Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-12-17
PLAYED r.,. ,or Life.

Speaking of assaults, SAID the ma
jor, when Col. Dan McCook's brigade
made the assault June 27, 1864, on the
dead angle at Kenesaw Mountain,
Capt 10 Major, company A, Eighty
sixth Illinois volunteer infantry, while
close to the Confederate works, was
knocked down by something thrown
over the works by a rebel. When he
regained consciousness he found him
self on the fiat of his back just outside
the rebel breastworks, among many
dead and wounded. Our troops had
fallen back about eighty feet, and by
hugging the ground closely were part
ly protected by the brow of the hill.
Spades were trumps, and by hard dig
ging with spades, bayonets and can
teen sides a new line was soon estab-
lished which protected the men.
In the meantime Capt. Major re-
turned to consciousness and soon real
lied that he must play himself for
dead or he would be forced to crawl
over the rebel works prisoner, as
others who showed signs of life were
forced to do. On the other hand re-
treat was impossible. About this time
a venturesome rebel climbed over the
works. and crawling around among
the dead and wounded came to the
captain, relieving him of his revolver,
sword haversack, canteen, pOcketbook
and hat. Noticing the captain was
breathing, the rebel turned little
water into his mouth, but although
nearly dying of thirst the Yank was
afraid to swallow, and permitted the
coveted fluid to run out of his mouth
and go to waste in Mother Earth
The Johnny crawled away and left
hi of
soon be another dead Yank.
1T was now about 10 o'clock in the
forenoon, and for the balance of that
hot day Capt. Major lay on the fiat of
his back, with the merciless rays of
the sun pouring down into his bare
face, not daring even to scare the flies
from his mouth or nose, from which
blood was oOZing as a result of the
blow in the stomach. Nor could he
shift his body to gain a more comfort
able position. He could hear the bang,
bangi of the Yankee guns, and the
crack of Col. Fahnestock's Henry rifle
in the hands of Fife Major Weber, who
had got a good position behind chest
nut tree and was doing all he could to
keep the rebel heads below their head
logs. When the rebels replied the
smoke would almost puff in Capt. Ma
1OrS race with the bullets paSSln e
both ways, only a few inches above
his body. there he lay, playing pos
sum.
Finally after a long wait darkness
came. Gathering all his strength for
a supreme effort, Capt. Major got on
his feet and made a dash for the Union
line. The route was down hill. and he
came as near flying as a man could
The dried twigs and leaves made con-
siderable noise, and the rebels fred a
volley after him, but, fortunately. he
escaped without a scratch. Reaching
the line he sprang over works and
men. causing surprise and joy. His
nostrils and ears were fly blown from
lying in the sun all day.
Thirty-five years after this event
Gov. Tanner received a letter from
James A Jones of Monroe county. AL
ALBANIA, inquiring for a Major Eureka,
Eighty-sixth Illinois, saying his grand
father, John Williams, a Confederate
soldier, captured a sword inscribed To
Major Eureka. Eighty-sixth Illinois
volunteer infantry which he desired
to restore to the owner 1t had been
used in school exhibitions, and, later.
by plantation hands to strip sugar
cane Gov Tanners inquiry resulted