"Sergeant Jones replied to carry him on the guns; then guns were quickly laid one on each side of him, throwing his arms over one end, and his legs over the other end of the guns; with a man at each end, they continued their hasty retreat, the four soldiers relieving each other every now and then, with the wounded soldier's body hanging down between the guns in loop fashion. The ordeal caused him intense pain and suffering, but he still insisted that he preferred the suffering than to be left to fall into the hands of the Confederates; in this agonizing position he was carried a mile, through brush and over fallen trees, with the enemy in hot pursuit. Just before reaching Hatcher's Run, they met the relief army, the 6th and 9th army corps, advancing double quick to halt the incoming rebels. After a savage skirmish they drove the rebels back to their fortifications and held their ground. The Union Army's loss was 1292 killed and wounded, 180 missing. The confederates' loss was 1200 killed and wounded. On arriving a Hatcher's Run River with the wounded comrade they found the bridge blockaded, and after securing a stretcher on which they placed the wounded comrade, they started to wade across the river and were soon in water up to their necks. In the middle of the river, with the stretcher on their shoulders, one of the bearers stepped into a hole and went down out of sight, tilting the stretcher, throwing the wounded soldier in the swift current/ down he went out of sight; coming up some distance below; one of the bearers who was an expert swimmer caught him just as he was sinking, then floating the stretcher down under him, and dipping him up out of the water, they slid it on their shoulders, and proceeded to the opposite shore. It was then getting dark and freezing cold; two of the faithful carriers were ordered back across the river. Within ten minutes after getting out of the river, his clothes rattled with ice; he was trembling and chilled to the freezing point. Those left in charge of him striped their coats and put over him. They still had a mile and a half to carry the poor unfortunate comrade, who was fast losing strength, but he had an unlimited amount of courage." To be continued...............Connie