Year: 1861

There were incidents connected with the lat


battle in Western Virginia which. in justice 4
some of the more humble participators in tn
contest, should be knewn. While the bullet
were flying - thick - hail. several Of the pri
Yates belonging to the Tenth iearlessly passet
the space dividing our line from that Of the en-
emy to spring. for the purpose Of procuring
water for their wounded comrades. One gal
LIANT fellow who, although an Irishman. has ae.
quired the name of Yankee Sullivan. devoted
himself to this employment. and when thos'
for whom he ran such fearful risk begged hin
not to expose himself to what appeared certain
death. he calmly shook his head, and replied
that "A man can die but once" By . seeming
miricle. he passed through the ordeal without
receiving . scratch.


Those who wers familiar with the Tenth
when they were 1t Camp Dennison, must hav.
noticed the Little Coporal, bright Leautifu
boy, some nine or ten years old. During The
heat of the engagement, the Little Corporal,
was observed seated upon . fence calmly sur.
veying the progress of the fight. He afterward
said thst he didn't mind the whistling the o
bullets, until one strcck rail between his legs
when be concluded that his position was not
the safest upon the field, and he beat retreat
At one time when messengers were hurrying te
the rear for more ammunition, and Cof0ne Ly-
tie, who. wounded and lying upon his back
was nevertheless directing the movements Of
his men. had commanded them to close and fix
bayoneis. expecting that enemy would charge
with his cavalry; many took advantage Of the
interval. to quietly load their pipes and indulge
in the luxury Of smoke, Had not the Colonel
been shot at critical moment, there would
have been = more bloody denouemesk.


He had calculated the chance, and made up
his mind to desperate charge upon the enc
mys works. Turning his horse sideway to his
men, at the same time that he presented him
self prominent mark to Floyd's rifles, he
waved bis sword, and in . voice which rung
above the roar of battle invited the Tenth to
follow. A deafening cheer was the response.
when at the moment he was struck, and the
same ball killed his gallant steed. The odds
would have been fearful, but with such fighting
material, there is no doubt would have been
successful.


Not calculating that our men would obtain
such close quarters, the enemy had ranged his
guns at an elevation which caused the balls to
pass too high. To depress them it would have
been necessary to expose themselves, but this,
with characteristic prudence, they forbOre do
ing. Had the Spartan band who, for one hour
and a half stood the shock of Floyd's entiIe
force, wavered and fallen back, there would
have been sad havoc. and perhaps panic. But
to the discipline as we'll az courage Oft the Tenth,
is due the bull dog like determination with
which they stood their ground, nor even in pain
and perspec i've death was this feeling of mill
tary etiquette lost sight of. Ashley lay wound
ed side by side, the Colonel and his Secretary.
Mr.. j. II. Green, a cup OF water was handed
the latter, but although parched and feverish he
refused to touch it until his superior officer bad
been served. We might fill page with simi-
Lar records of courage and determinatin, and it
must be source of unalloyed pride to the COM
mander that every private Of the Tenth proved
himself hero,