Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-08-22

cerned 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.
ment Here was my chance. l sprang
to my feet and, selecting the designated
number q say selecting, because every
man wanted to go) we started on the
double quick. keeping our bodies bent
as low as possible. We We're provided
with wire cutters, ana set the men at
work as soon as we reached the entan.
clement. Seeing another one about 900
yards farther on crawled toward it
The fire was getting fiercer and fercer.
looked back just in time to see.one of
my ten throw mp his hands and fall.
waited u 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 well
done.
"All of their wires but one were with
in my reach as knelt there. and spent
about 90 minutes cutting them. To
reach the top one had to stand. new
er cut it. In fact, had just placed my
pliers on it when felt blow on my
hip and sharp pain under my left
arm, and down 1 went Just how long
was unconscious don't 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
chol1ed 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 rear,
then stumbled and fell Getting up
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 l was carried by
the knees and under the arms to the
field hospital l shall never forget the
sights saw-men lying in all positions
as they had fallen. Poor Kelly lay with
his head in ditch. his eyes staring up
into the cloudless sky. Staggering boys
in blue passed with bandages around
their heads or their arms in slings. felt
sudden tightening of the heartstriugs
as 1 bitterly thought: so this is war
and the path to glory For this the girls
kissed us goodby with tears of pride in
their eyesi'
~ felt no special pain. The only trou-
BILE was my throat would fill with blood.
''For IL hours l lay in the grass be.
! fcre 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 will
calm. firm faces. Their worst pain wa
over, and in short time inevitable
death would place them beyond all pain
zone remember distinctly He was
| only a lad of not more than II, will
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 &
wounded soldier who suffers and will
not cry out.
"a hospital steward came by anG
stopped to give him drink He asked
if there was any hope. The doctor
shook his head, and, passing his hant
gently over the boys brow. asked il
there was anything he wanted, and tn,
poor fellow whispered, Write.
'tAs near as can remember he said
Darling Mother-I have done my
best and have laid down my life for tn,
old flag. / had hoped to come back K
you with the straps you were so sure
would win. but it can't be. Some hat
to go, and it has fallen to my lot Don .
grieve over me, mother. dear. Tell fa
ther how l loved him. Kiss Rose ant
little Tom for me. Oh, mother. mother
l love you sol That was all, captain
His pain was over, and another moth
er's heart was doomed to breaking
ga short time after this came uncon
sciousness. awoke under the surgeon
probe. Then followed the weeks o
burning fever when it seemed to nut
that the Spaniards were crushing M
bones.
''I saw them numbering women ant
children. Sister was among the victims
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