Private Myron A. Clark of Company I, 14th Vermont's death means a lingering grief for his descendants who came to the Gettysburg Battlefield to commemorate his life.
"They feel they know their Myron through the richly detailed diary he left, which Janet Clark transcribed and is viewable online. His last detailed entry was on July 1 when he told about changing into a fresh shirt, throwing away the old one to lighten his load, and joining the march to Gettysburg with only a pup tent and extra pair of socks to carry.
The final words in the diary came from an unnamed captain (probably his company commander), who scribbled that a 12-pound cannonball took off the back of Myron's head near dawn on July 3 (at Culp's Hill on the Army of the Potomac's right flank), ten hours before Pickett's Charge would reap horrible carnage on another part of the battlefield and turn Gettysburg into a victory for the Union Army."
Myron was the company clerk, "a good boy and good soldier," the captain wrote. "The whole Co. (company) mourn his loss & Especially his Capt. Such are the fortunes of war. And they are deplorable."
Just a Man, Just a Soldier. --Old Secesh
No comments:
Post a Comment