The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-04
Yank and Johnny
Pathetic Story of Thirty
Years SenaratiOn.

~-oo00~O1o.~-o-o.
a member of Garfield post in Wichita
has come into possession Of the following
very unusual and pathetic story OF two
old soldiers, a Yank and a Johnny Reb,
both of whom were at Winchester Penn
syIvania, in 1864, and each OF whom
thoght the other dead for thirty years.
The story is from Ottumwa, Iowa.
At the regular meeting Of Villain Post,
G A r, on Tuesday evening, a story
Tas told that brought tears to the eyes
or the veterans present. 1t was a true
story and one that went to again justify
the proverb, truth is stranger than 4ic-
ton" It was story OF a reunion Of an
old Yankee soldier and an old Johnny REQ
but let the story tell itself II was COM
rade DR.. ". H Kemper who read It. 1t
was sent to him from Ottumwa, Iowa,
b. a former resident Of Muncie. Ind. This
is tine story:
James H. ,COe returned yesterday from
his visit to Douglasville. Ca. and thereby
aarss a tale-a story that reads Ike a
romance. Three miles west Of Douglas
vile lives John D. Pope, a batte-scarred
Confederate veteran, who. with Union
battIe-scarred veteran last week was en-
ioying more happiness than has befaIlen
many Of the old veterans of either side
since the war. At the battle of Winches-
ter. Va, September 18th, 1854. James H
Coe, Of this city, private in Company G,
One hundred and fifty-ninth New Yory
State Volunteers, was wounded in the first
charge made that morning His regiment
was directly in front of a Confederate
battery Of six guns, and in the rear Of
said battery. acting a support Of the bat
terry, lay the Forty-fourth Georgia. The
Union line was repulsed and fell back TO
their old line. It was here that james. H.
Zoe was wounded
Shortly afterward. and as the Confeder-
ate line was following up and charging
the Union line, John D. Pope, Company
G, Forty-ninth Observation-Disclosures
G, F'orty-fOurth Georgia, with his regi-
meat stood near Coe, who was apparently
dead Pope's gun was hot from incessant
firing, and seeing Goes gun living there.
picked it up and began firing, and stoop-
ing down took some Of Goes cartridges.
In this act he was shot through the right
shoulder, the ball coming out at the small
OF the back
Pope fell upon the Yankee soldier and
shortly afterward. when consciousness re-
turned, the battle was over, and save the
groans of the wounded and dying the
stiffness Of death reigned over the field of
carnage. Exerting all his strength. the
wounded Confederate raised himself on
his hands and knees, and seeing Com
mon Prayer Book. Testament and port
folio lying in the dead Yankees haver-
sack, he picked them up and crawIed
away Shortly afterwards he was taken
up by the ambulance corps. carried to the
hospital and finally, after months Of suf-
fertng. got well enough TO go home. but
has never got over his terrible wound and
never will On examining the Prayer
Book he found on the dead Yankee. he
found that It belonged to james H Coe.
of Company G., One hundred and fifty
ninth New York State Volunteers. and
had been presented 10 him by his father.
giving the name and address Of Goes
father The coincidence of. the letters of
the companies and the teachings learned
from the book. and both being shot down
on thu same spot. impressed Pope very
much. and he finally decided it his duty
TO let the parents Of the dead Yankee boy
know the fate Of their son. SO on July
10Th, 1S72. he wrote the following letter.
Fayetteville. Ga. July 20, 1872.
Rev. Johnathan Gee. Athens. y y:
Dear sir; I have in my possession the
following articles: One Common Prayer
Book. one portfolio and one Testament
picked these things up on the battle
field at Winchester. Va 18th September
1854. The Prayer Book has the following
inscription: