Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-24
A Boy $
temperance
A Story For Memorial Day
By EDGAR STORMS

i II was what was afterward called
the battle OF Charlottesville. We sol
| diers didn't know when we went into
a fight whether II was to be scrim.
mage or battle. Some Of Us not ret
engaged didn't know that there was
anything going on When one has lis
tened to desnltory firing of muskets
mingled with cannon for several days
4 maybe weeks-he doesn't think much
about whether ii is a campaign. a
succession OF ssirnishes or q battle
But this is not always so When one
Is in the midst of m engagement there
1 is not much doubt as to what is going
on What knew of this battle | re-
| fer to WAS Economical sounds. explo-
sions: rather the mingled pesSy vicious
ping of bullets and the skyrocket
swish OF shells A man in the fiIe 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 did succeed in getting out
of this death storm not man OF my
company would speak to me when 1t
was all over.
have often been asked since II got
used to it. never did, doubt IL any
man in normal condition ever got
used to facing death But ! got mad.
and that served the same purpose.
Unfortunately | was obliged to get
mud in every fight In order to stand
the raeket 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 /
know. ever described 1t correctly. Gen.
eral Sherman when he said, WAR Is
hellr'
If this is doubted listen to an Incl
dent told me by fellow veteran:
AFTER n battle line of wounded lay
In q long line waiting for the surgeons.
They were not all waiting. for some
ofsthem were dying. In the fight the
men. and boys. too. of the country In
which it was fought had taken part
/ saw little fellow with lleafy
branch Keeping the flies Off two dead
bodies lying side by side. Are they
any relation of yonrsY | asked the
child That's my pap he answered.
and that's my brother
To resume my narrative. l was hit.
Some men who are shot don't know 1t
for awhile. Not so l. ! 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 lost consciousness. prob
ably tainted After that | remember
intervals of fighting for breath. What
was my condition the rest Of the time
I don't know. remember that 1t was
night and 1t was day. but how many
of these changes there were have no
idea. Possibly clothed blood stopped
the breathing or some of 1t.
Opening my eyes. | saw standing
over me a small boy. He might have
been ten years old or thereabout.
water ! 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 1t and
- D,,H I
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 it. For years the desire
to 20 south and find him held posses
sion Of me. But such trip was Inn
practicable. l was not only otherwise
engaged. but had not the means to
make the journey. But at last l re-
ceived a windfall and. breaking away,
went down to revisit the battlefield
and find the Soy.
had little difficulty in finding the
house to which l had been carried.
but the boy was not there. Indeed
IL living he was not boy ! found
man who remembered succoring
number of Union soldiers. His age
correspondent 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 a thousand"
He's my son." said the man / had
been speaking with.
He was the perfect image Of hts IA
Their. / took him in my arms and hug |