THE PICTORIAL BOOK OF ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS OF THE REBELLION (p. 319) by Frazer Kirkland, 1889. A collection of Grand Army of the Republic -
"NEGRO RIFLEMAN BROUGHT DOWN AT YORKTOWN"
One of the best morning's work done at Yorktown was that of reducing to a state of perfect inutility in this mundane sphere, a rebel negro rifleman, who, through his skill as a marksman, had done more injury to our men than any 2 dozen of his white compeers, in the attempted labor of trimming off the complement of Union sharpshooters. The latter had known him a long time, had kept an eye on him, and lain in wait to pick him off. His habit was to perch himself in a big tree, and, keeping himself hid behind the body, annoy the Union men by firing upon them. He climbed the tree as usual one morning, but in advance of the others coming out, and, smuggling himself into his position, was anticipating his usual day of quietude. The Union men might have killed him as he came out, but purposely avoided shooting, so as not to alarm the others. His tree was about twenty rods from one of the Union pits. When our men fired on the advancing rebel pickets, he of course saw the fix he was in--that he was indeed and decidedly up a tree.
'I say, big [censored],' called out one of the Union soldiers, 'you better come down from there.'
'What for?' returned the big [censored].
"I want you as prisoner,"
'Not as this chile knows of,' replied the concealed Ethiop.
'Just as you say,' replied our sharpshooter.
In about an hour the [censored] poked his head out. Our man was on the lookout for him; he had his rifle on the bead-line ready--pulled the trigger--whiz-z went the bullet, down came the [censored]. “He was shot through the head, one dead big [censored]”
Good post Mark. I have just turned over to the forum from the admin. section. I was thinking about adding this to the documentation section, but I think for now it will be fine in this discussion forum.
