The Other Side
Narrow Escape #23
Ironton Register 23 April 1887
Submitted by Peggy Wells
“Mr. George Conner, I hear you were a soldier. If so, can you give me a ‘Narrow Escape’ for the Register?”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t you read the Register?”
“No, I can’t read anything. If I could, I’d subscribe to the Register. But I was a rebel soldier – you don’t want any of that kind, do you?”
“Oh! Yes, variety is a good thing. You boys had your ‘Narrow Escapes,’ too, same as our boys? Well, I’m glad to run across you. Please consider yourself in a ‘Narrow’ place til I get your escape.”
“Well, there’s not much of it, but it’s narrow. I belonged to the 28th VA. The company, Hickembottom Early’s Brigade.” “‘Twas in the Battle of Gettysburg, the second day. Quite a number of our boys were behind a stone wall. It was a very hot day, doubly hot. Hot by the sun and hot by the battle, but I much preferred the first heat. I was more used to it.
Spring Hill Cemetery, Civil War Veterans, Huntington, WV photo from Lawrence Register Archives
“So we got behind the wall to keep us from the second heat. But it was getting hotter. So we started out of there. I said to the other boys, ‘Follow me,’ I was running along a fence when a cannonball struck the fence just behind me. It laid it down wide enough to let a wagon through. The rails struck me about my legs and threw me to the ground.
I thought I was gone, but after a few minutes, I saw I could get away and went into the town. The next day, I was detailed to go back for provisions. I was trailing my gun along behind me when a ball struck my gun just by my hands. I began to think there was someone bent on doing me a bodily injury.
Without stopping to ask who it was, I lit out, and here I am, trying to make an honest living for myself and educate my children about the people that did the shooting. But I have found out since coming here that they were not shooting at me but at a system based on slavery and ignorance. I am glad it is down.”
“Amen!”
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