Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-24
INCIDENT AT THE BATTLE OF
,SHARPSBURG, MARYLAND


In ny last war story, 'Tige Anderson's
Brigade at Sharpsburg," 1 mentioned
bursting a cap at the heart OF a color
bearer, and afterwards finding him
wounded on the field. He told me he was
the color bearer Of the First Minnesota
regiment. Through The Atlanta Journal
(and everybody reads The JournaD I have
learned HIS name and residence. and on
the Ssth anniversary OF the battle OF
'Sharpsburg, September 18th. wrote him
q long and friendly letter, 10 which ne re-
piled in a most. interesting way. Wnlcn
i think will be equally interesting 70 the
many readers OF that valuable paper, Inc
Atlanta Journal. and which l viii give IN
full:
SALTWATER. MINI. Sept. g. 1901.
ssAfr W. II. Andrews. Sugar Valley, Ca:
Dear Friend Johnnie-Your kind ana
Interesting letter Of the nth instant, the
Seth anniversary Of our first and last
meeting on the bloody battlefield OF An
tietam. Sharpsburg. Nd. has been re-
cefved, and TO say I was surprised ana
pleased would be stating II mildly. IN
fact I was more than pleased 10 hear
from the boy in gray that I laughed az
for lodging a shell that was IN search OF
him.
'sWhv. Johnnie. Il became second nature
10 us an TO dodge those vicious iron bum
BILE bees that had very disagreeable way
Of disturbing our quietness- l was also
very much. interested in your account OF
the mart your brigade took in that days
work II was a terrible day for both sides.
j have often wondered what ever became
OF the pleasant manly sergeant with
whom I chatted so freely on that occa-
sion. and who felt sure was true sol
der. hence my surprise and extreme
pleasure in receiving your letter 1 am
also glad that you are still among the
living and that the little brown-eyeo
Nmre-t an wHrFTN 4
stay at home. but preferred the boy IN
gray II 'Tige' AndersOn's fighting brig
ade / am also glad your gun missed nre
when you was so anxious 10 down me.
for I am confident by what you write
must have been your especial object Tor
the First Minnesota was on the extreme
right Of our lire at that time. while yours
was on the extreme left OF your line.
Now will YOU kindly tell me Just
where IL was that your gun snapped!
Was IL before YOU changed your position
further 70 your left while yet in the field
and before you tumbled over the fence. or
after2 II must have been before, be-
cause while we were at the fence on the
edge OF the woods most Of the boys on my
right were down behind the fence. but
those on the left were up and attending
strictly to business j was standing up
resting the Flagstaff on the fence in front
OF me. Directly in front OF me only
few Johnnies were visible in the corn
field. but they were sending their compli-
ments TO US rather more freely than was
desirable TO we'uns. Sergeant BlOOmer
sent me a three-cOlumn clipping from the
saltwater Daily Gazette in which is a
more thrilling account OF his awful fate
on that bloody field. which I will copy
from. II says:
The First Minnesota regiment was in
the thick OF the fight during the entire
DAY and was located at the extreme right.
NJ 81 $50 fraa
regiment and early IN the forenoon. about
o'clock. while he was resting the flag
STAFF on a fence in front Of him and the
boys were lying down so the bullets and
shells from the enemy's guns could get by
without hindrance or delay. a mimic
ball struck his right leg just below the
knee cap. passing straight through
At the place Of egress the bullet left a
CHASTITY wound. sam says that's the ma
ture OF a mimic ball. that's the way they
are built Just about this time our line
was broken, at least driven back about
half a mile. leaving its faithful color
bearer 10 his fate. sam cravled TO the
foot OF big oak tree. organizing himself
with the tree between him and the rebel
fire. but as our men fell back and the
rebels occupied the place he found
change OF base desirable, and went over
10 the enemy. 50 TO speak. At least he
crept painfully and slowly around the
which came pouring in thick and deadly.
The rafting sound Of musketry and the
crash OF artillery were in his ears. The
shells hurled over his head with long.
wild screams. while the smoke rolled
slowly through the leaves Bullets
whistled in the branches and nipped at
the trees. Limbs from the tree. some OF
g00dIy size and many leaves came sail
ing down. while a mighty song OF clashes
and cracks went sweeping through the
woods. One shell coming from the Union
side buried itself in the tree In the
meantime sam had ripped away his cloth
ing. bandaged his wound the best he
could and kept il bathed with water from
his Canteen- As the blood flowed prOfuse-
" he bound his leg above the knee with
the strap from his blanket to prevent a
fatal loss OF blood. Several days there
after when the injured leg was amputated
that strap was out OF sight, developed in
the swollen flesh on either side.
''N0t far from noon" says Sam, "a
rebei soldier who I long afterward
learned was W. H Andrews. first ser
Reant Of Company NJ, First regiment
Georgia regulars. came up. his regiment
not being engaged. and learning my con-
diti0n and Of the fact that 1 was between
two fires he and some OF his comrades
piled cordwOCd around me TO protect me
from the shots. / have no doubt more
than 100 bullets struck that barricade OF
wood during that day. Early n the even
gng Stonewall Jackson came riding by.
He halted a moment. spoke kindly 10 me,
asked 10 what regiment I belonged and
ordered the men who had charge OF a
lot Of Union prisoners 70 supply our wants
and make US as comfortable as possible.
A captain in a North Carolina regiment
came up a little later. stopped and chat
ted with me- gave me a drink from his
cauteen. spoke kindly and eneOuragingly
and rode away.
Previous to this. however, a rebel Of