Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-05-20
F|FT|ETH ANN|VER-
SARY CELEBRATED
James Kephart and J. V. Kearns Re-
call Advance Assault Upon
Vicksburg.

James Kephart and J. V. Kearns
| celebrated yesterday at the Kephart
home on Wilson avenue at an ap-
petzing dinner prepared by Mrs.
kephart, the anniversary of what
| was one of the most thrilling events
of the Civil war to them. 1t was just
fifty years ago yesterday, May 10,
1868, that Mr.. Kearns was strick-
en- down in the thick of the advance
assault upon Vicksburg with no less
than five bullet wounds in his body
and Mr. Kephart carried on that
noble work of rescuing his wounded
comrades, for which brave deed he
received two honor medals from the
congress of the United States.
Mr.. Kephart and Mr.. Kearns are
the only two men now living here
that took part in that awful battle
of May 10Th when after chasing the
rebels for two weeks Grant finally
succeeded in driving them to the
shelter of Vicksburg and then with
the hope of breaking the rebel lines
and avoiding siege ordered an at
tack The rebels were like rats
caught in trap and the storm OF
shot and shell ragged from two
O'Clock in the afternoon until the
darkness of night fell upon the city.
The union forces were at last re-
pulsed and with terrible loss, forty
four per cent of the men having
been killed or wounded. The colors
were struck with bullets no less
than fifty-five times and seventeen
men were killed while bearing the
standards. One flag was entirely de-
molished and the other had been
torn with ninety-eight bullets. For
ty-three of these however had been
made in other engagements. This
flag, with other relics of the regi-
ment, was sent to New Orleans af-
ter the war but has since been de-
stroyed by moths.
Both Mr. Kearns and Mr.. Kephart
We're little more than boys at the
time of this engagement, each being
but nineteen years Of age. Mr..
Kearns was struck soon after the
battle began, bullet passing
through his left thigh, and follow
ing close upon it another leaden
missile made its way through his
right hand and into his hip, throw
ing him to the ground. AS he lay
there in helpless condition three
more of the enemies bullets, which
fell about the wounded like rain,
found Judgment in his body. The
Iowa roster of soldiers gives the fol-
lowing account of his wounds:
Right arm broken and amputated.
right hip broken, ball extracted in
iStS: gunshot wounds through
right knee, left thigh and left Shout
der; five wounds in all and every
wound a broken bone"
Mr.. Kephart during almost all this
engagement was detailed on the res
cue squad and went back and forth
across the field bearing the bodies
of the wounded to places of safety.
Among those rescued by him was
Major Horr now of Chicago, who
never has forgotten the kindness of
his comrade and writes to him now
every week from his invalid's chair
some message of interest and love.
For his bravery in the rescue work
during this battle the United States
congress has presented to Mr.. KEEP
hart two medals of honor, one OF
bronze and another Of gold
Though these two soldiers did not
belong to the same company of the
18th regiment Of infantry engaged
in this battle, they knew each other
well, had been on guard duty to-
gether and as they visited yesterday
recalled many incidents of their
war time experience with all the in
terest and enthusiasm Of younger
days. Mr.. kearns has lived in Web
ster City since 1871 and Mr.. KEEP
hart came here in 1884, so both are
among our old time and honored
residents. Here's hoping they may
see many more anniversaries OF the
event which they celebrated with
so much pleasure yesterday
Real Estate Transfers.
J. S. Melvin and VT to Annah NJ.