An Incident

The following amusing incident occurred at the battle of Pea Ridge:–

An Indian taken prisoner, was placed by Major ____ in the hands of an old soldier, named “Andy,” for safe keeping during the fight.  Andy was soon after seen in the thickest of the fray loading his piece and banging away at the enemy.  The Major rode up and enquired what had become of the Indian.  “Oh,” says Andy, “I wanted to fight, and gave the Indian a tuck on the head to stun him.  He must have come too by this time, and I’ll run and see.”  The prisoner was gone, red skin, like a cat, having recovered at the right time and absquatulated.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 27, 1862, p. 2