Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-17
ECCENTRICITIES OF BULLETS.

HCCEN MILL llEO VI bULLEl o.
The Hartford Courant has been
collating some queer and almost in
credible instances of the eccentrici-
lies of bullets, not forgetting the re-
print which has steadily gone the
rounds of the country press about
the good Union soldier, whose New
Testament in his blouse pocket re-
,eived the mimic ball which would
otherwise have gone slam bang into
his heart. Most of the Courant's in
,idents and miraculously narrow es-
sapes are taken from the War of the
Rebellion. Truth should remark that
it can tell of few of these singular
happenings, too
At Mission Ridge an orderly SER
geant's musket had bursted during
one of the terrible charges UP the
ridge. The big guns doomed over
the heads of the advancing column.
but grape and canister dropped
among them, and rifle and musket
bullets were coming so thick that it
was considerable of a trick to walk
between them sideways. The SER
geant threw down his useless piece
and drew his hanger. AS he brand
shed it a musket ball struck the edge
and split clean in two; one half
struck his belt plate. and glancing.
lodged in his captains ear, the other
n the roll of his blanket, where he
~ ha fNI1
uight.
There is a survivor of the war for
the Union resident in New York
whose case Is we'll known among his
comrades of the G. A. r. Captain
Sam was struck in the abdomen with
mimic ball. which passed clear
through his body, and, striking his
cartridge box, dropped upon the
ground. He stopped to pick it up,
pocketed the missile, walked dozen
steps, and was struck by four more
balls before he fell. He recovered,
and is now hearty man, to all ap-
pearances. He wears the bullet on
his watch chain. Captain Sam seems
to bear charmed life. He was
struck with eleven balls in one night,
since. and there was no war going
on either.
In sharp fight for one of the Bal
timOre G. Ohio bridges over the Little
Powder River, the Major of Penn
sylvania regiment, now living in
Pittsburg, was aiming revolver at
q Confederate officer. His opponent
had almost simultaneously covered
him with large Colt. The duel
might have been a pretty one, but
the Johnny, in the heat Of the mo-
ment, ignored the courtesies of the
code and got the first fire. His bull
let struck the Majors wrist. and the
latter's pistol fell to the ground. The
Major recovered his weapon with his
left and placidly raised it for an
other shot, when, by an almost in
credulous coincidence, musket ball
knocked the revolver out of his hand,
and over the parapet Of the bridge,
into the river. The next moment a
bay0net charge separated the two
combatants, and they never saw each
other again.
At Gettysburg Federal artillery
mana Misunderstanding the battle
fell while in the act of covering the
touch-hole of his piece. The battery
to which he belonged pushed for
ward, and he was almost Immediately
carried off the field in an ambulance.
An examination revealed not
scratch on his body. He shortly re-
vived, and put his hand to his left
breast. where there was small blue
spot directly over the aorta. He de-
clared that he had been struck there
by a bullet. In his jacket pocket
was found a well-thumbed copy-he
was a thumber-of Tom Paine's Age
of Reason" The bullet had cut
through the leaves and stopped
against the inside cover. The book
had saved his life. He grasped it
convulsiyely, and asked for his can
teen.