The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-06-22

long enough to learn a thing or two
and he was made the "hewer of wood
and drawer of water" for the entire
company, which he bore without
murmur. He drilled along with the
company. and soon filled his place as
member i'm the ranks. In the battle
OF Kernstown, four miles above Win
chester, In terrific little fight be-
tween Jackson and Shields, Jo re-
celved his first baptism of fire. and he
behaved so splendidly that he at once
earned the confidence and respect and
affection of the entire command. From
that day or he was known as brave
soldier.
1t is known to those who are IA
miliar with the history of the war that
cellOrsville Lee Immediately prepared
for the invasion of Pennsylvania. and
sixty days after the battle of Chan
cellorsville the great struggle at Get
tysburg took place.
Before starting out on the campaign
Gen. Lee endeavored to provide his
army with the best arms and equip
ments he could obtain. and as far as
possible with new clothing. Many of
these new things he managed to get
through the blockade from England,
and among other things thus brought
through was a splendid lot of English
army shoes, which were distributed
through the army to those who most
needed them. Jo, who rarely ever
Wore shoes at all, because his feet did
not suit shoes, drew pair of these
English army shoes, of which he was
very proud. He could wear them only
little while at time. but he would
not sell them for love or money; and
on the march from Virginia to Gettys-
burg he would wear them until his
feet commenced to hurt, then he would
take them off and go barefooted. carry
ing his shoes on his gun, and then
put them on again, and so on until
the army reached Gettysburg.
1t is known to those who are famil-
lar with the history of the war that
both in the first and second days
fight at Gettysburg the COnfederates
drove everything before them. 1t was
in the first days fight that poor 10
lost his life. Jackson's corps. then
commanded by Gen. Ewell. advanced
upon the enemy, who had intrenched
themselves on the crest Of long and
rocky hill. 10 was in the ranks of
his company, and started in the charge
with his shoes on. After the line ad-
vanced through a wheat field some
quarter Of mile or more. he began to
lag behind, and, finding that. with the
quickening pace of the men VINO were
then about to charge, he could not
keep pace with them, he stopped, took
off his shoes, tied them together with
the leather shoe strings and threw
them across his left arm, and hurried
forward over the rough and stony
ground barefooted to regain his place
in the ranks. As the enemy's skirmish
line was broken, the order was given
for the Confederates to charge the
breastworks of the Federals on the
crest of the hill some four hundred
yards distant. The charge was made
with the terrific yell of the Confed,
crates and met by the CALLING fire
Of the Federals, who were waiting for
the charge; and when the smoke OF
the battle cleared away, the Confed-
crates occupied the position the Fed
erals had been driven from. Among
the dead on the very top of these earth
works was poor Jo Ersom. barefooted
and his shoes lying across his left arm
This poor. untutored mountain boy had
/ given all he had to give to his coun
try-his young life's bloOd.-COnfed
crate Veteran.