On1July1863,astheConfederatespushedforwardtowardsGettysburg,a69-year-oldmannamedJohnBurnscameuptoacompanyofUnioninfantrywitharifleonhisshoulder.TheUnionsoldiersfoundthathewasaveteranoftheWarof1812betweenBritainandtheUnitedStates,andhehadcometofight.Theyofferedhimacartridgebox,butBurnsshookhisheadandslappedhispantaloonpocketsaying,"Icangetmyhandsinherequickerthaninabox.I'mnotusedtothemnewfangled＊things."
Burnswaswoundedbybulletsinthearm,theleg,andthebreast.AstheUnionlinebegantogiveway,theUnionsoldierswereforcedtoleavehimbehind.Burns,however,managedtocrawlawaytosafety.Afterthebattle,hewaselevatedtotheroleofnationalhero.
一八六三年七月一日，美國南軍直壓蓋茨堡。六十九歲的約翰．朋斯肩扛來福槍，走到北軍一隊步兵前。北軍見他曾在一八一二年英美戰爭中作戰，現在要出力抗南軍，就給他一個子彈盒。他搖搖頭，一拍緊身褲的口袋說：「我伸手進褲袋裏，會快一點。這些時髦玩意，我不慣使用。」
朋斯的手、腳、胸部都中了槍。北軍終於敗退，不得不把他留下來，但朋斯還能夠勉力爬離險境。這場戰役之後，他被奉為國家英雄。
＊Newfangled指「新奇的」，常帶「不切實際」的貶義。