| Show A HIDE the most conspicuous act of reckless courage I 1 ever saw displayed on any battle field during our great civil war occurred at the second battle of manasas on the of august 1862 it was performed by a federal artillerist in the presence of both armies and was witnessed by at least 1000 men many of whom are still living and can readily recall tho incident when reminded of the circumstances jut as hoods 1 men chanced down the hill near the henry house upon the farst federal line and it became evident he would capture the battery stationed there a federal artilleryman determined to save one of tho cannon if possible and to do so he had to uko it up tho side of the adith in front of the confederates for haf a mile the ditch was foni feel wide and as many deep and could not be crossed with the cannon how to get ins horses hitched or whether they had really ever been taken from th piece I 1 never have known but the first I 1 saw of him he was coming up our front in a sweeping gallop aiom tho cloud of smoke and hood s men were firing at him As soon as he escaped from that volley he came m front of our brigade and dundei lange of our muskets on the left and as he swept on up the line a file feic was opened upon him our line was ap preaching the ditch rapidly at a dou ble quick and the lane between us and the ditch was getting narrower each second but the artilleryman deemed delci mined to save his gun froia cap ture and he flew along hi course at a tremendous tiemen dous rate of speed he had four laige gray or white horses to the cannon and they came up the valley in splendid style the man sat eielt and kept his team well in band while h s whip seemed to play upon the flanks of the leaders and all four boises appeared to leap together in regular time the ground wa was s very dry and a ot dust lolled out dioro under the hore feet and from the wheels of the cannon as they came along our brigade bid already fired at him as he rushed along their and as be approached the lett ot another I 1 ran down the rear rank shouting to the men shoot at the horses let the man alone and shoot at ahe hors 1 you are firing too ugh at his I 1 saw a noted birks man in company ind sight alon the babrel ot his mus et and firs but on came abo man and he billop of his tim was unbroken in another cartridge tho B as ready again in a minute and jast as the cannonier swei t aboss his fiant within ya ds tie kneeled down and taking deliberato aim at the foremost fired again aut on went the team unharmed as b fore thus he passed along the whole our regiment and then along another on our right and escaped ailand the head of the ditch and acids the field and up the hill beyond As far kofl as we could ice him his was still going in a gallop but when out ot lange on the hill beyond the ditch he guined in his saddle and taking off his hat davod it around his head times and some of the con federates him atlease men that yani ee gunner and 1 have often if he escaped death in abo subsequent battles of the war and lives to tell of the fearful gauntlet ho lan along the of a whole brigade of confederates filing at him 71 T owens m philadelphia times |
