Arizona republican., 1899-01-14
THREW SHELLS BY HAND
How inc Old FIaaman Earned Inc
 Sobriquef of r~The Big norfar."

| It has been many years since the pet name of Big Mortar" was applied to William H. Muir, the f1agman who guards the street railway crossing at Eighteenth and Troost avenue. When he left the army and took up the ways of the civilian, the title lost its signi- ficance, and now his friends and com rades address him simply as Bill Muir. But the circumstances under which he earned the sObriquet are interesting, they mark him as a man in whom are combined great physical strength and moral courage.
 When the civil war broke cut he en- listed with the confederate side. and fought throughout as a member of company B, Sixth Missouri infantry, the "crack'' regiment of Cockrell's brigade. He was one Of thirty men in his regiment to come out of the battle of Corinth, Miss, (Oct. and 4, 1862.) without a wound, but it remained for him to distinguish himself in the siege of Vicksburg year later, which he did in a most unusual manner.
 Muir was in the firing line. Slowly, step by step, his command had ad vanced upon the enemy, and by easy stages the enemy had advanced to meet the attack The lines were 50
 
 to use artillery. At many points the battle became a hand to hand strug- gle A three-gun battery was at his left, useless because soldiers of both sides were swarming abou. it. Then it was that Muir constituted himself a human mortar, and earned the title by which he was afterwards known.
 He picked up a she'll lit the fuse, waited for it to burn within fraction of an inch cf the powder, and then hurled is into the enemy's ranks. The result was encouraging, and he did it again. His comrades noticed the new turn of affairs and were quick to take the hint. Because of his great physi- cal strength he was peculiarly fitted for the work of throwing shells, so the oth- CTS applied themselves to the task of keeping him supplied with missiles.
 Hour after hour, du1ing that mem orable struggle, he stood with the dead ly bombs in his hand looking as cooIly at the burning fuse as if it were a toy, though he knew that if the shell ex- ploded before he could throw it he would be blown 10 atoms.
 The Big Mortar" gray and bent with years, now guards street rail- way crossing in Kansas City. It is his duty to prevent fatalities, as it was for
  very has never been rewarded, save by the requital which comes with the con- sciousness of having done his duty we'll
 As enc Of his comrades says of him: |
 He was never given a reception, yet | who can say that he is less of hero than Hobson? He did more. He went | into that hell of fire and smoke and | shot and shell, death and destruction. 1 around battery Robinetta. where nine | put of every ten of his comrades fell | either dead or wounded, without finch | ing. He suffered the panks of hunger, | and privations for nearly four years without a murmur. Ard when the | names Of all true heroes are written on the scrolls of fame the name of Will jam Muir should have place along side of HObsOn's, though he never wit messed the feat of ladies falling over zach other in frantic efforts to plant r kisses on his cheeks. He is now ges- ing intO the scar and yellow leaf Sil- yer strands of hair have crowded out he golden ones of youth, but the same impulse of duty goes with him, and he stands there today as true as the needle 70 the pole, a living example Of true American G1anhood2-Ka1sas City World.