Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1907-05-10
REC0LLECTI0NS OF A
CONFEDERATE SOLDIER
6 A CUP OF COLD WATER -
VERY TOUCHING INCID
A Brief History OF The Battle of Fredricksburr so2
BY Col. GEO. b. LAKE.

At the great battle OF Fredrickg in
December, 1862, where Gen. Burnside
commanded the Union army OF $780,
600 men, and Lee, with less than To-
OOO Confederates, met him. where the
battle ragged from early morning until
after sun down: the Federal army was
driven from the field having lost more
than twelve thousand men killed and
wounded - eight thousand OF that
number fell, i'm their half dozen or
more attempts, to capture and break
through our lines on Mayree's Heights,
which seemed TO be the key TO the
position.
These eight thousand dead and
wounded men covered probably not
more than two acres OF land. At no
period of that awful war did the Union
troops show greater courage than on
that day. The Confederate loss in the
days fighting was less than six thous-
and. They had the advantage OF a
stone wall for protection at this partic-
ular point.
Officers and soldiers of both armies
that day showed 70 the world what
American soldiers could do. 1t is Of
the heroism Of one soldier that prompts
this little story, as told to the writer
by Gen. j. b. Kershaw-"Old Joe
Kershaw, - as he was lovingly called by
his brigade.
When men are bleeding profusely
they suffer awfully from thirst. and
the thousands OF wounded soldiers i'm
front of Mayree's Heights were crying,
n great many OF them delirious,
"waterl water! waterr''
Gen. Kershaw had taken position in
the second story OF frame dwelling
house i'm rear of his lines, that he might
overlook and direct his men. After
the Yankees had made the last inef-
fectual assault on the stone wall, and
were thrown into panic and stampede,
the Confederate troops were being
killed, If they showed their heads
above the stone wall, by Yankee sharp
shooters, with their long range globe
sighted rifles, from the second stories
of buildings in their front.
Gen. Kershaw said that Sergeant.
"Dick" Kirkland, "a mere boy eighteen
or twenty years old, who he knew per
sonally, came TO the door OF his room.
and said, "Gen. / have come TO ask a
favor of you" The Gen. said, "what
is it Sc geant?" The reply was, 81
can't bear TO hear those poor fellows
beg for water without trying to give it
TO them" The Gen. said, Sergeant,
they will kill you if you attempt To go
over the wall" Kirkland said, 81 am
willing TO take the risk" The Gen.
reluctantly gave his consent. Kirk
land thanked him and with smile on
his face went down the steps at a
bound, but at the bottom he stopped
and returned TO the Generals room
Gen. Kerkshaw heard him approach
ing and he said to me, II thought he
had concluded TO give it up, and was
coming back to tell me So" but when
he got to the door he said, "Gen. may
/ show them a white handkerchief
The Con. said, "no, you can't do that -
kirkland said, "then l will go anyway
He got as many canteens as he could
carry when full, went to a nearby
spring, and filled them, crossed the
stone fence listening 10 the protests OF
his comrades and the whistling of
hundreds of minnie balls that were
being shot at him, ran to the nearest
wounded Yankee, raised his head and
gave him water. The Yankees seeing
what was his object, stopped shooting
and he went from one poor, dying man
to another until he had given as long
as it held out, to each one begging for
water, and when he returned to his
comrades behind the wall, a cheer
went up from all who saw him.
The next battle i'm which he was en-
gagged Sergeant "Dick" Kirkland was
killed.
On the other side 1 am sure he
heard, "In as much as We have done it
To one of the least of these, We have
done it unto me-"
wonder if some Of the old griZzled
heroes ! met at the bounteous dinner
given them last Tuesday by the
splendid ladies of Tazewell - God
bless them-were not at Fredricks-
burg?