Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-06

.fNtttNt'NA laaa.AA 81 HHNAtitt l ? l0lth. Hnnln
carried guns. but both were 50 weak
that they barely were able to handle
them. The roar Of battle had stirred
the blood of old John Burns. lie
begged the soldiers for one Of the guns.
At first they refused. but at last they
gave In TO his pleading He got not
only gun. but a pOcketful of car
tridges. Then over the fields and
| over the fences went the old man he
came upon the Union line where
Stones brigade was hotly engaged.
Il want "a chance TO shoot" he cx-
| planned TO Major Chamberlain OF the
| One Hundred and Fifteenth Pennsvl-
| vanilla, who halted him and demanded
what he was doing
The major passed him on to Colonel
! Wister. He did not have TO plead with
/ Wister.
II wish I had more like YOU" said
! the colonel Then ne ordered him to
! 30 20 a bit of woods where the Iron
! Brigade had taken position and where
/ he would have shelter Taking posi-
ton there with the Seventh Wisconsin
the old man began firing But the
| woods did not suit him. He wanted
a fair unobstructed view. so he left
! the timber and went to n fence in tho
open ground. Like all true marks,
men, he wasted no powder He fired
only when he saw something to hit.
lie paid most attention to mounted
men. They offered better target.
and, besides. they amounted 10 more.
lie had not been at the fence long
before some Of the officers realizing
what an excellent shot he was and
fascinated by the sight of that queer
civilian figure, surmounted by the white
fur hat, shouted suggestions TO him
as TO good objects for him To shoot
at. Away across Willoughby Run an
officer on a handsome gray horse was
seen leading his men. A suggestion
was shouted 10 John Burns. and the
next minute the gray charger was
riderless
THE FALLEN MARKsMAN.
There was a lun in the battle NJ
noon, and the old man stretched ont
on the ground TO rest As soon az fir
ing was resumed he went back 10 his |
work. But soon there was a change 1
In affairs The Seventh Wisconsin bad /
received little attention from the con- /
tederates previously. Most OF the nre /
had been at long range. Now he |
conrederates were pressing forward and /
heaVy fire was directed az the
unlonists. Burns. utterly reckless Of
himself, kept 10 his position down bv
the fence, shooting carefully but stead
llN, showing no excitement and an.
parently as cool as If standing In a
held shooting az birds. But suddenly
he was seen 20 reel with some dtf-
hculty be saved himself from falling
TWO shots had hit almost az the same
instant Both had taken effect ln bls
side. IL took him a few minutes 10
recover from the shock Then he re-
sumcd shooting. He was weak aud
MS nand trembled, but he would not
give ln' A little later bullet struck
the buckle OF the belt the Old man
wore 10 hold his trousers This seemed
TO affect him more seriously than the
wounds In his side. for Il bent him
almost double. He could not speak for
"a time ana the pain was excruclatinR.
But gradually he recovered, and then /
the indomitable man resumed shooting.
Nearer and nearer the cOnfederates
we're drawing and faster and faster the
pa man shot. There was not much |
In finding a target now.
But n he had little difficulty in find
ng target, neither had the confed-
arates. Another bullet struck the old |
man, this one Heverng an artery ia |
Jne Of his arms. A little later another
bullet hit him. this one IN tho lex. !
Then he fell. lie was very weak. but
strange a. II may seem In one so
near death ana one who had imperiled
his life for hours. his every thought |
was ON self-proservation. The con-
.ederates were preparing 20 charge.
he seventh Wisconsin was in retreat |
he was I'm between the two forces. As
4 civilian taking part iu battle he was |
ntltled 10 no mercy. So when he fen |
ana as he realized that the confed-
crates would be upon him In "a minute.
le hastily cleared himself Of an proof
'f offense. His gun he hurled as far
away as his waning strength permit
ed. Then frantcally scooping "a hole
"a the ground be- buried boa IL his f0ur
emuinlng cartridges As he pattod
DE earth down on them he could hear
he rush OF the charging oonfederates.
Then he swo0ned
WITH THE DEAD on THE FIELD.
II was night whom conscious
lcaa returned 20 him. The field had
been won by the Confederates. a SER
.eaht ana six men were gathering up
ne confederate wounded They We're
.HtonisheQ when they saw the old {
hlte haired man in civilian dress and \
FOUNDED so terribly. They asked him |
low he came ON the neld. lie told them
a. had been la search Of a girl who
NeQ near hy and Was caught between | !
no two armies. They ala not believe !
ln. Thinking he was near death they
'ft him lie was aroused little lat
a Whsn burging parties came along