounced IN
the chimney corner of an old log cabin
that was standing near by.
I took a good deal Of interest in
watching him. He would stick one
eye behind the chimney, level his gun,
FIRE and drop back and you could be
Just as certain that death followed
that shot as you could be Of the suns
rising. Finally, however a Yankee
sharpshooter caught sight of that eye
and the next time it appeared sent
bullet into it. The bullet literally
tore his skull all to pieces, came out
! Of his head, went skirmishing around
and finally came out at his hip.
We carried him back to the rear to
be buried but finding some signs OF
life in him sent him to the hospital.
About thirty minutes afterward Haw-
kips jumped up and caught hold Of
his thigh and yelled, there's sixty
day. furlough here, cap'n,'' bullet
coming through the rail pile and pene-
trating his thigh, not breaking the
bone, through, but inficting an inno-
cent-looking flesh wound. I signed a
paper giving him his furlough and
rather more pleased than otherwise he
limped back to the rear.
ga few days afterward I went to
the hospital and the chief surgeon
met me and said, Look here, one Of
your men died last night. who?
said I. Hawkins, he replied. 'Haw-
kins,' exclaimed, why I thought you
were talking about Bevil. 'Oh,' said
he, he's going to get well. and SO it
turned out. It appears that the bull
let that went through Hawkins thigh
carried piece Of flannel cloth down
TO the bone; this eventually produced
gangrene which killed him. Bevil
recovered and is still plying his trade
Of carpentering in his adopted home,
Lynchburg.
'sAnother rather remarkable incl
dent occurred at Ashland the day be-
fore the fight at Yellow Tavern. A
Yankee company charged straight
down upon Col. Munford's regiment
and as they did took them in the
flank. There was with Munford a
sharpshooter named Foster and with
me a sharpshsoter named Rucker.
There was a slight rivalry between
these two and we never could decide
who was the better shot, though l
think if anything it rested little
with Rucker. In this charge the
Yankee captain was mortally wounded
and after it was all over found Foster
and Rucker disputing as to who killed
him.
81 told them it was no use disputing
but as they persisted I held sort of
court to settle it. Foster was first to
speak up. He was directly in front
Of the fellow and he said, If I shot
him he is hit IN the left breast, that s
~ :,,od 81, RuoIar whO