The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-07-13

has never yet been drafted, and it shall
not be now if there is another man in
the company who will follow me,
will 90, no matter where am cent
aud no matter what ! Q the dangers"
Another brave patriot, VIM. Lewis
stepped out of ranks and joinel him
say ing he would 60, and the honor of
Co. A was saved by these two heroes.
Mr.. Greer says he thinks Mr.. Lewis
was killed on the skirmish line, as he
has ne. er heard Of him since he fell
with his shattered arm
July 1st, 1868, the enemy made
their stand at Getty sburg, and seHt
back their line If skirmishers. Our
sharp shooters were thrown forward
into a skirmish line. and the prelim-
mary work of the great battle was
begun. The two skirmish lines were
within 200 yards of each other and
they were constantly popping away
at every man who showed himself.
Our men had been supplied with GO
rounds of cartridges, which they used
literally. Ga the night of the 2 I'd,
the enemy retrea:ed and our line ad.
vanced aud took their position.
At daylight the enemy's line could
not be located and our skirmish line
was ordered to advance and find them.
They did so. The enemy had retreat
ed over hill where they stopped and
our line was right upon them before
they knew it, hot engagement en-
sued, aud our line was forced to re-
treat, with heavy loss, through wheat
field until they came to stone wall.
behind which they made stand, and
were reinf reed, they then charged
the enemy's advancing line and drove
them back to the hill where they re-
ceived reintorcemeuts and charged
again. and in some places the lines
got mixed up and hand to hand
coz ,ct ensued, guns were dubbed,
and the fight was fearful. 1t was in
this last charge lLat Mr.. Greer was
wounded, he noticed two Of the enemy
lirectly in front of him, they were
loading, he saw that he was little
ahead f them in loading, and could
get one of tn. m but felt that the other
one would get him, he threw his gun
to his shoulder and fired, one of the
men dropped, and by the time he hit
the ground the other fired and Mr..
Greer caught the ball in his arm jl.t
below the shoulder. He fell and the
battle ragged on, our line finally being
forced back. Mr.. Greer had tried to
drop to the ground as soon as he
fred to esclpe the ball of III, other
fellow; by this means he savel bis
life, as the ball would otherwise have
entered his body. The ball passed
through the bone of the arm aud lodged
under the skin, where it was cut ou,
him while he did it, as retreat was
made, he, with other prisoners not
able 10 GO, were left on the field, where
he remained three days until the
Yankees came and captured him.
He with other prisoners was sent to
David's Island, near New York.
The doctors at the prison wanted to
amputate the arm but he would not
consent, the doctors did nothiog for
the arm except dress the wound, and
it remained in its shattered condition
until he was paroled two m,nths
afterwards, and sent to Richmond,
where the physician cut the broken
bone out, taking out q inches. 1t
was discovered few weeks later tha,
the bone was affected lower and the
stitches were opened and another iuch
taken out.
After four months stay in the
hospital at Richmond he was given q
furlough and arrived home January
Sth, 1864.
1t was reported to hi, home that he
had been killed on the skirmi,h line,
and they knew no better until thre
weeks later he got friend to write
home for him, while in prison.
He returned and when he did he
received papers which put him on tho
retired list for light duty. Being 60
used to the din of battle, the roar of
cannon and musketry and the clash
of arms. be said he felt like fish out
of water, and 80 he visited the army
aud staid with it a month or more
He has his paper yet, it is printed on
common wrapping paper aud is we'll
preserved. There is an order for tto
payment of $4,000 to Mr.. Greer on it
but he says he never got cent of it.
The above is only one of the many
hundreds of unr, ,cortel n.tapc, of
how our he-oes fought, bied and aur-
fered on the battle fielcs for the cause
dear to their hearts.