Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-01-03
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES or THE MAR.
Hcy- the Boys OF Both Arnies whiied
Away Life In camp Foraginx Ex-
periences, Tircsome Marches-Thril-
ling scenes ON The Battlefield.


A group Of old soldiers, both Gonfed-
crate end Federal were recently swap
ping stories Of the civil war. AT last
they fell to comparing the greatest acts
OF bravery that each had ka9wn. and
the Southerner told the following story
1T was hot July day in 1864. and
Gen. Grant was after Us, Our men had
hurriedly dug rifle pits to protect them
selves from the Federal sharp-shooters
and dead and dying Feds we're lying ii
TO the very edge of those pIts.
In one of the pits was IN ungainly.
raw, red-headed hoy He was retiring
lad, green as grass. but 9 reliable fight
er. We never paid much attention to
him, one way or another.
THE wounded had been lying for
hours nuaaended before the pits, and
the sun was getting hotter and hotter.
They We're suffering horribly frctn pain
and thirst Not fifteen feet away. out
side the rifiepit, lay MORALLY wound
ed officer who was our enemy.
As the heat grew more intolerabie
this officers cries for water increased.
He was evidently dying hard, and his
appeals we're of the most piteeus ma
ture. The red headed boy found it .siat,ii
to bear them. He had Just joined the
regiment and was not set callous to
suffering. At last, with tears flooding
his grlmy facc. he cried out:
can't stand Il no longer. boysi
I'm going 10 take that poor fellow my
canteen.'
Fer answer TO this foolhardy speech
one OF rs stuck cap ON Il ramrod and
hoisted it above the pit. Instantly Ii
was pierced By dozen bullets. TO ven
ture outside step was the maddest
suicide. And all the while we could
hear the officers means:
Water! water. just one drop, for
Gods sake, somebody! Only one DROP
The tender-hearted boy could stand
the appeal no longer Once, twice, three
times, in spite Of our utmost remon-
STRANGE. he tried unsuccessfully to clear
the pit. AT last he gave a desperate
leap over the embankment. and once
on the other side threw himself fiat mp
on the ground and craw!ed toward his
dying foe. He could not get close TO
him because of the terrible fire. but he
broke sumac bush. tied to the stick his
precious canteen sud landed 1t in the
sufferers trembling hands.
"You never heard such gratitude In
your life. Perhaps there was never any
like 1t before. The officer was for tying
his gold watch on the stick and sending
1t back as a slight return for the dis
interested act But this the boy would
not allow. He only smiled happily and
returned as he had gone. crawling amid
q hallstorm of bullets. When he reached
the edge of the pit he called out for his
comrades to clear the way for him, and
with mighty leap he was among us
once more. He was not even scratched.
He took our congratulations calmly,
We said 1t was the brayest deed we had
seen during the war. He did not answer.
His eyes had a soft, musing look.
How could you do it?' asked in a
whisper, later, when the crack Of the
rifles ceased for moment.
1T was something thought of he
said simply. Something my mother
used to say to me. Il was thirsty, and
We gave me drink she said. She read
1t to me out of the Bible, and she taught
1t TO me until | never could forget it.
When heard that man crying out for
water | remembered ii. The words
stood still in my head. couldn't get
rid of 'em. So thought they meant
me- and went. That's ALL
This was the reason why the boy
was ready to sacrifice his life for an
enemy. And it was reason enough"
added the soldier, with quavering
voice.--Metropolitan and Rural Home.