The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-05-04

wuz singin Poor fellow! Hammond
writes me that 'grasshopper found
him not 20 minutes after / left; not
groan or culver, his head simply drop
ping on his hands
while the bullets hunted for us the
sun found us The very earth steamed,
and We almost gasped for breath. My
thirs. became something terrible.
III makes me thirsty now to think
of my awfnl desire for a drink of water
at that time
As we lay there lieutenant of the
signal corps. a tall chap, who, as | re
member him. looked like you, came out
of tlie Jungle and, walking erect. went
about 50 yards in front of us. where be
coollg adjusted his 6eldglass and in
spected the works on the crest of the
hill What target he was for those
Spanish sharpshooters Yet the shower
his action called forth did not seem to
disconcert him in the least, and when
he had finished his survey he returned
the glasses to their case, swung on his
heel and walked back.
How ! envied him He WAS doing
something. while there | lay doing
nothing but await orders
General Wheeler came by as uncon-
.erned as though on the parade ground.
Looking along our line he saw my
chevrons and said Sergeant, you take
ten men and remove that entangle-
mentl Here was my chance. | sprang
to my feet and, selecting the Designated
number i say selecting, because every
man wanted to go) we started on the
double quick, keeping our bodies bent
as low as possible. We were provided
with wire cutters, and | set the men at
work as soon as we reached the entan
clement. Seeing another one about POO
yards farther on | crAwled toward it
The fire was getting tiercer and tiercer
| looked back just in time to see one Of
my ten throw mp his hands and fall |
waited moment to see what the rest
would do, but they worked on, paying
not the slightest attention to their fallen
comrade. and | turned to my self inn
posed duty. 1t was no light one either,
for the enemy had stretched and woven
wire into that tangled mass. They had
plenty of time, and their work was we'll
done
'All of their wires but one were with
in my reach as | knelt there and spent
about 20 minutes cutting them. To
reach the top one | had to stand. | new
err cut it. In fact had just placed my
pliers on it when | felt a blow on my
hip and a sharp pain under my left
arm. and down | went. just how long
was unconscious don know. When
came to, Colonel Patterson was stand
ing beside me He asked what was the
matter started to tell him that was
wounded in the hip but the blood
choked my speech | was breathing
with difficulty and then understood the
meaning of the sharp pain under my
arm. AS you know, the ball entered my
left side, passing through both lungs.
THE colonel turned TO two men and
said, Here, take this man to the lear
then stumbled and fell. Getting mp
again, with the exclamation, Con
found it, I've got it myself. he limped
off
Zone of the men wrapped the first
aid bandage around my hips and then
began the march to the rear. Stretchers
there was none, and / was carried by
the knees and nnder the arms to the
field hospital | shall never forget the
sights saw-men lying in all positions
as they had fallen. Poor Kelly lay with
his head in a ditch, his eyes staring up
into the cloudless sky Staggering boys
in blue passed with bandages around
their heads or their arms in sings. felt
a sudden Tightening of the heartstrings
as | bitterly thought: so this is war
and the path to glory For this the girls
kissed us goodby with tears of pride in
their eyes
Il felt no special pain. The only trou
BILE was my throat would fill with blood.
For II hours | lay in the grass be-
fore a surgeon attended me. They were
very busy, stripped to the waist or with
their sleeves rolled up and smeared with
blood seemed to be paralyzed per
fectly conscious, able to hear and see,
though | could not speak
"All around me lay the wounded.
some of whom awaited the end with
calm, firm faces. Their worst pain was
over, and in short time inevitable
death would place them beyond all pain.
lone | remember distinctly. He was
only lad of not more than II, with
curly brown hair and big blue eyes. |
imagined that he had been rosy checked
and full of life, but now the pallor Of
approaching death overspread his fea-
lures, which wore the strained appear
ance you so often see on the face of IA
wounded soldier who suffers and will
not cry out.
"A hospital steward came by and
stopped to give him drink He asked
if there was any hope The doctor
shook his head, and, passing his hand
gently over the boys brow, asked if
there was anything he wanted, and the
poor fellow whispered, Write
AS near as can remember he said
i" Darling Mother / have done my
best ami have laid down my life for the
old flag. | had hoped to come back to
you with the straps You were so sure
would win but it can I be. Some had
to 20, and it has fallen to my lot Don t
grieve over me, mother, dear Tell ia
ther how | loved him. Kiss Rose and
little Tom for me. Oh, mother, mother
| love you 80 That was all, captain
Ills pam was over, and another moth
er 5 heart WAS doomed to breaking.