L. P. Brockett, The camp, the battlefield, and the hospital: or, lights and shadows of the great rebellion

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We traviled all thet night through the timber, ana jest at sundown uv the next day come ter a clarina. We wus mighty tired, but 'twouldn't do ter sleep thar, fur the trees wus nigh a rod asunder; so we luck'd round, ana on t'other side uv the road, not half a mile off, seed 'bout a acre uv laurel bush-ye knows whot them is, some on 'em so thick a dog karn't git through 'em. Jake war tireder nur I war, ana he said ter me, “ Dad,” sez he: “let us git under kiver ter onst. I feels loike I couldn't stand up no longer.” It wus foolhardy loike, fur the sun warn't clar down, but I couldn't b'ar ter see the boy so, ana, agin my judgment, we went down the road ter the laurels. We lay thar till mornina, ana slepa so sound thet I reckon ef forty yerthquakes hed shuck the yerth, they wouldn't hev woked us. Soon as sun-up, Jake riz, ana went ter the edge uv the. thicket ter rekonnoitter. He hedn't stood thar five minutes-right in plain sight, ana not more'n two hun'red rods frum me-afore I yered a shot, ana seed the pore boy throw up his arms, ana fall ter the ground. In less nur no time fifty Secesh wus on him. I war springina up ter go ter him, when suthina tuck me by the shoulder, helt me back, ana said ter me: “ Ye karn't do nothina fur him. Leave 'im ter the Lord. Save yerself fur the kentry.” It went agin natur, but it 'peared the Lord's voice, so I crouched down agin 'mong the bushes. I nuver know'd whot it war thet saved me till nigh a y'ar arterwuds. Then I tuck tnet leftenant pris'ner — I could hev shot him, but I guv him his life ter repent in, ana he done it: he's a decent man now, b'longina ter Cunnel Johnson's rigiment. Wall, I tuck him, ana he said ter me: “I wus aside uv thet pore boy when he war dyina.” He turned his eyes onter me