Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-03-07
Letter From Sergeant Snyder.
Camp Merritt, N. j.,
February d 1918.

Camp Merritt, N. j.,
February "a, 1918.
Dearest Dad = Today | am the
proudest man in the company-in-
deed, | doubt il there is a man in the
camp who is any prouder than ! am,
for have gotten my warrant as
first-class sergeant, it having come
this morning. Were it not for the
fact that have TO have il with me all
the time | would surely send il home.
The next upward step is commits
sion, and am already figuring on it,
and do not think that whole lot
of time will elapse before am going
to be an officer. have lines out,
and the work that | have been doing
is exactly what an officer has TO have,
and that means that will not have TO
take any particular training for the
place. Already | have assurance that
any help that the officers Of my own
company can give me they will gladly
do il, and when you have that, il does
mean LOT Of help. There were two
other warrants for sergeants, not first
class, but just sergeants, so that |
feel that much better than they do.
One is mess sergeant and the other
is supply sergeant. We have been
awfully busy this week getting our
company in shape, and | feel that |
have been neglecting you all at home
in so far as writing has been con-
cerned, but | have just had so much
to do that there has been no time 10
get you letter.
think | told you in one of my let
tiers that our Captain Edwards was
Spanish American war veteran, and
that he had been given special men,
ton and commended for bravery in
action, and last night heard from
Major Peyton, of our regiment, just
how and where he received that honor,
By the way, it is some honor, for |
understand that there are only eleV-
en- other men in the whole army who
have a like honor.,At the outbreak OF
the War of '9S Charles Edwards came
from England, and from the love OF
fight enlisted in the u. S. Army, and
after few weeks rose to the rank OF
corporal and was sent with the ar
my to fight Spain. 1t was while they
were lying in the trenches before
San Juan Hill that the story starts
One day as they were lying IN the
trenches before the fort--and all dur
ing the night there had been some
acknowledgement Edwards noticed
an old man lying up near the middle
of the hill, and saw that he was so bad
" hurt that he could not move. he
asked who it might be, and some OF
the men answered that he was only
a teamster, and that he was not worth
the risk of trying to rescue him but
Edwards said that he could not see an
old man suffer like that and 60 to
certain death. and so he started after
him. AS soon as the SpanlardS saw
him they opened heavy fire on him,
but unhurt he reached his man and
after finding that he was unable to
move on account of being shot through
the ankle, Edwards lifted him to his
back and carried him back INSIDE the
American lines, where he placed MN
in a row with the other WOUNDED.
Since Edwards was familiar with the
surgical work, he set about caring for
the wounded, taking those who were
hurt the most badly first.
The old man lay about half way down
the line, and after a few minutes he
yelled TO the corporal to come and
fix him up and quick as flash
came the answer to shut up and wait
his turn and not make any more fuss
about it. or he would wait longer. In
a few minutes a horseman came gal
loping UP from the rear inqulrlng II
anyone had seen aything of the Cen
eAav,ad fnIICn RNClte0.
He was told that there had been no
general around there, and as he look
ed at the line of wounded, he sud
denly dismounted and ran to the old
man whom Edwards had rescued and
said that he was the Commanding
General of that division, and that ow-
ing to the fact that Spanish sharp
shooters were always trying to pick
off those pho were high in author
ity, all mark of rank had been taken
off those who were high in author
the General and offered to bind up his
wounds, but the General said that he
would wait and take his turn and keep
his mouth shut as ordered. Inc or
DERBY offered TO get his staff and an
ambulance, but he said that he would
stay where he was until that cobbler
had repaired him. After he had been
attended to, horse was brought for
him and he was taken to the hospi-
tai. Naturally Corporal Edwards was
alarmed, for he had been ordering a
General around and calling him as
though he were the lowest private,
and the next day when the order came
for him to report to his company COM
mander he went with fear and trem-
ling. When he reported he was told
to 20 at once to division headquarters,
and report to Gen. Joe G. Wheeler,
Division Commander, who was the
man he had rescued the day before.
But Edwards had forgotten about the
rescue, and could only think OF the
fact that he was liable for rank in
subordination. When he went to
headquarters he was shown directly
to General Wheeler, who was now
dressed in the full regalia Of his rank.
When Edwards entered the General
asked him if he realized what serious
thing he had done on the previous day
when he had refused TO take care Of
him when ordered, and that he was
liable TO court-martial for inSubord-
;,ot;op which nv the wav iS one of the