The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-31
A Boy 5
disappearance
A Story For Memorial Day
BY EDGAR STORMS


diers didn't know when we went into
fight whether 1t was to be scrim-
mage or a battle. Some of US not yet
engaged didn't know that there was
anything going on. When one has lis
tened to desultory firing Of muskets
mingled with cannon for several days
maybe weeks-he doesn't think much
about whether 1t is campaign, a
succession of skirnishes or battle.
But this is not always so. When one
is in the midst OF an engagement there
is not much doubt as to what is going
on. What I knew of this battle l re-
fer to was Economical sounds, explo-
sions; rather the mingled pesky vicious
ping of bullets and the skyrocket
swish of shells. A man in the file be-
fore me sank down with a faint groan.
and / stumbled over him. but pressed
on. had to press on. What else was
there for me to do? ! couldn't fall out
of the ranks, for the officers had their
eyes on every man to keep him from
breaking and demoralizing the rest.
Besides, if l did succeed in getting out
of this death storm not man OF my
company would speak to me when it
was all over.
l have often been asked since IL got
used to it. / never did. ! doubt IL any
man In a normal condition ever got
used to facing death. But got mad,
and that served the same purpose.
Unfortunately I was obliged to get
mad in every fight in order to stand
the racket. This is my experience;
others may be different. Let those
sing of the glorious excitement of bat
tie, but only one man, so far as l
know, ever described it correctly, Cen
eral Sherman, when he said, war Is
hellw
IL this Is doubted listen to an incl
dent told me by fellow veteran;
AFTER battle line Of wounded lay
In long line waiting for the surgeons.
They were not all waiting. for some
of them were dying. In the light the
men. and boys. too, of the country In
which It was fought had taken part.
saw a little fellow with a ieafy
branch keeping the files off two dead
bodies lying side by side. Are they
any relation Of yoursT ! asked the
child. That's my pap he answered,
and that's my brother"
To resume my narrative. ! was hit.
Some men who are shot don't know 1t
for awhile. Not SO /. / was shot
right through a lung. ! sank down,
while the Others passed over me. |
struggled for breath, and the blood.
pouring from my mouth, choked me.
After awhile I lost consciousness. prob
ably tainted. After that ] remember
Intervals of fighting for breath. What
was my condition the rest of the time
| don't know. / remember that it was
night and 1t was day. but how many
of these changes there were / have no
idea. Possibly clotted blood stopped
the breathing or some Of It.
Opening my eyes, I saw standing
over me a small boy. He might have
been ten years old or thereabout.
"Waterw / said family. He went
away and presently came back with
canteen full OF water. j can never
forget that first draft. What move
ment / made started my wound bleed
ing again. The little fellow stuffed
some of my clothing into Il and
staunched It. But l choked again.
When / had somewhat recovered from
this the boy went away and brought
some persons. who carried me to
house. There / received medical at
tendance and In time recovered.
The principal comfort remember In
my war service Is that boy. / have
never forgotten his face and never
shall forget 1t. For years the desire
TO 20 south and find him held posses
sion of me. But such trip was Inn.
practicable. / was not only otherwise
engaged. but had not the means to
make the journey. But at last re-
ceiyed a windfall and. breaking away,
went down to revisit the battlefield
and find the boy.
| had little difficulty in finding the
| house to which / had been carried
but the boy was not there. Indeed
i IL living he was not a boy. ] found
q man who remembered succoring q
number Of Union soldiers. His age
corresponded to what that Of my little
friend should be. He thought that he
might have been the one was looking
for. but could not be certain. All the
boys he had known had been out help
ing their elders in caring for the
! wounded.
While we were talking, boy about
ten years old came in.
There he isr' exclaimed There's
the boy who kept me alive. / would
know him among thousand"
Hes my son." said the man / had
been speaking with.
He was the perfect image OF his IA
Their. / took him in my arms and hug
ged him, while his father looked on
and laughed.
II may be indebted to you" ! said
to the parent, but since you have
grown beyond boyhood. and in your
son see the little fellow who was sc