Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-05-20
STOPPED A CANNON BALL.

massachusetts, Veteran Did This and
Lives to Tell of 1t.
Not until short time ago did the
members of Gilman c. Parker post 153,
g. A r.. of Winchendon, learn that
one OF their number, H F. Partridge,
was, in all probability, the only
Northern soldier who ever stopped a
Southern cannon ball and lived to
tell the tale.
eleven engagements, and carries on
his body to-day. in addition to the
mark made by the cannon ball, three
scars made by mimic balls.
One ball passed through his left
side within quarter of an inch of the
main artery, and in consequence,
when the war was over, he was mus
tered out in the hospital after three
years of service, lacking one month,
with the Ninth N. H. regiment
somewhat wasted now, as any man
would be who had passed through his
experiences, Mr.. Partridge lives a
quiet life with his wife in their home
at 124 Front street. There are no
children.
His weight is only ITO pounds, but
he looks as if his frame were made of
wire and steel. By trade he is a car
penter, but to-day INDUCES only in
light work.
Mr. Partridge talks in an unassum-
ing way about his encounter with the
cannon ball, as if the incident were
nothing out of the common. In his
own words the story runs thus:
ut was the 18th of June, 1864. one
day after the army had arrived in
front of Petersburg.
IL,
it was just in front of Petersburg
We were advancing on the enemy. but
were not in action ourselves. Mean
time they were sending their compli-
ments in the form of shot and shell.
"A belt of woods lay between us.
One of their shots flying through the
woods struck a tree, and Topped off a
big limb.
This threw the ball to the ground,
where it tore a hole big enough to
bury horse in. Up into the air
again; on a piece; then down to the
ground again.
by that time the ball had lost so
much of its force that we could see it.
1t was headed straight for our compa-
ny. Naturally we scattered in order
to let it pass through.
Somehow, 1 lost sight of it, for
about half a second, 1 guess. l got
my eye on it again and gave quick
dodge, but the dodge wasn't quite
enough, and the ball caught me on
the bone of the right hip. The bone
was pretty badly smashed, and 1 was
laid up for three months. My alb
domen was black and blue for some
time.
81 was knocked out, but the boys
boys picked me up and picked the
ball up, but the ball they threw away.
I'd give a good deal to have it as a
souvenir to-day.
ct was not a shell, but a solid
shot. 1 believe they called it IL
FOUNDER. If / hadn't lodged as far as
did, I'm afraid it would have torn me
all to pieces. To bounce as high as
my hip it must have had some force
left in it.
'All the transportation wagons
were in use, so the boys carried me
back five miles on a litter. Really
never went through more misery in
my life.
ION Sept. 10 I was back again in
the ranks, but on the Goth, what
should happen, but a mimic ball go
clean through me on the other side,
close to the hip. This happened at
place they called Poplar Grove church,
close to Petersburg.
They said the ball went within a |
quarter of an inch of the main artery. |
Anyway it put me in the hospital I'M |
til the war was over and I didn't get |
any particular promotion for it. 1 |
wish 1 had the ball that did that |
business. / didn't get many souvenirs, |
horauSQ lost NV Ql1u fhero aft Pom
lar Grove church
Half a minute before the mimic |
ball went through me another struck |
me Just below the left knee 1t only |
cut the meat away though, didn't even
touch the bone,
This SCARED veteran who had lit |
tie meat cut away enlisted June 80, |
1862. His company left Concord, N. |
H., on Aug. 25 Che carries all three
dates in his head. Within three weeks
on Sept. 10, it took hand in the bat
tie of South Mountain Four days
later came Antietam. The next fight
was at Fredericksburg on Dec. 10.
because of the unlucky num-
Der Private Partridge had his arm
well scratched by a fragment of a
bursting shell
The company then wandered about
in Kentucky, and he became Corporal |
Partridge in February, 1863. Gle hard
" seems so particular about remem-
,orin1 the exact date of the prOmO- |