Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/67

Rh incident in connection with our roll book which may be of interest to the surviving members of the company, as told me by Thomas W. Shiffleth, who was color sergeant for the Fourteenth Regiment, Virginia Volunteers a soldier never known to shirk a duty nor flinch in battle. Shiffleth, in attempting with his flag in his hand to follow General Armistead over the stone fence, had a Federal soldier to thrust his musket in his face, shooting him below the eye, the ball coming out through the back of his head. He fell unconscious and remained in that condition during that day and the following night, till next morning, when he was around to consciousness by a Federal soldier, giving him a kick, supposing him dead, remarking to a comrade he had killed him the day before when attempting to climb over the stone fence.

The Federal, realizing the fact that Shiffleth was yet alive, entered into conversation with him, and in making a display of the valuables he had rifled from the bodies of Confederate dead, our roll book was seen among them, showing he had robbed the dead body of our orderly sergeant.

The Federal soldier at once gave Shiffleth all necessary attention, and had him taken to a hospital, placed upon a cot near the cot of a wounded Federal, who began twitting Shiffleth about the disaster which had befallen our army the day before, remarking that they had whipped us. Shiffleth told him he had not been whipped, and if his cot could be placed near enough for him to get hold of him he could then whip him.

Shiffleth survived the war a year or more, and died from the effects of his wound at Gettysburg. I regret that I could not be more explicit and accurate in recording the names and deeds of the recruits, most of whom came to the company during the winter of 1864 and were not long with the command before its surrender and came from different sections of the State, unlike the old organization, all of whom I knew personally and who were Cumberland county men to the manner born.

Ex-Color Sergeant, Eighteenth Regiment.