i was born in pennsylvania in 1851 i grew up on my father s farm the youngest of three sons the civil war was raging the year that i turned 12 my father joined the ranks of blue left us by ourselves boys i tell you true i learned things i never knew in summer heat we prayed for rain the first day of july the far of thunder rumbling no storm clouds in the sky my brothers grabbed their rifles said to my mother first mamma that s the sounds of cannon up by gettysburg boys i tell you true i learned things i never knew two fearful days and sleepless nights we waited with no word till the guns fell silent the morning of the third my mother watched the road all day and kept me there close by till dusk was hard upon us and the water jug was dry with bucket and a lantern i crossed the field alone heard the sound of snapping twigs and then a quiet moan captured in my lantern light his face in ashen grey huddled in a bloody coat a rebel soldier lay boys i tell you true i learned things i never knew i see you have a kind face please don t raise a cry if i m taken prisoner i know i ll surely die i m wounded and i mean no harm i just need to rest a spell i have fled the battlefield i ve seen the face of hell  we came by tens of thousands the battle for to lose we only marched on gettysburg because we needed shoes i looked down at his swollen feet and tried to understand and wondered if my brothers had died at this man s hands boys i tell you true i learned things i never knew i walked back in the cabin set the bucket down i spoke no word to mother of why i d been so long all night we sat beside the fire praying for good news then mother she looked down and asked son where are your shoes boys i tell you true i learned things i never knew