The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1904-01-16
soIdler., IneidentaI Hurt..

Said an Eighty-Sixth Illinois man. 1
did not run to bullet wounds, but had
bruises until l couldn't rest. and in
the army a bruise was a bruise. as
learned by long and painful expert
ence. l got my first bruise before
had been in the service sixty days.
That was at Perryville, Oct. 8. 1862.
We were lying down behind rail
fence when bullet from the rifle of
rebel sharpshooter struck rail
right above my head, flattened out like
a pancake. glanced on In my direction.
struck me on the shoulder. leaving a
black and blue spot as big as my hand.
That bullet hurt me worse than if it
had gone through me, and yet was
reported bruised. not wounded.
Again at Jays sawmill at Chicka-
manga a f1attened ball or a piece Of a
shell srazed me SO close as to bruise
and blister the skin, and again l got
no sympathy and was laughed at for
not tallying hit. At Buzzard's Roost
in May, 1864, we fought in a corn field
from early morning before daylight
until s o'clock at night. Along in the
afternoon. tuckered out with the hot
fighting and the hot weather, i
squared myself behind tree for
rest.
Il told the boys was going to take
a nap. This was meant to be . Joke,
but. sitting against the tree. went to
sleep, my head wabbled to one side.
exposing my camp-kettle hat. and a
Johnnie put a bullet through the hat
SO close to my head as to cut the
hair. awoke with start. to be
laughed at by the boys. l got another
scratch at Kenesaw and blister or
bruise at Peach Tree Creek, and an
other at Jonesboro, but got no fur
Tough on any of them. l can't truth
fully say that was wounded. and yet
that bruise on my shoulder troubles
me to this day"
II had worse luck than that" said
tie sergeant. "On the night our divis-
ion crossed the Tennessee river In the
march on Chattanooga, in September,
1868. met with the queerest mishap
that ever befell soldier. had been
on heavy duty for two days and nights
and 1t seemed to me l couldn't keep
awake another minute II all of Bragg's
army came swooping down the gorge
through which we were moving.
remember looking up at the ruins of
the high bridge and trestlework at
Falling Water, between Shellmound
and Lookout mountain, and then all
was blank.
Il had gone to sleep. walking. We
were marching in tours, rifles at a
right-shoulder shift. and the men on
either side stood shoulder to shoulder
so for time I slept and walked.
When q turn came in the road the
mechanism of my body. set for going
ahead, stopped, and I went down like
a log, my rife striking me a cruel blow
and my face striking the rough
ground. l was hurt worse than il a
bullet had gone through my arm. but
in my pain and misery heard the
langhs and shouts of the men jeering
me. carry the marks of that fall to-
would call me fraud If should say
1 was wounded at Falling Water"
my most painful wound" said the
Captain, did not come from bursting
shell, or rife bullet or saber cut. In
going up Missionary Ridge was close
behind a great big fellow, who push
ed his way through brush and abattis
after the manner of a hy-oittcn bull.
At one point he bent forward the
sharpened prongs of branch of
fallen tree, and, releasing himself. let
the sharp points fly back. They struck
me at the knee, with the swiftness OF
swinging saber. tore my trousers on
that leg. and left three great gashes
across the knee. 1t was not a wound
from the soldiers point of view, and I
did not fall out. / climbed on, blind
with pain. and carry the scars to this
day. but was not among those report
ed wounded. "-Chicago Inter Ocean.