Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1913-07-15
"reminiscences OF Gettysburg.

We extract the following.
THE THIRD DAYS rIeHr.
Late during the night Of July We wer'
brought from the far lef: and assigned 30
sition nearly central along the slope, jus
below the ere OF Seminary Ridge, that wa,
to be the scene of the great charge next day
Early on the morning OF July 8. Iselected
the nearest possible cover for wounded be.
hind raised roadway about two and hall
feet high. constructed to allow wagons to be
driven in upon the lowe. floor of barn and
unload. Fortunately i. ran parallel with
the Federal batteries opposite and the crest
of the ridge for about thirty yards.
About o'clock in the day was with my
regiment down the slope in front of our line
Of artillery, when sergeant of nearby bat.
terry came along and asked If anyone had a
watch IN time. told him believed my
watch was on time, but why did he want to
know? He replied that the captain of his
battery sent him, because at half past one
o'clock signal gun on our extreme right
will let loose all this artillery and that over
yonder, and there will be hell to pay and
plenty of it, took out this very watch
that wear and told him the time.
In about twenty min utes later he came
again and I told him. Then the watch be-
came center of attraction to an intensely
interested crowd; and as the minute hand
touched half past. ran up toward the bat
terry yelling half past Time is upr'
Cne of the detachment nodded assent.
found every lanyard in hand and gunner at
his post.
About two minutes later solemn boom
rolled from the far right; the lanyard pulled
by q New Orleans boy of the First Compa-
ny, Washington Artillery. Instantly the
whole crest of Seminary Ridge, Round Top,
Little Round Top and Culp's Hill burst in
explosion; tongues of fire leap
ing from their sides. with the crash ofKra-
kstoa and Pele in violent eruption blazing
at once
/ watched twelve pound Napoleon about
the muzzle and the re oil, but never heard
that gun go off once The atmosphere sud-
denly became screaming. shrieking, bel
lowing pandemonium of shells and flying
fragments.
! went up to my little, first aid hospital
behind the barn road embankment, and un-
der its cover seated myself for business It
was curious to see the fruit trees flying to
. ho.o IN II t,,aA ho &c
HOW ONE HERO DIED.
Presently the wounded began to come in
crouchingly; for many were killed and
wounded before the charge began. The first
to arrive, borne on litter, was princely
fellow and favored son of the Eleventh Mis-.
issippi l saw in an instant condition Of
terrible shock.
Keeping everybody close to the ground. /
turned to him and he pointed to his left
arm. Iquickly exposed it and found that
a cannon ball had nearly torn it away be.
tween the elbow and shoulder l made
some encouraging remark, when he smiled
and said: why, doctor, that is nothing,
here is where ! am really hurt" and he
laid back the blanket and exposed the low
er abdomen torn through from left TO right
by a cannon shot, largely carrying away the
bladder. much intestine and third of the
tight half of the pelvis; but in both wounds
30 grinding and twisting the tissues that
there was no hemorrhage, / then surveyed
his personality, observing the tender devo.
ton on the part of his litter bearers, and
saw asingularly attractive creature Through
bis deadly pallor could detect asunburned
blonde, who Ia health would show strong
and rudy oountenance; large head with
tousled shock of reddish golden locks like
q name, with the musculature and form OF
an athlete. Deferentially polite, there was
something singularly self-eonfdent and
manly about him, answering distinctly the
descriptive msrks of that shepherd, the
younger son of Jesse; about the time "he
chose him five smooth stones out of the
brook. For he was ruddy, and withal of
beautiful countenance, and goodly to look
to-"
without the slightest change of voice he
asked: Doctor how long have to liver" A
few hours, | replied. Doctor, am in
great agony; let me die easy, dear doctor; /
would do the same for YOU" His soul peer
ed from the depths of his blue eyes in an
appeal of anguish, that cut me to the heart,
and replied, you dear, noble fellow, Il
will see to it that you shall die easy"
No word OF deiail of this scene has faded
from my memory. There was no thought
of the dramatic; it was dreadfuly genuine
and naturally spontaneous, in the uncon.
scious creating and acting ofa grander trag-
edy than we might ever hope to play. For
my own feelings and as physician, can
make no disclosure of his name and tell this
"Reminiscences.
/ called for, and my hospital knapsack
bearer, Jim Rowell, quickly handed me Il
two-ounce bottle of black drop--a concen
trated solution of opium, much stronger
than laudanum.
poured tablespoonful Of it into tin
cup. with liJtle water, and offered it; but
before his hand could reach IL thought
flashed into my mind. and Withdrawing the
cup, asked: Have you no message to
leave?r 1t startled him. and 10 low, moan
ing wall he ciied: my mother. o. my dar-
ling mother. how could have forgr item
you? Quick / want to write" BY that
time all who were cronching under the low
shelter Of the embankment. including sew.
eral of bis regiment, were crowded ABOUND,
oblivious Of their own injuries and weeping
silent =.
HIS LAST MESSAGE.
took my seat on the ground close beside
him and lifted him over. reclining on nv
chest. his face close to mine to steady biz
head, his right elbow in the hollow Of m,
right hand to support and steady his arm
and pencil slipped into his hand; jim
Rowell had provided the sheet Of paper. hel(
on the smooth lid of the hospital knapsscI
improyised as desk. He wrote "a. idly