Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 135, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1911 — AROUND CAMP THE FIRE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AROUND CAMP THE FIRE

ON KNEES READY TO BE SHOT George Barry of Mltt'orvMisa., Telia - of Hie War Experiences—incident at Falmouth. .. Optimistic, with a ready laugh and a hearty handshake, every naan, woman and child in his neighborhood knows and loves George Barry and can distinguish his horse and cart among all those that help to make and keep Milton roads smooth an d delightful to the pleasure driver, saya the Boston Globe. “I was twenty-four when I and went to Washington with the rest of the Milton, boys,” said Mr. Barry. "From there we marched to Manchester, Pa, to head off Early, but he was away to Gettysburg. We were all tired out and most of the boys had lain down, but. I. belonged to the mess and had gone to a spring about a mile distant for a bucket of water. When I returned the regiment was moving to the battle field, only a few stragglers,, like myself, being left be-

hind. I snatched up a cup of coffee and we took after them. Marching all night, by noon the next day we covered the 40 miles between Man- 1 Chester and Gettysburg, And there thej . first thing we saw was the burying oil the dead. It Wasn't an inspiring sight to a tired, hungry man. * “Bushes? You just bet! There weren’t any macadamised roads or velvety lawns around Gettysburg those days. We struggled through bushes so thick you couldn’t see the man next to you. When we got behind Little Round Top we laid down for sleep, for we didn’t take an active part In that battle, but were held in reserve. “There were a good many hot fights; but I guess SpOttsylvania was about the hottest. Cedar Creek was another; the Johnnies got .in our rear and we had to fall back about three miles, but General Wright rallied us and was ready to sound the advance when Sheridan came on the field. The men cheered and hurrahed when he rode down the line and he, instead of Wright, gave the order to hut we’d have won just the same if he had been in Japan. i “No, we were not |n the battle of Antietam, being detailed to guard Harpers Ferry, and it .w/m late in the afternoon with.- the fighting all done when we arrived on the field. The dead were lying where they had fall- _ en and we lay down among them to snatch a few hours' rest, expecting to renew the fight in the morning. “When we were hi winter quarters at Falmouth, Burnside was superoeded by Fighting Joe Hooker and he put the regiments in splendid shape. There was only a small stream between us and the Johnnies, while the best of feeling prevailed on both sides. Our pickets and theirs did a commercial business. The gray-backs rigged up -a miniature boat, which thOy named-'The Louse,’ and when the wind blew from the south they would send it over loaded with tobacco; then when -it blew from the north we would return it loaded with sugar and coffee. “When the weather grew warm our men went in bathing and, one day, a--shot was fired from the Johnny side; which struck one of our men and killed him instantly-: Hooker sent an - Officer over tse river with a flag of truoe to learn what It meant and Leu Informed him that be had not heard rtf the event, hut wou|d inquire and If the culprit could he found he would deliver him up to TJur general for punishment. A few days afterward a boat carrying a white flag came over the river, briflgfllg'the i fn*n”Wbo find the shot. Hooker Immediately summoned e court-martial, the man wae tried, found guilty and sen tenced to be shot the next day. Accordingly a grave was dug, a coffin plaped beside it jAir die man was brought ont and ordered to kneel upon it Then his sentence was read to Mm, the flririg party took position’ in front of him and his eyes were bandaged. Alter *a few minutes of silence the bandage was removed and he was told that as he was not considered worth the powder to shoot him he would he sent back over the. fiver. Whet was done with him there .we never learned. but no more men were killed While bathing.”

The Firing Party Took Position In Front of Him.