Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.115

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History of Cambria County, V.2

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 115

turned from his raid in the vicinity of Washington City, and it was usual for the rebels to discard the gray rags and take the blue uniforms whenever they could. In a few moments I made the discovery, as a bullet came whizzing past me. I moved back in line, and by this time Co. H was deployed on our left. I took a position behind a small sapling and the shooting continued until the other fellow missed the sapling and hit me in the thigh.
    “I retired as well as I could with support of my trusty muzzle-loading musket which I had carried for three years, until I met Comrade Archie Gore, who assisted me to the rear of the line. There I met the regimental surgeon, who cut out the bullet with a pruning knife. The skirmishing became very brisk. About this time Col. Campbell was coming up leading the 54th regiment; he asked me if I was badly wounded, and I replied, 'No, only a flesh wound.' Archie Gore filled my canteen, took my musket and went to the front. I was alone, and no ambulance could get to where I was. The firing was furious, and our line seemed to be giving away. I was in a clear field and quite a distance from the woods, and could not get a stick for support. My leg was by this time useless.
    “Fearing that our line would be pressed back, and with Libby and Andersonville prisons in my mind, I started to get away on my hands and knees, but my hands were soft and the pebbles cut them. I wrapped my empty haversack around my sabre handle, and with my canteen in the other hand, I tip-toed it and dragged the lame leg. I reached a small elevation where there was a lonely apple-tree near the woods and rested.
    “About this time Col. Campbell with the 54th had reached the front, and the rebels seemed to move back, which gave me much relief, as I felt death was preferable than to be taken a prisoner, and be confined and treated as our men were.
    “At dusk the colonel commanding the Second Brigade moved his headquarters near where I was lying, and found me, and directed his colored servant to serve me with food. He brought crackers, with a generous cover of good butter and a cup of tea, which was, I then considered and have no reason to change my opinion in saying, it was the best meal I ever had. The colonel's heart was larger than his entire body, at least to me.
    “A straggler cam along and shared his blanket with me and left in the morning. When he left I asked him to do me the favor to go and find Col. Campbell and tell him where I was and that I was unable to walk, He wanted to know if some other officer would not do. I said we have no company officers and if you will not find Col. Campbell you need not go.
    “In about two hours the regimental surgeon and Comrade Edward Jones came and helped me to the field hospital, where I Iaid all that day and night. I was then placed on a six mule

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	115
turned from his raid in the vicinity of Washington City, and it was usual for the rebels to discard the gray rags and take the blue uniforms whenever they could. In a few moments I made the discovery, as a bullet came whizzing past me. I moved back in line, and by this time Co. H was deployed on our left. I took a position behind a small sapling and the shooting continued until the other fellow missed the sapling and hit me in the thigh. “I retired as well as I could with support of my trusty muzzle-loading musket which I had carried for three years, until I met Comrade Archie Gore, who assisted me to the rear of the line. There I met the regimental surgeon, who cut out the bullet with a pruning knife. The skirmishing became very brisk. About this time Col. Campbell was coming up leading the 54th regiment; he asked me if I was badly wounded, and I replied, 'No, only a flesh wound.' Archie Gore filled my canteen, took my musket and went to the front. I was alone, and no ambulance could get to where I was. The firing was furious, and our line seemed to be giving away. I was in a clear field and quite a distance from the woods, and could not get a stick for support. My leg was by this time useless. “Fearing that our line would be pressed back, and with Libby and Andersonville prisons in my mind, I started to get away on my hands and knees, but my hands were soft and the pebbles cut them. I wrapped my empty haversack around my sabre handle, and with my canteen in the other hand, I tip-toed it and dragged the lame leg. I reached a small elevation where there was a lonely apple-tree near the woods and rested. “About this time Col. Campbell with the 54th had reached the front, and the rebels seemed to move back, which gave me much relief, as I felt death was preferable than to be taken a prisoner, and be confined and treated as our men were. “At dusk the colonel commanding the Second Brigade moved his headquarters near where I was lying, and found me, and directed his colored servant to serve me with food. He brought crackers, with a generous cover of good butter and a cup of tea, which was, I then considered and have no reason to change my opinion in saying, it was the best meal I ever had. The colonel's heart was larger than his entire body, at least to me. “A straggler cam along and shared his blanket with me and left in the morning. When he left I asked him to do me the favor to go and find Col. Campbell and tell him where I was and that I was unable to walk, He wanted to know if some other officer would not do. I said we have no company officers and if you will not find Col. Campbell you need not go. “In about two hours the regimental surgeon and Comrade Edward Jones came and helped me to the field hospital, where I Iaid all that day and night. I was then placed on a six mule