OF THE RIGHT STUFF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 178, 30 July 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

OF THE RIGHT STUFF.

Cases of individual bravery amounting to recklessness are related of men ■.-.... of both armies in the Civil War. In the 'lied Book of Michigan' there is a of the doings of the Tenth Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. To this history Colonel Trowbridge contributes an incident cpnnected with the repulse of the Confederates under General Wheeler at Strawberry Plains, August 24, 1864. .Bight men, it appears, had been detailed to guard Mcl .ilah's Ford, .cV the Holston. One of them 'went off on his own hook,' as Colonel Trow- . bridge, expresses it, so that only seven were left. One of them, who bore the unheroic name of Grig -«,.was a large and powerful fellnv, the farrier of Company B. These seven me" actually kent. a Confederate brigade from crossing the ford for three hours and a half. The fighting was severe. Finally the big- farrier was badly wounded, and the Confederates, by swimming th* river abovp and below, succeeded .'& capturing the whole party. .General Wheeler was filled with admiration at their valour, and at once paroled, a man to stay and take care of Griggs. Then he said to the wounded farrier: '. 'Well, my man. How many men had ,/ you at the ford?' 'Seven, sir,' answered Griggs. ""■;''■ 'My poor fellow, don't you know yoii are badly wounded? You had better tell me the truth; you may not live long.' ' 'T. am tellins- the truth, sir,' said the indignant soldier. 'We had only seven men.' ' . - 'Well, what did you exnect to do?* asked the general, with a laugh. ..-.'■' 'To keep you from crossing, sir.' The general was still more amused.* 'Why didn't you dp it?' he. 38ked-.,. r .-.,^„ - ""'Wellrybix see. sir, .we did-until you hit me. and .that weakened our fdiveS ' so much that you wer6 too many for us.' General Wheeler, more amused than ever, inquired of another prisoner— who happened to be a horse ■ farrier too —'Are all the Tenth Michigan like you fellows?' 'Oh, no!' said the man, 'we are tho poorest of the lot. We are mostly horse farriers and blacksmiths, aniT not much accustomed to fighting.'