The National tribune., 1901-02-21
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.
YANKEE ACTS OF BRAVERY.

| 1ANhEE AZ IL Ot BkAN Ek1.
James Stevens and James Reagan,
Bloomfield, Iowa, two veterans of Co. G,
I'd Iowa. write: In regard to Lays Fer
ry and Asa Fiburn, Goth Ind swimming
the Oostanaula River and capturing a
rebel flag there is no doubt. The boy did
swim the river and capture the flag as
described by comrades in your paper. How
Comrade Sloan, sd ILL.,, or any comrade
of Our brigade, 66th Ind, sd ILL.,, Ith and
I'd Iowa, and Battery III, 1st Mo. l.. A.,
can have doubts is more than we can
conceive. The boy was made a hero at
the time by our entire brigade, and. our
recollections are, complimented by his Of
ficers and given a furlough. with privi-
lege of taking the flag home with him.
He was afterward made COIor-bearer OF
his regiment. His was what we might
call the Hobson kind-premeditated brav-
cry. Writers may at this late day speak
slightingly of Sheridan's ride. Builders of
halls of fame" may place therein stat
ues of Gen. Lee and John G. Calhoun,
leaving out such men as Gen. W. L. Sher-
man. School histories may be so written
as to teach children that men born and
nurtured under Freedoms starry flag
We're juStihable in turning and trying to
rend it and trample its sacredness under
foot. But comrades who stood side by
side should be careful about what they
write. This boy OF the Goth Ind, if alive,
is entitled to badge of honor, and his Of
ficers and comrades should work it UP
through their Representatives in Congress.
"Comrade Fred. G.. Walters. 9TH Iowa,
says his regiment was first to cross the
pontoon bridge. but he fails to say the
I'd Iowa laid the pontOons the day before
they crossed. The I'd, the day before
the fight spoken of, carried those boats
and their coverings across field along
fence, following a faint road, lanched
the boats in the river, placed the timbers,
and, marching up the river a short dis
tance. stayed all night. Now, if our mem
ories are correct, il was on this day and
during the lanching of pontoons, that
this 66th Ind. cumrade swan the river
and captured the flag. fie was on the
skirmish line, which was strong and of
veteran crackshots.
we wish to speak of two acts of BRAY
cry that came under our immediate OBJ
servation around Atlanta. One day a
shell with burning fuZe came whizZing
oyer and lit i'll our rifepit. Miles Wilson,
of our company. grabbed it up and threw
it over the breastworks. That is what /
call guckwitted American nerve. While
we were around near Jonesboro destroy
ing the railway Lafe Turner, small boy
and recruit i'll our company. advanced be-
yond the line of skirmishers and was
wounded. He was helpless, and called for
help. George Cannady, a stout veteran
Of our company, went forward. picked the
boy up, and brought him back to the re-
serve. In doing so George himself was
shot in the calf of the leg. But he got |
back, sat down on a log. and with one |
of his fingers began probing his wound |
for the ball"
CERTAINLY WAS \ FIGHTING REGIMENT. !
Martin Boyer, 18th Ind, Hewins. Kan, |
does not see why Col Fox did not include |
among his 900 fighting regiments the |
18th Ind. He says his regiment lost the |
first man killed in an Indiana regiment |
and captured a field battery, and lost men |
killed and wounded before five of those in |
Col. Foxs list of Indiana ighting regi- |
nents were organized. The first fight was
Rich Mountain. and there they lost II |
killed. Il saw them lined up after the |
lighting. and wondered how soon it would |
be before l was i'll the same fix. L do /
not know the number of wounded At |
in March, 1862, where Stone |
wall'' Jackson's famous troops acknowl- |
edged they were whipped, we lost Sc |
killed and wounded The writer gives !
other instances of hard fighting and gen.
orally hard service, and says that he |
finally got to the point where he became |
.nviOus OF nearly everyone else of the reg
iment who had been either killed or