The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-12

reply. and l tried to look as innocent
as II | had been Clint Robinson, but
II was Il hard pull on my dignity.
considered the substitution Il good
Joke and intended after three days OF
secret ssloating. 10 tell NY old com
rade he could have his revenge any
way he should elect. But the explana-
tion was never made and the debt will
remain uncanceled until your monu.
ment committee write me that. at my
entreaty. his name is written large
upon q face OF sanctifed stone.
ESCAPED sHELL. WHICH
DISABLED COMPANIONS
! wrote YOU long ago how l escaped
being cut down with the others by the
shell which disabled eight OF the com
pan%. The last time we were ordered
into line, after a ten minutes rest, :
occupied a position two files nearer the
head of the company. and within two
hles OF Corlrade Berry. leaving my po-
sition that had maintained for nearly
three months, and marched into the
tatetul woods on Cedar Run. blissfully
ignorant OF what tragedies were imm
nont. While lying down near the Gull
pepper Road, under Il deadly fire from !,
battery not half mile away. ! had
time TO pray again that I might be Let
of this time TO be better boy here.
after. but ! don't remember that I
thought OF the stolen meat at my left
elbow. when we We're put In motion
again. II was as ridiculous fashion rs
Il military man could conceive; being
marched slowly I'm two ranks across
the road mmediately behind a riGed
cannon OF ours dwelling with a full
gunncd battery of the enemy. In plain
view. and we In plain view of them
and being brought into line OF battle
facing east. with our left flank "out In
me arr and extending towards the
fe Mas 'hs" h fary ready to charge us
that We lost John Berry heard the
sharp report of bursting shell-just
as ] was Josiled TO the left by the man
on my right, and saw Berry fall for
ward On MS face onto a brush pile he
was trying to avoid by turning a step
TO ms left and thus bringing himself
wounded him By entering his left side
after tearing the muscles of his arm
and cutting through stomach ana
at the small of his back, looked up
In time TO see the ball OF smoke 100
feet In the al fade slowly away. and
knew that 10 reach John Berry the
piece OF shell had to pass within two
feet OF my face.
do not know who carried comradc
Berry off the field, neither did ! see
next cot to my right in the hospital in
stanton. on the 18TH | think II was
He was placed on his right side, and 7
v was NO, see ms ldce; put knew he
for no moan escaped him. In the even
ing the surgeon came in. and cutting
ueep INTO u sWeliing over ms spine. IN
serted n huge pair OF forceps and ex-
tractcd the screw cap OF rif1ed shell
that was an inch long and nearly that
much in diameter. He must have been
dying when operated upon, for he was
given no choroform. and he made no
movement evincing sensibility.
He died by my side during the night,
and saw him carried out In the early
morning Of the 18th for burial. do
not know what funeral rites were held
at his grave. but do know that when
each recurring Memorial Day is OBJ
served in Luray he will have at least
one true mourner in me Or my repre-
when We who remain gather
around the memorial shaft to grateful
~ lay our ercrErcens at Its base! l
revere his memory for the deeds he
wrought, and because, like Abou Ben
.Aden. he had faith in his fellowman.-
By DR.. T. Ii. Lauck, in the Page Courier.