Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-05-06
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed ON the Battlefield and I'm
camD-veterans of the Rebeliion Re

the nattle-neldS IN Manchuria. SAID
the Colonel, touch us old fellows in
a very tender spot The case of the
Japanese soldier who was shot and
bayoneted and left on the field receiv-
minded me of the case of Charles l..
Clarke, who died here a few days ago.
Clarke was as well known or the
South Side probably as any veteran
of the war, and his story is old to
those who knew him, but now that
he is dead II is worth the telling in
way TO so on record.
Clarke was member of company
II, 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
ior 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-
manned with him until he died. Then.
using his musket as crutch, again
be started across the zone of fire.
tChe rebels, in intrenchments near.
ordered him to surrender, and he limp
ed toward them to receive bullet in
the other leg. This disabled him en-
tirely ard lie was dragged over the
izing that he would soon bleed to death
if 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 dwoke he found that
the rehs 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 dcSolatc
and had mad thirst for water. 4
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. III a few min
utes the soldier returned with 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 a half days.
Then lie was discovered by the sur
geon of Michigan regiment. who had
a 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 years.
knew him well for twenty years and
he never spoke of bis experience in
the battle of Bull Run without tears
coming to his eyes. Only few days
before his death he was in my office
and showed great interest in the story
of one of my own regiment. Sudden
ly he sobbed like n child and said: 4
can't bear it, | 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 had charged
and captured q battery. but one Of the
artillerynen refused to surrender. ana
even after our men were among the
guns he tried 10 fire one of the pieces
into a crowd of our fellows standing.
unsuspecting Of danger, not ten steps
away.
An Eighty Sixth Illinois man, com
pretending what the stubborn reb was
trying to do, and realizing the need OF
quick action, made a rush at n charge
bayonet on the fellow and pushed him
from the gun not a second too soon to
prevent the death of dozen men. The
charge was so furious. however that
the bayonet went through the body of
the reb and pinned him to the ground
80 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, or course that he
would die. but he was sent back with
our own wounded to Atlanta. Visit
ing the hospitals there two weeks later.
l came face to face with my bayoneted
man walking about with cane and
suffering no great discomfort. The
surgeons said II was case Of luck.
but the boys insisted that it was case
Of Inherent Obstinacy"
THAT reminds me" said the Doc
tor, "of case / had after Shiloh. One
Of the sharpshootcrs Of the regiment.
and one Of the best shots in our divi-
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