The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1912-12-19
SALTWATER MINNESOTA, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 10, 1872

dent, universal spirit OF discomfort
prevailed among t b e prisoners, no
doubt, fostered by the hope of and
from Southern sympathizers.
,On Christmas Eve 1864, about
one half of Company H Goth Mass.
were doing duty as sentries on the
fence enclosing tn e prison area.
Among the members of Go. III was q
young Irishman-J b n Norton
John had drifted to Massachusett
earning his s living working as a
weaver in the cotton mills finally
enlisting in the 6Oth Reg't. Johns !
post was about 100 feet in length and
he travelled it constantly during the
midnight hour. A binding snow
storm was prevailing and combined
with the darkness enveloped him so
completely that thoughts of tomorrow
occupied his mind as he could hear
the great preparations being made to
properly celebrate Christmas day.
Boxes full of good things to eat
were arriving in large numbers
and although none came for him he
knew the generous spirit of his COM
rades and felt that the day would
make him happy n d contented.
AS he continued to walk his post,
thoughts of Christmas at his old
Irish home came rushing through
his mind. and he pictured to him.
self the enjoyment of the old folks
when the money he had sent them
had been received. Then something
happened! From out of the quiet
darkness that enveloped the quar-.
ters of the prisoners there came the
famous rebel YELL" Hundreds Of
men rushed the dead line" and en-
deavored to scale the fence.
The suddeness of the attack and
the marvellous clerity of the advanc-
: ed charging party caused partial
success that at first created a panic
among the guards, but at the critical
t moment the regimental guard enter
ed the prison enclosure and with an
s effective bayonet charge drove the
I rebels back to their quarters. And
r what of Johnnie? Sugar Johnnie bis
4 comrades called him. Why, he was
t there like a red hot potatoe-the
hero of the fight. To use his own
t words: "Sargint, spaking as man to
/ man wild the stripes off, never John.
p1 ME Reb got over me post. / knew
: me old Springfield was only good fol
d club and what with calling for the
'Corp'ril of the Guard, and 'GuarG
: turn out l was busy hitting the Reb'
) heads until I lost me senses. Say
It Sarg., was that cannon ball tha
l. bowled me over?"
IS Hurrah Hurrahl soldiers life for me
Shout, boys. Shout! For it makes you jolly an
l. = free.-From the RamrodCorps.
l. In the savage assault John Nor
s. ton was struck in the eye by a bot
J. tie. i!e was carried to the post hos
pital and soon after was discharged
o. He returned to Boston and disap
e. pearad in the ranks of the mill toiler
% the army that makes the wealth Q
IN New England.
ut The Captain of Coli Goth Mass
N was officer of the guard On the nigh
y of this attempt to escape. He was
v young man of about 25, a gradual
in of Harvard and lawyer by profes
u sion. At the close Of the war he re
he fused a commission u the regula
at army preferring to locate in Bosto
is and practise his profession.
n Twenty-Five years passed ava
he and the former captain of volunteer
s, was now a noted lawyer, a friend an
he associate Of General B.. F. Butle
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