Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-12-19
UNN,RITTEN HISTORY.
Cniianfry Of Cspfsin S. Z. Shepard
md Others on the Bsftie Field.

ferred to a brave deed done at Vicks-
burg by Lieutenant Sidney E. Shepard
and Corporal Murty Shea of company
f. and Private Robert Lent, company
A. ,lall of the 18th Wisconsin regiment.
As sIomrade Martin spoke of the mat
ter Comrade William Charlton, who
was captain of Company of the 18th,
arose and said he knew all about what
thesthree brave men did, and that he
considered it one of the most courage
Gus deeds of the war.
The story. as told by Captain William
S. McCready, company G. of the 18th,
is as follows:
John Marquardt Of my company
fell severely wounded in the assault
upon the confederate works at Vicks-
burg on the 22nd day of May, 1862.
His. thigh was broken. detailed four
men, just at dark, to bring him on his
blanket off the field, with three
other men brought off Captain Peaslee
of rly company, who had been shot
through his head. In a few minutes
the men detailed to bring off Marquardt
came to me and reported that the rebel
pickets came out OF the fort after them
and they had to leave him or be taken
prisoners.
On the following day we saw moth
ing of Marquardt, but on the oath we
saw a handkerchief waving at the foot
of Che fort where he had been left.
Lieutenant Shepard had command of
the sharpshooters in our ranks that
morning and he called for volunteers to
go With him to bring off some man who
must be lying there wounded. and was
evidently making signals. Corporal
Mufty Shea of company e and Robert
Lett, company A, volunteed to 60 with
him. and the three ran forward about
$50 yards to the rebel works and
brought Marqusrdt into our lines.
'Marquardt told us that the confed-
ers.es had declined to take him into
their works, but had given him water
and sold him If he would signal his own
mev and could get their attention, thsy
wos2t not fire upon the party that
weatd come out after him. Lieutenant
Shepard and those who went with him
did not, Of course, know anything of
this agreement when they started on
what seemed to all of US most peril
GUS undertaking, for every foot of the
way was being swept by the enemy
with heavy front and flank fire."
Lieutenant Shepard is now living at
Mineral Point, Corporal Shea was with
his company till the 9th Of April, 1866,
the date of Lees surrender at Apo
mattox, when he was killed in action at
Fork Blakeley, Alabama. ] do not
know what has become Of Robert Lent.
Captain Charlton has this to say
about the matter: Having learned
that Department Commander Martin is
making an effort to secure from the
government medal of honor for my
old friend and companion-in-arms, First
Lieutenant Sidney E. Shepard, Com
psny f 18th Wisconsin Volunteer In
fantry, on account of the distinguished
bravery displayed by him and three of
his men on the picket line at the siege
of Yicksburg on the Oath of May, 1868,
when he and they went up almost to
the rebel works and brought into our
lines John Marquardt of Company G,
who had been desperately wounded in
the charge of the 22nd of May, in the
face of the rebel forces, when more
than thousand men of both armies
witnessed the heroic act, ] am glad to
testify to the truth of the story told by
Captain McCready of Company G. It'll
is. surprising that our government has
sc long failed to recognize Lieutenant
bravery. But presume it |
is all owing to his extreme modesty,
fer he would neither ask anything for
himself nor consent to his friends doing
it for him.
81 was with the regiment or that
occasion and was personally cognizant
OF the circumstances; 80 | can readily
testify to the truth of the story. No
Drawer or better man thai Lieutenant
Shepard ever entered the service of
his country. He was quite youthful
when he enlisted, yet was at once
chosen I'd lieutenant Of his company.
lie was fine looking young officer, a
man of good morals and perfect gen
tieman. He was loved and respected
by the whole regiment, and was devot-
ed to the full performance of his duty
as soldier
Here is also statement, made by
Daniel 3. Moore. of Chiaa9np ser
geant of Lieutenant Shepard's COM
PAW Moore says that he%was with
the regiment at vicksburg; that. Mar
quardt was severely wounded on the
22nd in tie thigh, while in the assault
upon the rebel works; that in the even