Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-11-23
BLUE AND THE GRAY
GRAVE MEN WHO MET ON THE
FIELD OF BATTLE.
Thrilling Stories of the Rebellion
Old Soldiers and Sailors Relate Remi.
niscences of Life in Camp and on
the Field Incidents of the War.
A Gettysburg Heroine.


An interesting story revived by the
present war comes to-day from Penn
syivania. 1t relates TO the heroism dis
played by young woman school teach
or at the fateful battle of Gettysburg.
AZ the time when Lees army was
ABOUT to invade Pennsylvania, Miss
eirfie sheads was at the head of a
school called oakridge Seminary,
which was situated little west of the
village of Gettysburg. rhe battle be-
gan on Seminary Ridge, the side of the
town where Miss Sheads had her
school. On the evening of June 30,
bufords army camped on the Cham
bersbure Pike, about 200 y.!stls from
the seminary. This naturally I'D 10
much excitement among the Young wo-
men, and Miss Sheads told them nat
on the morrow they might have hoi-
day to visit the camp and contribute
what they could for the comfort OF the
lired and hungry men. As is often the
case the best laid schemes o mice
ana men gang aft agley," and the next
morning was ushered in with the boom
OF cannon and the rattle of shot and
shell.
AS the battle was raging within few
hundred yards of the door, the build
lngs of the Oakridge Seminary were
naturally used as hospitals, and Carrie
Sheads was in day transformed from
the principal of a young woman's sem
mary to the matron and head nurse of
an army hospital. Her girl pupils made
an efficient corps of helpers, though
nursing had not been a part of their
curriculum.
After much pressure Howard, who
TOOK command after Reynolds DEATH
gave the command to fall back toward
Seminary Ridge. Reluctantly the men
obeyed the order and slowly fell hack,
! but, true to the gallant and courageous
spirit left by Reynolds, they contested
every inch of ground, and were put in
no confusion by the furious charges
and wild huzzas made by the enemy in
an effort to rort them and put them to
flight.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Vince
lock, with the remains of the Ninety
seventh New York Infantry, was one
Ok the last to leave the field. Arriving
on the grounds of the Oakridge Sem
mary, he found every avenue of escape
closed, so, finding all efforts useless, he
borro wed a large white sheet of the
seminary and waved it as token of
surrender. Thoroughly exhausted. he
entered the house to rest, but was fol-
lowed by rebel officer and his men,
who demanded his sword. This was
refused, and an attempt was made by
Colonel Wheelock to break it and by
the Confederate officer to seize 1t. In
the struggle the Confederate was about
to shoot when Miss Sheads interfered,
imploring the colonel to surrender and
warning the Confederate not to commit
murder The colonel's unyielding re-
ply was: "This sword was given me
by my friends for meritorious conduct.
and promised to guard it sacredly and
never surrender or disgrace it; and
never will while live"
Soon the Confederate's attention was
called off, and, selling the opportunity,
Miss Sheads hid the disputed weapon
in the folds of her skirt. Upon the
Confederate's return Wheelock said
that he was now ready to surrender.
as his sword was in safe hands, and so
he ''fell i'm with the other men and was
marched off to prison.
Five days after the battle Colonel
Wheelock suddenly appeared, explain
ing that in crossing some march land
he had escaped, and with great diff
ficulty made his way back. The sword
was returned to him, and after express
sing his sincere thanks, he went again
to t. o front to win new laureIs. and to
die IN January, 1865, of camp fever.
While the battle was raging the
fercest Miss Sheads and her girls re-
manned unterrified, caring for the great
number of wounded which filed their
halls and rooms. But the exposure and
the excitement proved too much for a
woman's physical endurance, and Miss
Sheads became chronic invalid as the
consequence of her bravery at the bat
tie of Gettysburg.