Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-11-25
LIGHTNING INSTEAD OF LEAD
One OF the Elements Which Helped 20
Reduce the Fighting Force
The Majors "Reminiscences.

4 wonder, said the major, IF any
or the Seveuty-sixth Ohio men living
IN Chicago can 1eil what became of the
toys Of Company b ruck by lightning
81 or near Young s Point. la in Feb
<uary, 1865 The story was told me 30
or more years ago. and nave forgot
ten the details. I remember. however,
that member Of Company said that
on the night OF February IA. 1863. the
tent OF the nOncommissioned officers
was struck by lightning
Two of the men in the tent we're
killed by the bolt and four others were
disabled. The lightning in fact. caused
as much commotion in camp as an at
tack by the enemy. and there were AL
sorts OF rum0rs as 20 the sensations
OF those who recovered from the
shock. The question OF interest now
is, we're any OF those struck by light
ming permanently disabled. and IL so.
did they have a. many queer expert
ences As men disabled by woundsf
The records show that a good many
soldiers we're injured by lightning dur
ing the var. What became OF them2
Twenty years ago a Twenty-third
AAAA~FAa man hNlA AAAE AAAN oN0Al VI a
man severely wounded ~ the battle
OF Lexington. No. which that story
OF the 'Checkess battery reminded me
OF. This comrade OF the Twenty-third
Illinois was severely wounded early
in the day. He remained IN the works.
however. aud fred as be had strength
and opportunity. In the afternoon the
eonfederates opened furious hre on
the union works and the men on the
firing line were ordered 90 move out OF
the way so that the little six-pounder
on the sdvance line could open on the
enemy.
"All got out Of the way except the
wounded man. who was not able 70
move Tar enough 20 escape the sue
ton OF the wind after each discharge.
The result was TIA. before the other
men realized what was going on the |
muscles we're shredded from the
wounded mans arm above he elbow |
The poor fellow made no protest or
complaint and was not rescued from
his trying situation until the gun had
been discharged several times. Now
! would Ike 10 know what became OF
that man"
zone OF the regiments in that bat
tie q Lexington" said the captain. |
had been in service not more than
a hundred days, but the men fought
Ike veterans. 10 IS true they were
informal and irregular at times. but
they stood by their guns. For ex-
ample. there was a little Dutchman
OF company A. First Illinois cavalry. |
who on the third day. after all the men !
who had manned the FOUNDER had
been shot swahhed loaded and hred the
gun himself he was precision itself
and as uneKcited ne n on drill.
After the white nag had been or
dered MP FOR the third time by the
commander OF the home guards. and
had been taken down as often by in
dignant men. most OF the boys IN our
part OF the works In front OF the hos
pital cut out FOR the main works
around the college. r. A. Jellison.
however. remained with the little
Dutchmau and his skip oun-er. firing
his old musket as rapidly as circum-
stances would permit After firing ali
his own cartridges and all that be
could fine In the cartridge boxes OF
the dead within his reach. Jellison
tied handkerchief 20 his ramrod
and went over 70 the movable hemp
bale breastworks OF Gen. Rains. con
federate commander OF the investing
force
'Jellison was received by Gen. Rains
himself. who asked eagerly II Col.
Mulligan had surrenue. vd or was
ready TO surrender Jellison replied
that he didn't know, he didn't come
from Col. Mulligan. and couldn't speak
for him. He represented only himself. |
and as he was out Of ammunition
and was occupying an exposed posi-
ton be was ready 70 surrender.
Scarcely noticing the explanation
Rains wrote out a formal demand f,
for the surrender Of the union forces
and sent 1t TO Col Mulllgan by Jelli. |
son.
The latter delivered the message
10 Mulligan. secured another gun and
more ammunition. and again opened
on the johnnies In later DAYS Jellisop
admitted this was very irregular. but
he contended that Gen. Rains did not
formally accept his SURRENDER. did not
take his parole. did not even ask him
20 return. SO he felt free. after he
had delivered Rains message TO Null
hgan, TO resume business at the old
stand. He always insisted that Rains
didn't know any more about the Ell
quette OF the occasion than the little
Dutchman did. or than Jeilison him
self did
Those movable breastworl.s OF
hemp bales used ~ the confederates
at Lexington seemed very formidable /
70 most of our men Inc confederates
pushed them forward. throwing wa (;
ter on them to prevent them tax
ing IRE when struck by shells.
and there was belief in the
ranks that nothing could stop
such an advance. Mulligan himself
was depressed by the wet hemp
bales more tnan he was by the en- |
emy's guns. Therefore the coolness
OF the 30 or 40 men who had charged
ovar the hemD balQS and hod -