The National tribune., 1901-04-25

ton of the battle of Savage Station,
which l shall ever remember This battle
occurred the second day after he had been
operated upon. He was now on his back;
the operation had foored him. He and
his rebel friend were discussing the pros
and cons Of the approaching battle, prep
aration for which they could plainly hear
from within the tent-the tramp of march
ing battalions, the time-keeping of the
drummer, the various commands of the Of
ficers, the bugle calls of distant organiza-
tons, the jingle of the sabers of the cav
airy, the trot of the platoons as they
changed their positions, the crunching of
the heavy wheels of the artillery as they
drew themselves into position.
Ihe terrible clang of preparations was
too much for these two soldiers to bear.
The Southerner had crawled outside the
tent. He would have helped his friend,
but his strength was not sufficient, so he
sent help to aid him, and soon they were
both side by side near the railroad track,
eagerly watching for the coming fray. Ny
friend was extremely anxious to see If
his regiment was in it. 1t was not how
ever, for it was Sedgwick's Division, with
Os6orn's Artillery, followed by Pettit's
and Hazards Batteries. He could read
all this by their colors. Between them
they had secured a hardtack-bOx and had
themselves bolstere1 up so they could
overlook the scene. They had not long to
wait. The picket and Skirmish line had
found the enemy, and in five minutes the
battle was on. Hazard opened with his
SIX guns. They We're so near that they
could hear the Captain as he numbered
the guns to fire, the infantry of Burns's
Brigade in the front, with the 1st Minn.
on their left.
In few minutes everything was en-
gagged, and for awhile it seemed as if the
whole world had come to destruction
These two soldiers as the tide Of battle
ebbed away and flowed in each others
tavor cheered with all the voice they had
left. The excitement was intense. The
battle was anybody's for awhile The
game of war was now in the balance. The
swaying forward, the surging backward
of the armies made their pulses beat
either fast or slow.
CHARGE OF THE IRISH BRIGADE.
In the heat of the contest, while each
was claiming with faint heart victory for
his side, there came above the terrible din
to be remembered. followed 1t. and down
came the Irish Brigade of Summers
Corps. and, with measured tread, halted
immediately IN front, not 10 rods away.
My friend attempted to cheer, but his
voice was gone; his cup was full. I re-
member he choked a little when he re-
lated this incident 10 me; how excited he
was; how Burnside and Sedgwick. al
though pressed by the enemy to the last
degree, yet held their own and had not
lost Is yards.
Again the bugle sounded he could read
the notes. 1t said in ringing tones that
the roar of battle could not down. at
tention, Irish Brigade! Fix bayonets,
Forward-double quick-marchw He re-
laEed how the bearer of an old green flag.
with many tatters in it, in the center Of
which was harp, literally mopped the
ground with 1t every few steps as if in
defiance at Donnybrook Fair
The battle front now changed. The
Irish charge did the work when il was
most needed. The enemy gave way and
fell back. The contest passed ont of
view, and only the remains were left, dead
and wounded men, dead and wounded
horses and the general debris Of desert
ed battlefield.
The battle was finally won, but it nearly
cost Rand's life. While attempting TO
help himself back into the tent secondary
hemorrhage set in, and he was uncon-
scious before it was arrested. When the
Surgeon in charge, DIR. John Swinburne
of Albany, who had operated OH the bow
arrived, he was nearly exsanguinated. Tho
Surgeon was Obliged to remove the silver
wires with which his wound had been
sewed for the entire six inches, the length
OF the bone taken from his shoulder down.
While this was being done his pulse was
at low ebb. his tongue dry. He looked
up at the Surgeon and in gentle voice
said: doctor, is this the end?" 81 hone
not" was the answer; 'but l must hurry
and find the artery that is causing so
much trouble" Still the work went ON
in silence. A minute later he said: Doc
tor, | think you had better get a candle.
it is getting too dark to see very well. and
If you will be kind enough to raise the cor
ner of the tent it won't be so stuffy.n
The work went on; he had closed his
eyes. In n few minutes he opened them
and remarked: Doctor, / feel as il I
was suspended in the air. I am certain
that I have got TO go. If I do, wish
you would write to my mother and tell
her that it was the charge of the Irish
Brigade that killed me-"
The Doctor did write her the particu-
lars at the time, and after the death OF
his mother, in 1882, the letter was found
among her effects. The son had never
seen it, and had forgotten he had ever
sent such q message. The subject had
never been mentioned between mother and
son.
Mcclellan had left $500 of his wounded
at Savage Station, where, being in the en-
emy's country, they were picked up by
Stonewall jackson and made prisoners.
Rand among them.
This soldier WIS never able to see the
serious side of anything, and always
spoke of his suferings more as joke than
otherwise. will instance an incident
which he related in an amusing way in his