Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-09-09

Der stepped up to McCOmas ant
dared him to fight, McComa
much to the surprise of bis fol
lowers fatty refused to egaged II
any snch encounter, whereupon
the belllgerent soldier struck th'
inofensive lad sharp blow in th'
breast.
In explaining afterwards why
he did not resent the open insul'
McComas quietly replied that he
had not joined the army for the
purpose of indGlglng in brawls and
"besldes," he added, "should |
have struck NC irthy the chances
are that would have killed him.
When the Second Infantry Ar.
rived in Cdba almost the first ac
cident TO befall a member of the
regiment was Ill the shooting
away of two fingers of McComss'
hight hand. He stopped 10 the
midst of the down pour of leaden
bullets and cOOlly wrapped a
handkerchief around his baud and
was about to resume his place in
tue ranks when the sergeant of bis
COMPANY ordered him to the rear
for treatment.
The first skirmlsh lasted bat an
hour and then the firing ceased
AMI it soOl bc3ne whispered
among the men of Company d that
In order to escape being sent to the
firing line McCOmas had deliber.
ately Inflicted the wounds liz order
to keep OUT of the more deadly
fire. McCOmas with two fingers
anputated and his hand done up
IN bandage heard the taanting re-
marks of bis comrades and al
though the tears mounted 10 his
large brown eA es he said nothing
but turued sadly away and sough
pomf fort i'm solitndP.
An hour later the second Skin
mi>h started aud The soldier boys
of the Second started on run tor
the trenches McCOmas seized a
rifle from the hospital tent and
running across an open patch di-
rectly IN the line of fire, managed
to reach the ranks of the Second
Massachusetts,. With these brave
men he fought like demon
the fact that be could use
only Que of bis hapds iD manip
ulating the heavy rifle. He was
at The front during the entire of
that eveLttul ID of July. He never
fdltered neither did he waYer from
the path of duty, but with the for
tltude OF a veteran he return ed
shot for shot with the GOODNESS and
precision of a shaIpshooter.
When tue firing had ceased and
TIE roll call Of Company ID was
held, 1t was found that William
McComas, private, was missing.
An hour later when McCJmas
walked into camp looking weary
and haggard he was immediately
court martialed as a deserteT; and
1t was only through the testimony
of The men of the Second Mass.
acbusetts tDat he escaped capital
punishment.
The order of General Shatter
which directed that all wounded
soldiers be removed to the United
S ates vas the direct cause Of Nc
Comqs leaving Cuba. HIS i, juries
had become apparent to eyes of
surgeons and they decieed that
the best place for the soldier was
at Il Northern hospital: He was
hastily placed aboard a homewdrd
bound transport.
On the homeward passage Nc
Comas kept aloof from bis com
panlons, all of whom had received
injuries III the battle before San.
tiago. They called him "coward,"
they tainted BIN beyond endur-
ance aud when the Government
wharf was reached at Fort Monroe
The most detected man aboard the
transport was William McCOmas.
He became despondept and
broodtd over the nnkind emaiks
of his comrades. He was told that
he would tie kept at the Fort until
his recovery and then he would be
given his discharge and finally uu
able to hear his trouble any longer
he leaped oyer the side Of the trans
port and without stragle forfeit
ed his bright young life.
TIE soldiers who witnessed the
death Of the Young recrult express
ed but little 81 mpathy for his death.
They seemed tD think that he had