Show HE WAS A BRAVE SOLDIER affidavits of his opponents on the field of battle received by the secretary of war washington dec 1 the secretary of war has granted a medal ot honor to a federal soldier on the affidavit of a confederate said charles I 1 evans of texas last night and it is probably the first instance on record of kind the federal soldier who received the medal was thomas I 1 IIi egina now of hannibal mo during the war he was the color bearer of the ninety nintha nois regiment and was holding that position al the sege of vicksburg Vicka burg in an assault on may 22 1863 the nicety ninth illinois waa ordered to charge and not to look back I 1 was a member of the second tenae regiment and we confronted the charging Illino ieans we repulsed the illinois regiment a short distance from the breastworks and sent it back in confusion higging Hig gine however was literally obeying the orders he never looked back he never noticed the retreat of big regiment but came bounding forward his colors flying as prettily as a foldier ever saw when within forty yards of our works word was passed alonz the line not to shoot the brave foldier aad all firing ceased when higgins saw bis predicament he started to retreat with bis colore but we told him to come on or we would haye to shoot him several men ran out and brought him within the breastworks we kept him several dalp during which time we learned to like and admire him he was then paroled I 1 was one of the men who witnessed hie heroic deed and made an affidavit to that effect several of my companions who remembered higging and bis charge falso made affidavits on thesa the secretary of war granted a medal higine could have been vouched for by members of his regiment but the novelty of recommendation men dation by hie former toes led to the cauree |