The Rich Hill tribune., 1906-11-29
A GRAVE ACT.
How Philip A. Hawk Spiked Brass
Cannon at chiekamausa.


Early on the morning ot the goth
Of September. 1863. Gen. John Beattys
brigade. 10 which the One Hundred
and Fourth Illinois was attached.
was sent from our position on the
right near the Widow Glenn's house
TO the extreme left Of our lines near
kclley's house and across tho La
fayette road. writes Philip A. Hawk.
ia the National Tribune We reached
the position assigned. and. moving
out shrmishing soon began The
confederate lines kept advancing. and
engaging our one main and only line
Of Beatty's brigade. soon drove Il
back Bridges battery was engaged.
but was short OF men. and Cant
bridges asked Gen. Beatty for a de.
tan Of men from the infantry 10 help
work the guns. AT Beatty's order Col
Hapeman Of The One Hundred and
Fourth Illinois. called for volunteers.
and myself and others at once re-
spOnded. we reported TO the bat
tery and was assigned 70 the differ
ent guns went 70 one OF the brass
l2pOunder guns and carried ammuni-
lion 20 the gun. The confederates
continued to advance. and we kept
on firing, seven shots being given
after my arrival. but when the last
two were fired only the sergeant OF
the gun and myself remained at the
gun, and these last times we loaded
her TO within one foot of the muzzle
and let go. One man al our gun
had been killed. two badly wounded.
The other men were gone. or the
six horses five were down killed or
disabled. We could not remove the
gun and the confederates were ad-
vancing ohliquely across the open
held ia our front. their left nearer
our gun than their right. and COW
cred By woods The sergeant then
said he could cut.the one uuhurt horse
loose and get out and I had better.
also. But did not. and hearing the
men al another gun on my left calling
for canister ! filled my arms fun and
ran TO that gun. which was perhaps
500 feet distant This was a steel
gun The sergeant. however. cursed
me and told me TO take the ammunl-
uon back ] said that no one was
now AZ the gun. He then told me
10 go to the rear: he did not need me.
But ] did not feel like going and
started back to the brass gun. =
flashed into my mind 20 spike the gun.
On the way ! picked up a stone as
big as my two fists. perhaps. and
running 90 the timber chest. grabbed
up a Gle that ] had before seen there.
and just as reached the gun 20
spike Il a confederate soldier stepped
ont Of the woods or brush. not more
than 20 feet away raised his musket
and fred. The thought came 20 me.
can spike & as quick az you can fire.
gave the file one blow. and d was
done. That instant the confederate
ban hit me over the left eye and I
instinctively turned TO the rear. or
found myself so faced was blind.
ed or dared, and blood flowed. but
then ran. heard the confederate
say: "Oh. you -- ~ I did
not stop. but had attracted notice. and
very soon after was hlt again by a
bullet in the left leg above the knee.
flesh wound, which lamcd me Al
most Immediately after I was hit By
a piece OF shell In the right leg be.
low the knee. These various wounds
did not cause nae 60 stop. though very
lame Meantime the confederates
had been so wen met on the left that
they soon halted or sought shelter In
tho woods The wounds received
there, or two Of them. still disable me
Ia ms eve or head and Ia ms leg.
AZ last I reached the log hospital on
the hiil, but Il was soon shelled by
a confederate battery. and those who
could got out on order of the sur.
geon. then got into a little valley
near by. and found there the second
Ohio. The colonel called me un
washed my face from his cantecn. and
lied his handkerchief about any head
and told me 90 wait Tor an ambulance
dld So FOR awhile; then occurred a
great stampede OF hon-comhatants.
and to avoid being killed. ] ros be.
hind a tree. Tho Second Ohio moved
out 60 battle The stampede soon
passed. and no ono panslng 20 take me-
up, l started for Rossviie Meantime
nay rcglment had been ordered away
and, as ! found had gone 20 Ross.
yille by Negleys order with ox.
trcmc ouor I reached Rossyllle that
night and ChattanooEa the next day
In an ambulance from Rossvine. /
was next ordered across the river and
SO go 90 Stevenson. but not liking this. /
, got over the Tennessee. reported 10 1
Capt Bridges, and in two DAYS more.
being found unht for duty. was sent
back to the One Hundred ana Fourth
Illinois by Capt Bridges. I then ne. /
mained Ia camp for four weeks. when /
Was again put on duty.
Princess Has Few Fsds.
The princess OF Wales has never