[503] There he lay in citizen's clothing, and knowing that if the enemy found him in that condition death would be his portion, so he concluded to try strategy as his only hope. Soon the rebels came up, and approached him, saying: “Old man, what are you doing here?” “I am lying here wounded, as you see,” he replied. “Well, but what business have you to be here? and who wounded you, our troops or yours?” “I don't know who wounded me, I only know that I am wounded and in a bad fix.” “Well, what was you doing here-what was your business?” “If you will hear my story, I will tell you. My old woman's health is very poor, and I was over across the country to get a girl to help her, and coming back, before I knew where I was I had got right into this fix and here I am.” “Where do you live?” inquired the rebels. “Over in town, in such a small house.” They then picked him up, and carried him home and left him. But they soon returned, as if suspecting he had been lying to them, and made him answer a great many questions; but he stuck to his old story, and failing to learn any thing more they left him for good. He says he shall always feel indebted to some of his copperhead neighbors for the last call, for he believes some one had informed them of him. Soon after they left a bullet came into his room and struck into the wall six inches above where he lay on the sofa. His wounds proved to be only flesh wounds, from which he recovered with his patriotism not a whit abated.
Coolness and fortitude of a Union soldier.
An instance of endurance and patience occurred at the hospital
