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Good Stories for Great Holidays

Frances Jenkins Olcott

Section 53 of 135 - Table of Contents

II.  THE BRAVERY OF RICHARD KIRTLAND


Richard Kirtland was a sergeant in the Second
Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers.  The
day after the great battle of Fredericksburg,
Kershaw's brigade occupied the road at the foot
of Marye's Hill.

One hundred and fifty yards in front of the
road, on the other side of a stone wall, lay Sykes's
division of the United States Army.  Between
these troops and Kershaw's command a skirmish
fight was continued through the entire day.  The
ground between the lines was literally covered
with dead and dying Federal soldiers.

All day long the wounded were calling, ``Water!
water! water!''

In the afternoon, Sergeant Kirtland, a
Confederate soldier, went to the headquarters of
General Kershaw, and said with deep emotion:
``General, all through last night and to-day; I
have been hearing those poor wounded Federal
soldiers out there cry for water.  Let me go and
give them some.''

``Don't you know,'' replied the general, ``that
you would get a bullet through you the moment
you stepped over the wall?''

``Yes, sir,'' said the sergeant; ``but if you will
let me go I am willing to try it.''

The general reflected a minute, then answered:
``Kirtland, I ought not to allow you to take this
risk, but the spirit that moves you is so noble I
cannot refuse.  Go, and may God protect you!''

In the face of almost certain death the sergeant
climbed the wall, watched with anxiety by the
soldiers of his army.  Under the curious gaze of
his foes, and exposed to their fire, he dropped to
the ground and hastened on his errand of mercy.
Unharmed, untouched, he reached the nearest
sufferer.  He knelt beside him, tenderly raised his
drooping head, rested it gently on his breast, and
poured the cooling life-giving water down the
parched throat.  This done he laid him carefully
down, placed the soldier's knapsack under his
head, straightened his broken limbs, spread his
coat over him, replaced the empty canteen with
a full one, then turned to another sufferer.

By this time his conduct was understood by
friend and foe alike and the firing ceased on both
sides.

For an hour and a half did he pursue his noble
mission, until he had relieved the wounded on all
parts of the battlefield.  Then he returned to his
post uninjured.

Surely such a noble deed is worthy of the
admiration of men and angels.

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A Little Princess Frances Hodgson Burnett Category: Fiction Sections: 24 What's this? Table of Contents		Fiction Non Fiction Poetry Plays Sci Fi Philosophy Religion Biography