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Col. Sol. Meredith.--A pleasant story is told by a correspondent of Col. Sol. Meredith, of Wayne County, Indiana, commanding the 19th Indiana, on the Potomac.
At the Lewinsville skirmish, the colonel was at the head of his men, as they were formed in line of battle, under the fire of the enemy.
As the shells exploded over them, his boys would involuntarily duck their heads.
The colonel saw their motions, and in a pleasant way exhorted them, as he rode along the line, to hold up their heads and act like men. He turned to speak to one of his officers, and at that moment an 18-pounder shell burst within a few yards of him, scattering the fragments in all directions.
Instinctively lie jerked his head almost to the saddle bow, while his horse squatted with fear.
“Boys,” said he, as he raised up and reined his steed, “you may dodge the large ones!”
A laugh ran along the line at his expense, and after that no more was said about the impropriety of dodging shells.--Galesburg Democrat, Oct. 17.
Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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