Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-12-10
Protected
By A. D. WILDER

battle of Shiloh. We were in the same
company and at the time he was shot
were repelling one of those sledgeham-
mer attacks General Johnston hurled
against us like blows upon an anvil.
saw Tom turn around and fall on his
face. There was a pang. and then |
was like a mailman. The Confederates
were right on us. and We were fighting
them hand to hand. Il forgot danger
and poked and dubbed with my mus
ket. fighting for vengeance.
They said afterward that my ''brav
cry held the others. and we drove
them off Then took Tom in my
arms and carried him to the rear. They
came at us again and again. and every
time they came fought them more
fiercely. They did not give me time to
cool off But when the sun set on
the last day of the fight lay on the
ground physically used up. and sorrow
took the place Of revenge.
When the term of enlistment for my
regiment expired we were mustered
out. Many of the boys re-enlsted. but
I did not. thought had seen enough
of war But war fever is like any
other disease-it must run it's course.
Whenever | heard drum beat. dis
tant shot. the sound of martial music.
l grew restless with a desire to be
again tramping. fighting. in among the
living and the dead. l resisted as long
as could. then gave in and enlisted
for another three years or during the
war"
During this enlistment I was with
the army marching to the sea. One
evening soon after sunset was march
ing with my company when felt i'll
and was obliged to drop out of the
ranks. | sat down beside the road
and after awhile. feeling better. | got
up and staggered ON. In the west.
above where the sun had set. the twi-
light still fingered. but about me was
the verge of darkness. Suddenly was
conscious of some one walking beside
me- ! was too tired and ill to be es-
pecially interested in who was there.
supposed him to be some Straggler
like myself who was trying to get
somewhere. and that he would soon
go ahead of or drop behind me. But
he did neither. He kept just so far
away from me and little to my rear.
| remember once or twice looking for
him. but either on account of the dark
ness or because be was at the time far
Their away from me or for some other
reason didn't see him. or, it l did. 1t
was but indiStinctly.
But somehow it got into my head
that my brother Tom was beside me
If had been asleep | would have sale
that the feeling was something like
dream. but | was awake. Moreover.
didn't see Tom. only felt his pres
ence. felt so i'll and so exhausted
that / didn't concern myself about thi
presence of the dead. My sensibiIitie
were at very low ebb. and it wal
all | could do to get ON. / doubt i
even had seen Tom walking beside
me and he had talked with me wOult
have had any ability to exercise tn,
faculty of wonder.
However. my consciousness of tn,
presence of my brother remained Will
me till saw a campfire to my left an(
the silhcuettes of some men betweel
so it seemed to me that the figure be
side me- parted from me- | staggered
UP to the persons about the fire ant
fell on the ground.
They were making Coffee and one o
them held tin cup full Of it to m,
mouth and poured what seemed lik
new life down my throat. | trie,
both coffee and whisky for a brace
from fatigue, and found the coffee in
fnitely preferable. Under the stiInu
liant ] felt refreshed and lying fiat OF
the ground with my head on pile o
dirt | slept till morning Then afte
another cup of coffee and some hard
tack | felt strong enough to hunt III
my command. While doing so | pass
ed some Confederate prisoners. On
OF them accosted me-
Il say. young man. who was tina
with you last night?"
What do you mean?" l asked.
had never seen the fellow before an
couldn't make out what he was dri,
ing at.
lust before dark some of us wei
hanging on the rear of you uns. la,
ing fo' stragglers. | saw you drop GU
and | just thought I'd pick you OF
But it wouldn't be safe to do it till tt
column got out of earshot. When yC
got up Swallowed you. and was dra,
ing ahead on you when another MI
got in between you and me. hadr
calculated on any one else being the
and didn't like to shoot because
didn't know who he was. for fear
might kill one of our boys
HE kind O. fickered in what lit
light there was between you and n
specially whenever | raised my gun
shoot What made me curious abo
him was that he kept getting in 4
way whenever l got you against t
sky where | could get good aim
VOL Who was he anyway?"