East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-10-08

manded that post for the time being,
that the picket firing was introduced
again.
l took, as usual, the left wing, where,
you remember, stands that famous barn;
and found by placing the posts fine re
ception of rifle bullets. Early the next
morning, on the 23d, about B o'clock,
when l drew in my piekets stationed on
the extreme exposure, the firing COM
menced, and was kept up all day with
more vigor on both sides than l have wit
messed here before. The Rebels seemed
to have their posts not only strengthened
by lot of tall shades, but furnished also
with sporting rifles, which did better
than ever, but after all, failed to produce
any perceivable effect on our bomb-proof
Michiganders. Our boys understand this
kind of business almost to perfection, and
would rather go on picket duty than stay
in camp. Their sporting rifles carried a
ball with an enormous force and little
report. A COW being a great distance
from the barn, where supposed no ball
coald ever reach, was killed instantly,
and through that means we were fur
nished with fresh beef by the Rebels,
which was very acceptable. About dusk
our Sergeant, John Dobson, whom we
took with us from Saginaw, having stud
led sometime how to get rid of the barn,
concluded to try an experiment; he sue
ceeded well. He had about 10 slugs
previously made of iron, two inches in
length, heated them red hot, and by plac-
ing little flannel between the charge
and slug, kept the powder from explod-
ing. After discharging some Of them
the barn took fire, bu: was extinguished
twice by the Rebels. Our hero blazed
away, however, with the slugs little
faster than they could take care of, and
at the same time our boys kept firing by
file, sometims sounding like platoon, until
the barn at last caught fire for good, and
is no more. The boys were very much
excited, and you can Judge whether they
had been busy or not, when they fired
from 60 to 20 rounds each. John Dob
son is naturally very cool, and ain happy
to state never uses any profane language;
but the time he fired the hot slugs, and
the last one was expended, he turned to
the boys, who were buslly engaged in
discharging their muskets, and said !:
"Now boys, d-n you, why don't you
shoot" The night was beautiful one;
not tho slightest breeze disturbed the
brilliant fire of the barn, which had it S
own time to fall within itself. Munson's
Hill, as savage as it may appear by day
light, seemed to smile on this occasion.
At the same time the Rebel pickets, filled
with astonishment, took the last glance at
their beloved stronghold, sounded the
bugle, perhaps expecting an attack from
US, when, in fact, we prepared for de-
fence. II o'clock, at midnight, our relief
came, and started with the boys for the
camp, which was distance of 6 miles,
all the way enjoying the Yankee trick.
This morning the rebels concluded to
compromise again; we will see how long
il will last. In camp everything is quiet.
We are pleased to have head to our
regiment again. Orlando M. Poe, form
erly Lieutenant of the Typographical
Engineer Corps, in General McClellan's
staff, received the appointment of the
Colonelship of our Regiment He is a
fine soldierly locking officer, whom we can
be proud of. The paper is getting
short, and must come to close. Give
my respects to all my friends.
Yours truly, i. M.
p. ST. found an account of the burn