The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-01-14

Soldiers Incidental Hurts.
Said an E~ighty-Sixth Illinois man. y
did not run 10 bullet wounds. but ] had
bruises until I couldn't rest. and In
the army a bruise was 3 bruise. as !
learned by long and painful expert
ence ! got ny first hruise before
had been Ia the service sixty days.
That was az P~erryville. Oct. s, 1862
We were lying down behind a rail
fence when a bullet from the rife Of
q rebel sharpshooter struck a rail
right above my head. hattened ont Ike
a pancake. glanced OF In my direction,
struck me on the shoulder. leaving q
black and blue spot as big as my hand.
That bullet hurt me worse than II IL
had gone through me, and yet wAs
reported bruised. not wounded.
Again al Jays sawmlil al ChickR-
manga a f~attened ball or a piece Of =
shell grszed me 20 close as 10 bruise
and blister the skin. and again ] got
no sympathy and was laughed az for
not tAllying q hit Al BuEzard's R0ost
In May. 1884. We fought In 8 81 field
from early morning before daylight
until s O'Clock az night Along In the
afternoon. tuckercd out with the hot
hEhting and the bot weather. I
squared myself behind a ire for a
rest
Il told the boys ! was going TO take
a nap. This was meant 20 be a joke.
but. sitting against the tree. I wen 20
sleep. my head wabhled 10 o side,
exposing my camp-kcttle hat. and a
Johunie put a bulle; through the hat
30 close 20 my head as 20 cut the
hair. awoke with q start, TO be
laughed ~ by The boys ! got another
scratch ~ KenesaW and a blister Or
buise Al Peach Tree Greek. and
other al Jonesboro. but I got no fur
Tough on any % them I can't truth.
Nuny say that I was wounded, and yet
that briiso on my shoulder troubles
me 90 this day.
Il had worse luck than that said
tie sergeant ION the night our divis
son crossed the Tennessee river IN the
march on Chattanooga, IN September.
1853. ! met with the queercst mishap
that ever bcfcil a soldier. ] had been
on heavy duty for two days and nights
and Il seemed % me I couldn't keep
awake another minute N all OF nraggs
army came s~wooping down The surge
through which We were moving. I
remember looking up az the ruins OF
the high bridge and trcstlcwork at
Failing Water. between s~hellmonnd
and Lookout mountain. ms then ali
was blank.
= had some 20 sleep. walking We
were marching IN fours. rides az a
~rlghtnhuuldor shift. and the men ON
either side stood shoulder 10 shoulder
30 for q time ! slept aud walked
when a turn came IN the road the
mechanism n my body. set Tor guing
ahead. stopped. and I went down Ike
a iog. my Hne striking me a cruel blow
and nay face striking the rough
ground. was hurt worse than II a
bullet had Fone through my arm. bat
Ia nay palm and misery 4 heard The
laughs and shouts Of the mcn ioeriue
me. carry the marks 81 that fan TO
day. but the men 90 tho ola company
would call me a fraud u I should aay
l was wounded az Failing Water
my most palntul wound. said the
Captain. "did not come nom bursting
shell. or rino bullet or sabcr cut Ia
Eoing up Missionary Ridco ! was close
behind a great big fellow. who push
cd his way through brush and abattla
ute the manne Of n hy-hltten bali.
AZ one point he bent forward the
tharponed pronEs OF a branch OF a
fallen tree. and. releasing himself. loi
the sharp points ny back They struck
me az the knee, with the swiftness 81
a swinging saber, tore my trousers N
that les. and left three great gashes
across the knee Il was not a wound
nom the soldiers point 81 view. and I
did not fan OFT I climbed on. blind
with pain. and ] carry the scars 70 this
day. but ! was not among those report.
cd wounded Chicaeo Inter Ocean.