Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1859-12-02

visit To the hattlc-tle Id IN the mCrning found
nobody "welering IN his gore"-hui COW,
very Slightly killed." yet mortally offended
AT such hostile reception when she had rome
simply 10 i00k after her Jrare progeny. and not
10 dissolve the Union or carry of Brown.
THE abovenarraed incident is proof but the sentry
brave mortals generally are the spoo'tS'
lonely Of looking out for the worst Of oen
the dark. Only think enemies all about-you exposed
at spot they hidden, and you know not in what
shape they may come Nearly twenty-five years ago.
our grandfather Dra OLIVER NoRTuN-then enjoying at
the u,r Of 60 his pension and his wellearncd home in
Central New Iork-toli us the following among other
incidents which (atcr the lapse of fifty years. lie
would still laugh most heartily. The fact brings smile
face ..srimvisagrd WAR;, aud shows that Yam
kee, may mistake as we'll as yirgnians'l W
| served mostly as minute-man in
Connecticut, and between the British, the
Tory Cowb boys, and the hostile Indians, we
had many enemies to encounter. About
Oct. l1ol, was one of company, say 40
guards. We were lying in a marsh, near
the seashore, where we feared the enemy
would land and the farthest outpost was
at bridge over sluggish creek, where
one Thompson was stationed. We had no
tents or fire; it had rained and drizzled,
and the frosty wind blew hard enough TO
chill any but the heart Of Puritan Whig.
We slowed under bushes, the best way We
could, and were trying to sleep, when We
heard a noise as Of steps on the bridge
several guards fired, and fell in to the
main body. We awaited the enemy ap
proach for some time, but no further
sound was heard, and the Captain called
for volunteers TO visit the bridge. Tom
White and | were the first to offer, but
Tom went back upon an iutimation that
one was enough; | thought my last hour
was near, but nerved my heart, and prim-
ed my gun for good service. All but the
wind was still, and | doubted not some
sucaking cowboy or savage had picked off
poor Thompson, and that the British had
marched over in full force. Arrived near
the spot, | got upon my knees, aud through
the bushes family discovered the bridge,
and tall figure marching upon it, while
strong smell as Of gunpOwder filed the
air. Quick as thought, my eye glanced
along the deadly weapon, and l demanded,
"Whn goes there p mYou NAV come
on, was the reply. That was not the
wa;chword, aud l again demanded, as loud
as could utter, "Who goes there p and
"Iou may come on" was again the cool
reply. For a moment, was staggered,
and then advancing quickly with my bag
gernet, exclaimed, "Surreudcr, quick, or
die - could not see that be offered re-
sistancc, and again thundcred out, "Who
are you, sir -? what is your name? p? and
where did you come from?" l instantly
recognized him as be replied, 81 am
Wing to my foretop-my name is Thomp-
son ~
"What occasioned that noise - said l.
go, l had little battle, that's all"
"But what caused the firing? Who was
it? Where did he come from -
81 heard no firing, but it might have
been while l was fighting. Why, you
see, Norton, l heard little rustlipg
among the bushes, and was on my knees
GU the bridge, peering into the woods,
when | felt him on my back, he seized my
hand, and shot all his weapons at me;
but | stuck my baggernet into him, and
then gave him the breech Of my gun till
he knocked under and gave up the ghost,
when threw him into the creek. ., if
you had only seen"
"Who7 how many said I.
"Why," said he, "only ouc-skUSK )"
At first, was inclined to knock the
fellow down for disturbing the whole COM
pany for paltry polecat; bu: as honest
Thompson went on, describing the conflict
in such enthusiastic terms, my bigh-strung
nerves and gritted teeth relaxed, my hair
drooped, flexible, l sweat profusely, and
the revu!sion Of feeling was so strong that
l dropped my gun, fell PROSTATE in the
mud, aud INDUCED in remorseiess laugh
ter till relicred by another "fOrlOrn hope,"
whose emotions, as well as those of the
corps on our return, were comical mix
ture of fun and Indignation.
Early the next morning, we all visited
the scene of the deadly fray. The poor
animal lay in scattered fragments, widely
separated. Thompson had used up his
cun-bayonct, lock, stock and barrel
mauliug the enemy, first into pancake,
and then mincing it up for soap-grease.
The planks were full of mementoes OF his
blows, which we had heard. He was
picture Of a wo-begOne warrior true, not
quitting his post, nor able to defend it
with a weapon, even from another attack
of the same sort His hands and face
we're bloody, his clothes were torn, and
the adhesive nature of the offensive weap-
ons used against him by his foe gave him
the irradicablc nick name OF Thompson