The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-03-04


TT. Lns battle Of Saratoga, fought in ~.
sooer. TIT. has its place In historx :.
one Of the Is decisive battles ~ ~.
Nofla from Marathon to Water,oo -
wrote the English historiao crs.s -
.nu tnus Far nearly half a centnrv -.
elapsed. and his word has never been
view. wee ne
Lei US look at two character. vho
shared IN this battle, Col. DAME, MO-
gan. afterward general. ever the storoh
friend OF Washington. and at the date
- Wn,cn We write the leader OF 700
.narpsnootcrs; and Timothy Murpbv
sne crack shot Of Morgan's corps
morgan was far-siehted and c,e.r
headed soldier: he had observed n
.ne action of October I, a noble-lool-
ing BRUSH ofiicer, who, mounted ON >
nagnifcent charged, dashed from one
enu OF the line to the other. While
.nis officer lived, Morgan considerad
.ne issue OF the contest a doubtful ono.
ne therefore selected IL of his hest
Marksmen, among them was Timothv
mufpny, and leading them to a sn;ta.
PIE position. he pointed out to them
tne doomed officer, who was dressed -
iuii uniform, and said to them: "Th.t
sanant omcer yonder is Gen. Frazer.
: somlre and respect him, but it is nee
cssary Tor our good that he should die
1ake your stations and do your duty
within few minutes a rife bali
cut the crupper Of Frazer's horse :
second passed through his name. Cali
ing his attention to this, his aid said to
MIN: 1t is evident you are marked
out Tor particular aim; would It not be
prudent for you to retire from this
place.! Frazer replied: my duty
iorbids me to fly from danger" The
third shot was from the rife Of Mur-
phy, and Frazer fell. MORALLY wound
ed.
His death SO disheartened the Brit
ish that the moment he fell the tide OF
battle turned against BurEoyne. He
lost his best subordinate, the only one
OF his omcers who had the slightest in
fluence with him.
At the close Of the. revolution MUIR
ply married and settled in Schoharie
as = farmer.f but his old habits still
chung to him.
To his last day he maintained the
reputation he had won Is sharp
shooter in MorEan,s corps. It was q
custom in those days for .riflemen to
shoot for prize. generally Z gallon Of
.um-for old Medford was the standing
dpple. On one occasion u large oak
tree had been blazed near the ground
and in the circle small piece Of white
paper was fastened by . brass nail.
The distance to be fired was over 100
yards. Several close shots had been
made and 1t became Murphyss turn to
IRE. He lay down on the ground at
fnll length. resting his rife on his hat.
IS the others had done. and. after
glancing over the barrel. he vas heard
to say: Sure. and I believe l can HE
hat nail...s-Again he sighted his pisca
fired and the paper fell. An exami-
nation showed = center shot; the ball
had driven the nail exactly in.
In person Murphy was stout and wei
made. handsome In face, with Jet black
hair and an eye that would kindle and
Hash He the lightning when excited;
quick = Z cat In all his movements
md possessing an iron frame that
nothing apparently could AFFECT. What.
moreover. IL very remarkable Is that
h the most dangerous duty that war
could possibly detail on him, In which
he passed seven years OF army life. his
body Vas never wounded or even
scarred.