"I swon! I wor gladder nor anything wen I hearn that. I hugged him to my heart, I wor moved so powerful, an' then I tuck him on my back, an' off to camp; werry slow an' patient, fur he were sore wownded, an' the life in him wery low.
"Wall, young genl'men, I'll not weary you wi' the long hours as dragged by afore mornin'. I med him as snug as I could, and at daybreak we hed him took to the sugeon's tent.
"I wor on guard all that mornin' an' could not get to my lad; but at last the relief kim roun', an' the man as was to take my place says, says he, 'Jerry, my mate, ef I was you I'd go right to the hosp'tl an' stay by poor Bill' (fur they all knew as I sot gret store by him); 'He is werry wild in his head, I hearn, an' the sugeon says as how he can't last long.'
"Ye may b'lieve how my hairt jumped wen I hearn that. I laid down my gun, an' ran fur the wooden shed, which were all the place they hed fur them as was wownded. An' thar wor Bill—my mate Bill—laying on a blanket spred on the floore, wi' his clothes all on (fur it's a hard bed, an' his own bloody uniform, that a sojer must die in), wi' the corpse o' another poor fellow as had died all alone in the night a'most touching him, an' slopped wi' blood. I moved it fur away all in a trimble o' sorrer, an' kivered it decent like, so as Bill mightn't see it an' get downhearted fur hisself. Then I went an' sot down aside my mate. He didn't know me, no more nor if I wor a stranger; but kept throwin' his arms about, an' moanin' out continual, 'Oh mother! mother! Why don't you come to your boy?'
"I bust right out crying, I do own, wen I hearn that, an' takin' his han' in mine, I tried to quiet him down a bit; telling him it wor bad fur his wownd to be so res'less (fur every time he tossed, thar kim a little leap o' blood from his breast); an' at last, about foore o'clock in the day, he opened his eyes quite sensible like, an' says to me, he says, 'Dear matey, is that you? Thank you fur coming to see me afore I die.'
"'No, Bill, don't talk so,' I says, a strivin' to be cheerful like, tho' I seed death in his face, 'You'll be well afore long.'
"'Aye, well in heaven,' he says; and then, arter a minnit, 'Jerry,' he says, 'thar's a little bounty money as belongs to me in my knapsack, an' my month's wages. I want you, wen I am gone, to take it to my mother, an' tell her—'(he wor gaspin' fearful)—'as I died—fightin' fur my country—an' the flag. God bless you, Jerry—you hev been a good frien' to me, an' I knows as you'll do this—an' bid the boys good-by—fur me.'
"I promised, wi' the tears streamin' down my cheeks; an' then we wor quiet a bit, fur it hurt Bill's breast to talk, an' I could not say a wured fur the choke in my throat. Arter a while he says, 'Jerry, won't you sing me the hymn as I taught you aboard the transport? about the Lord our Captin?'
"I could hardly find v'ice to begin, but it wor Bill's dying wish, an' I made shift to sing as well as I could—
"'We air marchin' on together
To our etarnal rest;
Niver askin' why we're ordered—
For the Lord He knoweth best.
Christ is our Captain!
'Forred!' is His word;
Ranks all steady, muskets ready,
In the army o' the Lord!
"'Satan's hosts are all aroun' us,
An' strive to enter in;
But our outworks they are stronger
Nor the dark brigades o' sin!
Christ is our Fortress!
Righteousness our sword;
Truth the standard—in the vanguard—
O' the army o' the Lord!
"'Comrads, we air ever fightin'
A battle fur the right;
Ever on the on'ard movement
Fur our home o' peace an' light.
Christ is our Leader!
Heaven our reward,
Comin' nearer, shinin' clearer—
In the army o' the Lord!'