CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: TWO HEROES 

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Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@home.com
24 October 2001 
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson

TWO HEROES

Col. Roger Q. Mills, in his report of Chickamauga, pays the following 
tribute to Lieut. Graham and private McCann:

"I feel it my duty to record here the names of Lieut. Matthew Graham, 
10th Texas, and Private William C. McCann, 15th, as worthy of 
honorable mention for conduct more than ordinarily gallant on the 
field.  Lieut. Graham several times volunteered and insisted on being 
allowed to carry orders and messages up and down the line, where he 
was constantly exposed to the thickest fire.  His services were highly 
beneficial to Lieut. Col. Anderson, who speaks of him in terms of 
highest praise.  Private McCann was under my own eye.  He stood 
upright, cheerful and self possessed in the very hail of deadly 
missiles, cheered up his comrades around him, and after he had 
expended all his ammunition, gathered up the cartridge boxes of the 
dead and wounded and distributed them to his comrades.  He bore 
himself like a hero through the entire fight, and fell mortally 
wounded by the last volleys of the enemy.  I promised him during 
the engagement that I would mention his good conduct, and as he was 
borne dying from the field, he turned his boyish face upon me, and 
with a light and pleasant smile, reminded me of my promise."