y what to do for the sick and
wounded. She returned to Alexandria with her regiment, and was with them
at the second battle of Bull Run, on the 29th of August, 1862. Early in
this battle she was on a portion of the battle-field which had been
warmly contested, where there was a rocky ledge, under shelter of which,
some of the wounded had crawled. Annie lingered behind the troops, as
they changed position, assisted several poor helpless fellows to this
cover and dressed their wounds. One of these was William ---- of the
Seventh New York Infantry, a noble-looking boy, to whose parched lips
she had held the cooling draught, and had bound up his wounds, receiving
in return a look of unutterable gratitude from his bright blue eyes, and
his faintly murmured "God's blessing on you," when a shot from the
rebel battery tore him to pieces under her very hands. She discovered at
the same moment that the rebels were near, and almost upon her, and she
was forced to follow in the direction taken by her regiment. On another
portion of that bloody field, Annie was kneeling by the side of a
soldier binding up his wounds, when hearing a gruff voice above her, she
looked up and to her astonishment saw General Kearny checking his horse
beside her. He said, "That is right; I am glad to see you here helping
these poor fellows, and when this is over, I will have you made a
regimental sergeant;" meaning of course that she should receive a
sergeant's pay and rations. But two days later the gallant Kearny was
killed at Chantilly, and Annie never received the appointment, as has
been erroneously asserted.
At Chancellorsville on the 2d of May, 1863, when the Third Corps were in
such extreme peril, in consequence of the panic by which the Eleventh
Corps were broken up, one company of the Third Michigan, and one of the
sharp-shooters were detailed as skirmishers. Annie, although advised to
remain in the rear accompanied them, taking the lead; meeting her
colonel however, he told her to go back, as the enemy was near, and he
was every moment expecting an attack. Very loth to fall back, she turned
and rode along the front of a line of shallow trenches filled with our
men; she called to them, "Boys, do your duty and whip the rebels." The
men partially rose and cheered her, shouting "Hurrah for Annie," "Bully
for you." This revealed their position to the rebels, who immediately
fired a volley in the direction of the cheering; Annie rode to the rear
of
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