The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-09-18
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies Whiled
Awa,y Life in Camp-FOraginS Ex-
perieuces, Tiresome Marches-Thril-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.

perieuces, Tiresome Marches-Thril-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.
Occasionally one comes across n
verse or line that unexpectedly touches
dormant chord in the heart and bids
the teardrop spring. Into the past we
wander under the influence of such ex-
citant and bygone memories, then come
to view pictures long since yelled even
from ourselves. Memory uprises, ST.
lences upstart, life and emotion that
once were real become again TO us
reality. That which I'm this way touches
one heart bids fair to touch others, and
Just now letter in print brings before
the writer Of these lines boyish face
of the long ago. childish companion.
who turned his face toward the loved
South, never 10y us. his boyhood's
friends, to be seen again.
But let that pass. The subject Is
''The Death of Johnnie Burns" possi-
bly, now told for the first time in its
realistic pathOs 10 his relatives and
friends, If relatives he has yet living.
Johnnie Burns was Cincinnati boy,
a hero whose name history ignores. No
shoulder straps were his part, but that
he was n hero will be evident to who
ever reads the story this Southern sol
dier. forty years after the boys death,
tells I'm his letter to the Confederate
Veteran, which chances to come before
my eyes. 1t is touchingly pathetic tale,
and challenges thought. One cannot
but wonder which Baptist Sunday
school in this city the boy attended,
who were his loved ones, whether that
Bible with the bloody finger marks on
the fourteenth chapter of st. John ever
reached his mother And one cannot
but further wonder, after these years
have passed, If in this city lives a
friend TO value this veterans touching
tribute paid to their boyish soldier of
that sad long ago, or If it strikes only
empty air in the home city where once
the child was a pet.
With view of possibly doing 4 SER
vice to relative or comrade, possibly
bringing some member of the Fourth
Ohio into touch with the Southern sol
lier who cared for brother in blue, l
presume TO offer for publication this
Confederate's letter concerning the
ieath of Johnnie Burns of Cincinnati
From the Confederate Veteran:
&C. l.. Gay, an Alabama veteran,
writes that Joe T. Williams of Mont
gomery, was member of company u,
Twenty-first Alabama regiment, and
tells this:
"a comrade and l We're searching
the battlefield of Shiloh for some miss
ing men of our company, d. of the
TweHty-first Alabama regiment. In
passing through swampy thicket near
where that regiment charged the
Fourth Ohio regiment early in the
morning. we heard the voice of a
wounded man crying: Boys! bOys,'
Thinking it might possibly be one of
our men-we went to him. He first beg
ged for drink of water, which 1 gave
him out of my canteen. After he was
wounded he had rolled into the edge Of
this thicket in order to protect himself
from being run over by the flying am
balances, artillery and cavalry, con-
stantly passing near. His left knee
cap was entirely shot off, and he was
extremely weak from the loss of blood.
His pitiful appeal to help him we could
not and would not resist after talking
to him. His name was John Burns of
Cincinnati. Ohio, company B, Fourth
Ohio regiment. He begged to be car
ried to our field hospital, where he
might receive attention, and, if pos
sible, get word to his loving mother,
being her only son. He had a small
Bible in his hand, with his thumb rest
ing inside on the fourteenth chapter Of
st. John. His thumb being bloody it
made bloody spot on this chapter He
desired that the Bible should be sent
to his mother, showing where he last
read.
go Our field hospital being few hun
dred yards in the rear. we carried him
there and requested our surgeon, DR..
Redwood. of Mobile, to examine him,
which he did in few minutes. the hos
pital being crowded with patients. On
examination the doctor found his
wound to be fatal and his physical con-
aition too weak for an operation. He
was IS years old. When the doctor told
him there was no hope he inquired if
there were any Christians present. We
fnl h s,,x
of our comrades had gathered around
him. He requested prayer, to which
one of us responded, all being deeply
touched, then repeating few lines of
his mothers favOrite song:
There is land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal stand.
Which he requested us to sing with
him. This song begun there was taken
up through the entire camps. even back
among the Federal prisoners. All
around then bade him good-by. He
handed me his Bible, and requested
me to hand 1t to Sergeant Stevenson, of
Company B, Fourth Ohio Regiment.
This sergeant knew his family, and he
wanted him to send it to his mother and
tell her he died Christian" The
next morning went to the hospital and
learned he was dead.
LAS his body lay there thought his
face bore the most peaceful look
ever saw. / learned this Fourth Ohio
Regiment was part of General Prem
tiss' brigade, which We had almost en-
7
near our lines. l told my captain about
the incident and requested pass to
the prisoners TO see If l could find Ser |
geant Stevenson. He granted my re-
quest, and l soon located the Fourth |
Ohio Regiment and inquired for the |
sergeant, calling his name. He came |
forward TO know what l wanted. | |