The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1905-10-12
Flrs, Battle Erperieness.

First Battle Experiences.
u was iokingly called chicken heart.
ed. said the sergeant. when ] en-
listed in the Union army In April.
1861. ! could not bear TO see anything
OF anybody hurt ! found in a few
days that ! had lots Of company. and
wondered il any of the tender hearted
Pquad would ever become hardened
TO the inevitable cruelties OF war. My
own baptism In a new order OF life
came In our first engagement. The
sight of the cncmys wounded slcken-
ID me and ! was keeping as far away
from them as possible when ] was or.
dered TO lift one Of the most severely
wounded onto a stretcher.
STOPPING to take hold Of the mar 5
legs, It seemed TO me ] could not
touch b'm. But, as my hands sought
along HIS bloody trougers for a place
10 take hold and became red with
blool ! realized how much need there
was L)r help In such extremity and
my noryes were as II made new. In
that Instant my nature, 50 far as re.
vulsion against blood was concerned.
was changed. After that never hest
tatcd to help a man who needed help,
TO matter how he looked.
"One OF my old chums, joyial fel.
low of good parts, not only became
hardened 70 scenes of blood. but came
TO see amusing features In battle
tragedies On one OCCASION when a
comrades foot was shot off by n shell
and hurled into the air, Dick called
TO the PROSTATE man. shouting: J
say. John. see your foot spin The re-
mark was not hysterlcal. Dick told
me later that the spectacle of spin
ming foot struck him as being very
wonderful and very amusing.
AT Cold Harbor Dick wore a straw
hat and was very proud OF It. In the
heat OF the fight shell exploded over
Dicks gun. One piece OF the shell
killed his corporal and another grazed
Dicks head, tearing nearly all the rim
of his favorite hat and taking II of
his head. Dick watched the whirl.
Ing hat until II touched the ground,
Then he picked up the remnant and,
crowding II on his head, said. as II
addressing the enemy: "If you no
like him fer this kind take 'em fer the
odder kind"
Il thought at first that il would
and even as late as Stone River | was
afraid ! might bolt II men near me
were shot down. The first man struck
was one OF the tallest and largest men
in the company. There was nothing
distressing about II. heard the 'spat'
OF the bullet and saw Charley topple
over aud settle down In restful sort
OF way. Then little fellow at my
side was struck in the right arm as he
was ramming home a load. He looked
at me In n puzzled sort of way, then
smiled and raised his left arm to ram
home. Another bullet struck his left
arm, and a third bullet struck him in
the leg He didn't seem excited or In
pain, but exceedingly annoyed.
IL turned then to our color bearer,
who was waving the flag and making
splendid picture of himself. saw a
hole appear In the center OF his high
forehead, saw him put the flag In an.
other mans hand, saw him lie down
and cross his arms on his breast. II
was all simple and dignihed and was
not greatly disturbed. A bullet cut
across my leg above the knee, a
something struck me on the side OF
the foot. n splinter OF rock seemed to
pierce my ear, but all seemed trilles
"a a.. 10 4
] didn't feel sorry for myself or the
color bearer. We seemed to be doing
pretty well, and waited for the
slaughter TO begin. But the battle was
over when thirteen OF our men were
down,
"A week later | went to the hospl-
tai to look up our wounded The fact
that wounded and bandaged men
could be so clean and seem so com.
Portable and cheerful was shock
TO me, caught bright
look from two black eyes
that | knew and went over to
shake hands. Both arms were dis
abled. and | didn't shake hands
was disappointed and depressed when
he Of the black eyes said We licked
'em, didn't we? That was great
fight, my boy Then my big man
said. Did you see me lie down In that
corn field? Never felt so disappoint,
ed In my life But had to do It, and
! lost most Of the fight
81 have no disagreoable recollec-
tions of that hospital and It's scores OF
wounded have no unpleasant recol.
lcctions OF the men shot dead at Stone
River. There Is no tremor OF nerve
II recall the lighting whom the lines
closed in. am as tenderhearted as
| ever was, but | am not faint-hearted
when men need help, Chicago Inter
Ocean.