''
And Nathan Cunningham, with colors flying
over his head, passed on and joined his regiment.
His comrades in arms still tell with pride of his
brave deed and of the generous act of a foe.
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.
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