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理查德.科特兰是南卡罗来纳州第二志愿团的一名中士。弗雷德里克斯堡大捷后的第二天，他所在的科邵旅占领了麦雅山脚下的公路。 在距离公路150码的地方，美国军队的斯科师就隐蔽在一堵石墙后面。科邵旅同这些部队之间的遭遇战进行了整整一天。马路上到处都是战死的或是奄奄一息的北部联邦士兵。 那些受伤的士兵一整天都在不停地喊着"水！水！水!” 到了下午，南部联军的一名士兵，科特兰中士来到指挥部，情绪激动地对科邵指挥官说: ‘‘长官，从昨天晚上到现在，那些可怜的联军受伤士兵一直在不停地喊着要水。我去给他们送点喝吧。" ‘‘你难道不知道，”长官回答说，"你要迈出这墙半步就会被敌军的枪子儿给崩了？" "我知道，长官，”中士说，"但是只要您批准我去,我愿意试一试。” 长官想了一分钟，然后说：“科特兰，我本不应该让你去冒这个险，但你的精神真的是太可贵了，我无法拒绝你。去吧，愿上帝保佑你！” 在部队官兵惶惶不安地注视下，中士冒着必死的危险翻过了墙。在敌人惊奇的目光中，完全暴露在敌人火力下的中士，一跳下墙，就抓紧时间给伤员送水。他毫发无伤地到达第一个伤员跟前,跪下身来，轻轻地将伤员的头扶起，然后慢慢地让他靠在自己的胸前，将那清凉的救命之水倒进干渴的喉中。这一切完成之后中士又将伤员小心翼翼地放下，把伤员的背包垫在他的头下,然后把自己的外套盖在他身上，再把那空空的饭盒换成满的。这才转身去救别的伤员。 就在这一刻，所有的人，不论是战友还是敌人，都理解了他的行为，双方为此停火。 一个半小时后，他完成了这项神圣的任务，参战各方所有的伤员都得到了他的救助。然后他返回了自己的阵地，毫发无伤。 毫无疑问，这样的高尚行为值得所有人为之肃然起敬。 The Bravery of Richard Kirtland Richard Kirtland was a sergeant in the Volunteers. The day after the great battle of occupied the road at the foot of Marye’s Hill. One hundred and fifty yards in front of the road，on the other side of a stone wall，lay Sykes ’ s division of the United States Army. Between these troops and Kershaw，s command a skirmish fight was continued through the entire day. The ground between the lines was literally covered with dead and dying Federal soldiers. All day long the wounded were calling, "Water! Water! Water!” In the afternoon, Sergeant Kirtland, a Confederate soldier, went to the headquarters of General Kershaw, and said with deep emotion, “General, all through last night and today, I have been hearing those poor wounded Federal soldiers out there cry for water. Let me go and give them some.” "Don, t you know,” replied the general, "that you would get a bullet through you the moment you stepped over the wall?” “Yes, sir," said the sergeant, " but if you will let me go I am willing to try it." The general reflected a minute，and then answered ： " Kirtland，I ought not to allow you to take this risk, but the spirit that moves you is so noble I cannot refuse. Go, and may God protect you!" In the face of almost certain death the sergeant climbed the wall, watched withanxiety by the soldiers of his army. Under the curious gaze of his foes，and exposed to their fire, he dropped to the ground and hastened on his errand of mercy. Unharmed, untouched, he reached the nearest sufferer. He knelt beside him, tenderly raised his drooping head, rested it gently on his breast, and poured the cooling life-giving water down the parched throat. This done he laid him carefully down, placed the soldier5 s knapsack under his head, spread his coat over him，replaced the empty canteen with a full one, then turned to another sufferer. By this time his conduct was understood by friend and foe alike and the firing ceased on both sides. For an hour and a half did he pursue his noble mission, until he had relieved the wounded on all parts of the battlefield. Then he returned to his post uninjured. Surely such a noble deed is worthy of the admiration of every person。 |
