“SAVED THE LIFE OF A GOOD SOLDIER”
The following is from “History and Life of John A Bowen.”
(As Written by Himself On Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1928.)” Proctorville, Ohio.
“On the 19th day of October 1864 and on the Morning before daylight at Cedar Creek, Va., General Early’s Army crossed the South Branch of the Potomac during the night of October 18th, 1864 and surprised our command. There being a dense fog that morning, the rebels advanced right on us before we were aware of their presence.
The fog was so dense that we could not see 50 feet from us or our line of battle, and when they opened fire on our lines, they were not over 60 feet from our line. And the first fire Lieutenant John Zimmerman received a broken leg and at the very first began to beg the boys not to leave him and did not cease to entreat the boys not to leave him. But our lines soon broke, and we retreated, and as we were on the run, I heard Lieutenant John Zimmerman call out, “For God’s, Sake Boys, do not leave me.
At this God-thrilling voice piercing my heart, I undaringly turned about and ran back right up almost in the enemy’s fire and lines and picked him up and carried him to safety. But comrade Zimmerman never returned to the company anymore but returned home after the war and was always looked upon as one of Lawrence County’s very best and most beloved citizens.”
J. A. BOWEN
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