Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-02-25
NJ | S G Il l. l. A N Y.
THE NIGHT ATTACK.
BY SOLITAIRE.


night attack P' What dreadful scenes it conjures
UP OF sanguinary carnage, of dread and indiscrmi-
nate havoc, and or lnhuman murder How often
has the sleeping soldier been aroused from his
dream of far distant home, and the contemplation
OF sweet, familiar faces, to look upon the halfhid-
den forms OF deadly foes, who from darkness and
ooscurity were pouring upon him death shower :;
and before the halfslumberng senses had repained
concIouSness of the difference between the dream
and the reality, his spirit has received its message
OF parting, and, like some sweet bird, has scared
away above earthly perils to float in safety and
battle Its pinons in the light of heaven. What
dreadful thoughts fill us as we hear again OF the
midnight robber and assassin, who stealing upon
the unconscious sleeper, by blow cuts his thread
OF lie, and, merely To obtain the droSs OF earth the
sleeper owns, he robs him Of what earth cannot re-
store I'VE might continue to enumerate the cases
OF murderouS deeds done sin the dark - until the
"felt" OF our readers hair would rise 'slke ouls
upon the fretful porcupine - but we prefer TO illus
trate our subject by the relation of a circumstance
which beiei one whose arm has done his country
good service in the battle field, and who when
once attacked at midnight, displayed portion Of
that unylelding courage which has distinguished
him in his cOuntry's battles.
l. Capt >. was great joker-a practical Joker
and would 60 TO almost any extent to have a lauph
against his comrades. He had smoked them in
their quarters-he had cllmbed upon the roof when
ST.,
lowered torpedo down upon the fire; and, in
short, every species of mischief that could create
excitement had been resorted TO by him for the pur-
pose, as he said, of keeping the military blood up
to ardor heat. His comrades had tried his own
tricks upon him, but without efiect-instead OF
checking his mischief it only urged him to greater
efforts indeed he enjoyed those visited on himself
as highly as the devilment he practised on others
The Captain, by choice, slept upon hay mattrass,
and, as every man has his hobby, it was his to lee
trre his comrades upon the healthy difference be-
tween hay and any other kind of suffing for a bed
This fact suggested trick to a comrade, and
straight he proceeded to put it in execution.
"A Jackass, which lived about the Council Bluff
Barracks, was the chosen instrument. This ami
NAL was one Of those old, non-descrpt kind which
had no particular owner, was kept under no re-
StTalnt, but appeared to be a movable portion Of
the establishment, let at large to exercise the
vigilance of the sentres and many raw recruit
had fired at random on hearing old Jack approach
aud when he retreated congratulated himself on
frightening an Indian. The soldiers at length dub
bed old Jack the Grand Rounds" and by that
name he was generally known. Lieut.. Nj. had
Jack captured and placed under durance for nearly
two days without any thing To eat this made him
so hungry he could have mastica,ed side of sole
leather; then, enticng Capt. S. into a whist party
In the Majors quarters, he turned Jack into the
Captains apartment. But brief period had e.
mattrass, and if it had been the suffng Of vel
vet-covered ottoman, all the same. He pulled the
clothes off, put his fore foot upon the bed, with his
teeth tore hole large enough 10 get his nose in
and lesurely proceeded to make up for his long fast
by stuffing his own hide with the contents Of the
mattrass.
While old "Grand Rounds" was thus feedinr =
way, coDgratulating himself no doubt on his luck
at getting such stabng, the original proprietor,
Captain ., was enjoying the hospitality of the
Major The company, on that particular occasion,
was so joyous and entertaining, and the wine had
such peculiarly rich flavor, that the Captain lin
gered until midnight. When on his way to his
own quarters, he asked The sentry upon the parade
ground what both Of them were standing there
about
cit is only me alone, Captain" said the soldier.
"Well, them" said Captain s., ''if that is so.
this Is the srangest parade ground for OPP (hic) OBJ
teal delusions have ever travelled over"
He at length reached his door, and while feeling
for the knob it opened, fell n and the proprietor en-
braced his easy chair, which sat near the entrance
He recovered directly, and commenced the operation
of undressing, during which he staggered against
old 'Grand Rounds" and taking him for his negro
boy "Bill" ne told him TO take hold of his boots
and strike light! Having seated himself. he
pulled and pulled his boot, but they wouldn't come
for the very good reason that Imagination only was
| Juggling at the heel. "Nevcr mind light . saws
he, ''the illumna- (bic) ton within is sufficient
ha, ha, ha, (hic) what glorious fellow the Major
is-and what wine-(here he rolled into bed. and
then finished the sentence by saying)--he keeps
! Old "Grand Rounds" the iackass, was MUNICH
| ing away, and the Captain rolled over the opening
he had made in the mattrass-he pushed the owner
of the quarters up with his nose and grabbed ano-
ther mouthful. The Captain, thinking it was Bill
tucking in the cover said nothing at first, but when
pushed again, he told him 'that would do he
could go now" But when old Jack had munched
that up, he nosed the Captain again, who returned
his thrust with slap over the nose Jack appear
cd In nnpder rro, III nJ;cpif,, t,r , ,,,o.., = I