ing my ear. Judged it was a bullet.
I didn't stop to think about anything, I just tilted over backwards and
landed on the floor, and staid there. The balls came booming around.
Three cannon-balls went through the chimney; one ball took off the
corner of the pilot-house; shells were screaming and bursting all
around. Mighty warm times--I wished I hadn't come. I lay there on the
pilot-house floor, while the shots came faster and faster. I crept in
behind the big stove, in the middle of the pilot-house. Presently a
minie-ball came through the stove, and just grazed my head, and cut my
hat. I judged it was time to go away from there. The captain was on the
roof with a red-headed major from Memphis--a fine-looking man. I heard
him say he wanted to leave here, but 'that pilot is killed.' I crept
over to the starboard side to pull the bell to set her back; raised up
and took a look, and I saw about fifteen shot holes through the window
panes; had come so lively I hadn't noticed them. I glanced out on the
water, and the spattering shot were like a hailstorm. I thought best to
get out of that place. I went down the pilot-house guy, head first--not
feet first but head first--slid down--before I struck the deck, the
captain said we must leave there. So I climbed up the guy and got on the
floor again. About that time, they collared my partner and were bringing
him up to the pilot-house between two soldiers. Somebody had said I
was killed. He put his head in and saw me on the floor reaching for the
backing bells. He said, 'Oh, hell, he ain't shot,' and jerked away from
the men who had him by the collar, and ran below. We were there until
three o'clock in the afternoon, and then got away all right.

The next time I saw my partner, I said, 'Now, come out, be honest, and
tell me the truth. Where did you go when you went to see that battle?'
He says, 'I went down in the hold.'

All through that fight I was scared nearly to death. I hardly knew
anything, I was so frightened; but you see, nobody knew that but me.
Next day General Polk sent for me, and praised me for my bravery and
gallant conduct. I never said anything, I let it go at that. I judged it
wasn't so, but it was not for me to contradict a general officer.

Pretty soon after that I was sick, and used up, and had to go off to
the Hot Springs. When there, I got a good many letters from commanders
saying they wanted me to come back. I declined, because I wasn't well
enough or st