The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-10-10
Excitement of the Picket Service.

A Washington correspondent Of the N
York Times. Gays that, for genuine ex
citement, there is nothing like picket du
| ty. As an illustration he narrates th
following adventure:
Recently the Major in command of tL,
picket beyond Balls Cross Roads, whii,
near the northern end Of his line, was ap
piled to by Lieutenant of the Californi;
Regiment, whose pickets joined those o.
Gen. Porter, for three men, good marks
men and trustworthy, to accompany him
to road west of our ut-posts, to recon
noiter and ascertain whether a repor,
that had reached Gen. Smith, of the pas
sage of some rebel artillery up the road
was true. The Mayor selected three mer
from the Michigan Fourth, excellent shots
and willing to accompany the reconuois
sance. The Major, however, preferred
to command bis own men, aud dofiug bis
coat and putting on private's jacket, be
started out with the party. A baIf-mile
beyond our advanced party they came to
the road. West of the road and extend.
ing close to the roadway was a tbicket Of
small growth evergreens, into which ii
was impossible to see fifty feet. Placing
the three Michigan men on the road side
to watch, With their rifles cooked and
ready to FIRE, the Major and Lieutenant
examined the road. and found no eviden.
ces of any vehicles having recently passed
They then decided to move back towards
our lines few rods, to tall cbesDut
tree, and climb it, in order to make a
more extended reconnaissance. They
had got half way to the tree. when two
bullets whiszed past them, fred from the
tbickest across the road, not five rods
from where they were standing. Quick
as lightning one of the Wolverines fired
10 the direction of one of the shots, gui-
ded only by the smoke. A moment IF.
ter, two musket. and heads were
seen above the ticket, three rods from the
road, and the other two Michigan men
leveled their pieces. The four shots
were fred almost simulta aneously. In
one case. the rebel bullet whizzed BY the
right cheek of the Michigan man. He
aimed at the shirt bosom Of the rebel,
which be could just see through the
brush, and pulled the trigger. The bull
let entered his breast. He uttered cry,
threw up bis hands, and fell back. 1t is
not known that the shot of the other VOL.
VERNE hit, and the rebel fired wide of his
mark. Not knowing how near the re-
bells were to their pickets in force, and
being half mile beyond our lines. the
party hastily retreated, aud reached our
outposts in safety, having successfully ac-
complished the object of their expedi-
ton.
The rebels have resorted to an iDgeni-
Gus way of Turing our men into their
snares. 1t is known as the "cowbell
dodge" and it was very successful for
time, especially with newly arrived regi.
meDts, companies of which we're placed
on picket for the first time. Approsch.
Jog within thirty or forty rods OF our out
posts and coucealing themselves in the
woods they commence the irregular tin
kle of a COW bell. The uninitiated pick
ct, not suspectiug the ruSe, and not yet
reconceiled to drinking his coffee without
milk goes out to obtain a supply from
the supposed cow of some Virginia rebel
fattefing himself that be has got a"big
thing on Secesh." Not until be find:
himself surrounded by half dozen or 81
armed rebels does he learn his mistake
In Richmond are nearly dozen of ou
soldiers who are probably now regrettinl
their credulity aud appetite for milk.