Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1883 — A CANNONEER’S RIDE. [ARTICLE]

A CANNONEER’S RIDE.

n ° at nr« at Huuusm. [Capt. Owen, to toe Philadelphia Times, s The most conspicuous act of reoklees courage I ever saw displayed on any battlefield during our great civil war oooanri •* «» assas on the 80th oi *.2£P«t» 18 .f; Was performed by a Federal anuiv^i st in the presence of both armies fli?d was witnessed bv at least a thousand men, many of "whom are still living and can readily recall the incident when reminded of the circumstances. Just as Hood’s men, charged down the hill near the Henry House upon the first Federal line, and it became evident he would capture fee battery stationed there, a Federal artilleryman determined to save one of the cannon, if possible, ana to do so he had to take it up fee side of the ditch in front of the Confederates for half a mile. The ditch was four feet wide and as many deep, and could xjot be crossed with fee cannon. How he got his horses hitched or whether they had really ever been taken from the piece I never have known, but fee first I saw of him he was coming up our front in a sweeping gallop from the cloud of smoke ana Hood’s men were firing at him. As soon as he escaped from the volley he came in front of our brigade and under range of our muskets on the left, and as he swept on up the line a file fire was opened upon him. Our line was approaching the ditch rapidly *at a double quick and the lane between us and the ditch was getting narrower each second, but the artilleryman seemed determined to save Ms gun from capture, and he flew along Mb course at a tremendous rate of speed. He had four large gray or. white horses to the cannon and they came up the valley in splendid style. The man sat erect and kept his team well in hand, while his whip seemed to play upon the flanks of the leaders and all four horses appeared to leap together in regular time. The ground was very dry and a cloud of dust rolled out from under the horses’ feet and from the wheels of the cannon as they came thundering along. Three regiments of our brigade had already fired at him as he rushed along their front and as he approached the left of another I ran down the rear rank shouting to the men: “Shoot at the horses! Let the man alone and shoot at the horses H You are firing too Mgh!” At this I Saw a noted marksman in Company F drop upon one knee and sight alQng thebarrel of his musket and fire, but on came the man and the gallop of his team Was unbroken. Hamming in another cartridge the marksman was ready again in a minute, and just as the cannoneer swept across his front within a huudred yards he kneeled down and, taking deliberate aim at the foremost horse, fired again, bnt on went I the team unharmed as before. Thus he passed along the whole front of our regiment and then along another on our right and escaped around the head of the ditch and across the field and up the hill beyond. As far off as we could see him his team was still going in a gallop, but when out of range on the hill beyond the ditch he turned in his saddle and, taking off his hat, waved it around his head several times and some of the Confederates cheered him. At least 500 men fired at that Yankee ! gunner, and I have often wondered if I he escaped death in the subsequent battles of the war and lives to tell of the fearful gantlet he ran along the front of a whole brigade of Confederates firing | at liim.