The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-05-18
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account Of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed ON the Battlefield and I'm
Camp-Veterans Of the Rebellion Re-

The stories of the wounded left on
the battle-felds in Manchuria," said
the Colonel, touch us old fellows in
very tender spot. The case Of the
Japanese soldier who was shot and
Dayoneted and left on the field, receiv-
Ing no attention for several days, re-
minded me Of the case of Charles L.
Clarke, who died here a few days ago.
Clarke was as well known on the
South Side probably as any veteran
OF the war, and his story is ole to
those who knew him, but now that
ne is dead it is worth the telling in
way TO go ON record
Clarke was a member of company
B. Twenty-fourth New York Infantry
His regiment was holly engaged early
on the first day Of the second battle of
Bull Run, and was driven back.
Clarke was wounded in the leg, but,
using his musket as a crutch, he at
tempted to get off the field. In a hedge
or fence row near, he found the Ma
,or OF his regiment dying of severe
wounds, and stopped to help him. He
gave the Major water from his can
teen, receivedy from him his watch
and message for his wife, and re-
NAMED with him until he died. Then,
using his musket as a crutch, again
he started across the zone of fire.
The rebels, in intrenchments near,
ordered him to surrender, and he limp
nd toward fhorr, 70 rooa;va N b,,IIot a.,
the other leg. This disabled him en-
drely and he was dragged over the
rebel breastworks by main force. Real
izing that he would soon bleed to death
u his wounds were not looked after,
he used his canteen strap and his belt
as bandages to check the bleeding,
and. weak and exhausted, went to
sleep. When he awoke he found that
the rebs had left their intrenched line
and had taken from him his canteen,
haversack, and such articles Of cloth
ing as they could remove.
He felt very miserable and desolate
and had mad thirst for water. A
rebel soldier passing stopped to look
him over, and hearing his cry for wa
ter said he had no canteen himself,
but he would find one. In few min
utes the soldier returned with a can
teen of fresh water. He gave Clarke
a drink and asked If he could do any
thing more for him. Clarke replied
that he wanted only water, and his
friend the enemy placed the canteen
In his hand and ran away.
Clarke remained ON the field with
out attention for two and half days.
Then he was discovered by the sur
geon of Michigan regiment, who had
q comfortable habit Of looking for
signs Of life in those supposed to be
dead. Clarke had long siege in the
hospital, but he recovered and led an
active business life for forty gears. 1
knew him well for twenty years and
he never spoke of his experience in
the battle of Bull Run without tears
coming to his eyes. Only a few days
before his death he was in my Office
and showed great interest in the story
Of one of my own regiment. Sudden
~ he sobbed like child and said: I
can't bear it 1 can't bear the thought
that the boys are going so fast And
now many a comrade is saying the
same Of Clarke"
Speaking Of bayoneted men," said
the Captain, ''there has been in this
Manchurian campaign no more re-
markable case than one that came I'M
der my observation at the battle Of
Jonesboro. Our brigade bad charged
and captured battery, but one of the
artillerymen refused to surrender, and
even after our men were among the
guns he tried to fire one Of the pieces
into crowd Of our fellows standing,
unsuspecting Of danger, not ten steps
away.
IAN Eighty-Sixth Illinois man, COM
pretending what the stubborn reb was
trying to do, and realizing the need Of
quick action, made rush at charge
bayonet on the fellow and pushed him
from the gun not a second too soon to
prevent the death Of a dozen men. The
charge was so furious, however, that
the bayonet went through the body of
the reb and pinned him to the ground
so firmly that it required three men to
extricate him.
HE took the matter stoically and
received little sympathy from the men
whose lives he would have taken or
from his comrades who had surren-
dered. We supposed, Of course, that he
would die, but he was sent back with
our own wounded to Atlanta Visit
Ing the hospitals there two weeks later,
I came face to face with my bayoneted
man walking about with a cane and
suffering no great discomfort. The
surgeons said it vas a case Of luck,
but the boys insisted that 1t was case
of inherent obstinacy."
'sThat reminds me-" said the Doc
tor, "of case I had after Shiloh. One
Of the sharpshooters Of the regiment,
and one Of the best shots in our divi-
sion, was 50 intent on plugging a rebel
sharpshooter that he caught a bullet
Just below his belt which went clear
through his body. 1t was a bad case,
and az abdominal surgery was in its
infancy then. regarded it hopeless
case.
II found a place In. the field hospital
for the big six footer with a bullet
hole through him and awaited devel-
opments. The morning Of the third