Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-01-26

J. Purman, a Pennsyl-
vanian now employed in
the Pension Office, Washington. 81
love him because he saved my life,
and he did it at the risk of being shot
into kingdom come, too. The man who
did this for me is Thomas p. Oliver.
now living at Athens, Ga.
'I was First Lieutenant of Company
A, One Hundred and Fortieth Penn
sylvania Infantry, and on July 2 at
Gettysburg I received shot in my left
leg below the knee, bringing me down
with both bones crushed. My regiment
was falling back over the 'wheatfield,'
and halted to assist q comrade who
was badly wounded. The enemy was
closing in on me, and 1 was in point
blank range of their fire. After plac-
ing my comrade between two rocks,
where I thought he would be shielded
from the enemy's fire, 1 started after
my retreating comrades. l was COM
manded to halt, which refused to do,
and / had not gone far before was
hit. The regiment charged over me,
field. lay there all night.
"The next morning the battle was re-
newed, the Pennsylvania reserves be-
ing on one side of the 'wheatfield' and
the Twenty-fourth Georgia on the
other. The whole day desultory fire
was kept up, and about the middle of
the afternoon ball flying low passed
through my right leg. 1 lost a great
deal of blood, and I began to think my
chances for life wer growing slim,
very slim. After receiving this second
wound and being completely done for.
as to 'proppers,' concluded that it was
of no use making any further efforts
to get out of the trouble. However,
just about the time when the last ray
of hope was waning, l saw a Confed-
crate out in front of their lines, and I
called to him, saying that 1 was dying
from loss of blood and thirst, and ask
ing him to bring me canteen of
water. While he appeared willing to
do as requested, he said if he came
out there our men would see him, and,
thinking he was trying to rob me,
would concentrate their fire upon him.
l begged him to take the chance, and
he said he would.
"He crawled through the tangled
standing wheat and came to me, bring
ing canteen of water-about the best
1 ever tasted-which 1 drank. After
drinking and having some poured on
my wounds, 1 said to the Confederate,
Won't you carry me into the shade
within your lines?' At first he said
that he could not-that If he attempted
that we would both be shot. / then
suggested that he let me get on his
back and that he crawl out with me
as he had crawled in. After some ar
gument he agreed to this. 1 managed
to get on his back, he holding up my
wounded legs, and this good fellow
crawled off into the field of wheat.
Once l tainted and fell off his back
He left me and went back into the
woods to Plum Run, where he reflled
his canteen and came back to me,
dashed water in my face and restored
me to consciousness.
Again getting me ON his back, he
crawled away and we managed to
reach the strip Of woods in which the
Twenty-fourth Georgia was posted.
When safely there, he put me ON rub
ber blanket under a tree, gave me q
canteen of water and some bread
such as the Confederates had-and
wrote my name and regiment in his
book. handed him my hunting case
silver watch, and with few words OF
good wishes we parted. That evening
the Pennsylvania reserves took possess
sion Of the ground occupied by the
Georgia regiment, and l fell into the
hands of my own people.
1T was not until the year 1874 that
I succeeded in locating my friend who
had saved my life. Through Georgia
Eenators L asccrtalned that he was
living in Gainesville. He has since
moved to Athens, and have kept up
G pretty regular correspondence with
him ever since. OF course, love him
for his brave and generous act"-New
York Tribune