The National tribune., 1902-02-13

A flag of truce was then sent into our
lines. and in n very short time | saw our
Adjutant- General Capt. Colt, nephew of
the inventor of Colts revolver). coming
down through the woods. He rode up 10
within few feet of me and stopped. He
saw me and said: why, John, what are
you doing here?' "Why, / am a prisoner.
Captain" We'll" said he. get a gun
and help out with those fellows; it's all
over now"
The man who had captured me gave me
his gun, and said: Now | am your pris-
oner." and apologizcd for taking my ha-
verSack. saying he would not have done
1t, but he hadn't had anything to eat for
| four days.
can claim one thing that not many
Union soldiers can claim, and that is, |
was an advisory member of a rebel coun-
Gil of war, and as I heard Ewcll say the
next day, rs we were taking them back
to BurkSville Junction, if il had not been
for the information | gave him he would
have made another attempt to break
through our lines. and hundreds of men
would have been killed
missed one good thing that day by
being too much Overjoyed Mt getting NV
freedom. / did not get a flag thought
a soldier had to capture or kill the flag
bearer IN order to get the furlough and
gold medal; but when | saw the cavalry
dashIng along the line Snatching flags
here and there. | began to look around
for one myself. but they were all gone.
got the flagstaff of the 10th Va. and
gave 1t to an ambulance driver He turned
it in and secured, the furlough and gold
medal. Whoever carried the Gag had torn
II from the staff, hut had left enough to
identify II as belonging to the 10th Va
This affair got to Gen. Edwards's ear and
he ordered me to report to his headquar-
ters. He asked me all about the hacstaff
business, and | told him | thought | had
to Kill or capture the man in order to make
lt bona hde capture, and / think so yet
but the General said if I had kept the
hagstaH he would have given me the re
ward offered.
Quite 4 number of our men were sent
down through the woods to line up the
prisoners and take them out into field.
and while they were getting together a
rebel Captain, a finc-loOking man, of cour-
teOus bearing. came to me and handed me
his sword, saving with n smile on his face
corporal, III surrender my sword to
you. Another man gave me large navy
revolver. Both gave away.
Next day my regiment was detailed to
take the prisoners to Burksvile Junction,
II miles. We had at the head of the col
nmn Gen. Ewell. Gen. Gusts Ice. Gen.
kershaw. Brig.-Gen. Case Brighten Bar
lph, iDIIE.-'tU. IlUnlOn, Commodore
Tucker, Commodore Hunter, Master Por-
ter and Capt. Simms, and a large num-
her of field, line and naval officers Of
hcers and men numbered about SOP. 1t
-ained nearly all day and we were from 10
I. m. until night reaching Burksville juno
ion. We were out of rations, and the
prisoners were in a starving condition.
One little fellow, 10 years old, wanted
ne to take old Ewell off his mule and
IN i'm h. IL
mule, and believed he ought to have it. |
told him my officers would not allow
ne to do it. I pitied the poor little fell |
ow, and gave him my gum blanket to
ieep him from getting wet. He belonged |
o an Alabama regiment, and | would like |
o know if he is living When we parted |
It Burksville Junction l gave him the |
asst money | had "a 50 greenback). and |
old him when he reached Petersburg he |
ould get something good to eat.-B. F. |
oHNs, Corporal, Co. A, 49th Pa, Cham
'ersburg, Pa.