| This was sent to me by Stan Cosby Great Grandson of Lemuel P. Cosby a Sgt. in 43rd MS Infantry Regiment Company F. |
| My Grandfather, C. N. Cosby, was born in 1897. He was the youngest son of my Great Granddad, Lemuel Prior Cosby. Great granddaddy Lem was born in 1841 in Lowndes County. He died in 1921. My Granddad passed on to me and later wrote in a series of articles for newspaper. I realize that these stories represent the oral tradition of a family, but historically they check out at almost every point. In this particular story, Lt. Hodo was not mentioned by name. But it was the Siege of Vicksburg, and it was a Lt. in Co. F and he did die. Since Lt. Hodo is the only Lt. in the 43rd that died during the Siege, it seems to me it could be him. My G. Granddad was a Corporal at that time. He was given a detail of men and was told to extend trench lines with shovels. But the sniper fire was horrific, so he told the men to fall out. They would dig the trenches that night under cover of darkness. His Lt. came by and saw that the men weren't working and he asked why. Corp. Cosby explained that the sniper fire was too hot. The Lt. accused him of cowardice. It made GGranddad mad. He said "All right, for every spade you dig, I'll dig two." The Lt. began to climb out of the trench to dig. GGranddad immediately repented of his challenge and tried to stop him but it was too late. A rifle spoke. The Lt. caught it full in the body and fell back into the trench. He died in my Great Granddad's arms. Both men reconciled before death. My GGranddad apologizing "I'm sorry sir. I shouldn't have challenged your courage that way." The Lt. assured him it was forgiven and then spoke this dying word: "How foolishly we will throw our lives away in a moment of rashness and anger." Lt. Hodo's name was never mentioned so I don't know for sure that this was him. But it does make sense. There is one thing, however, that doesn't jive. The causality report does say he was shot in the breast. My Granddad says that this man was shot in the stomach. He made a point of it, because he said the Black Eye peas that all the men were eating in Vicksburg at the time, were oozing out of his stomach! Contributed by Stan Cosby, great grandson of Lemuel P. Cosby, A Sgt. in Company F. |
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