New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-13
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 1861.

un;mportant though obrusive private. do not thms
the remen ever succeed for the distance s altogether
TOO great excepting for the most practced and expert
marksmen: but the intention is no less cOmmendabe,
and the occasional effort helps TO sustain Judlclous
spirit of emulation.
Perceiving an unusually large group upon corner
OF the rebel earthwork, Of our men prepares hl
self for long shot, After adjusting his piece, with
the sight elevated to the full 600 yards be is about to
fire, when q companion, who is spying through glass;
SAYS: Hold up; women up among them Inc
rifleman lays down his piece with sighhe had been
sure of scattering them that time. II always happens
that the shot which inteiruptednpped in the BARREL
AZ it were--is just the one which would have done
more damage than any other shot on record, had it
only got fairly off The rheman will have some kind
of sport for compensation. He retreats within the
corn-fed cuts tall stalk trims it, and, returning,
perches bis cap upon the end and bobs it above his
ramparts. 1t instantly becomes a mark for rebel
vengeance. After q or two Of shots have been
discharged straight at it, he slowly pushes it sloft
eight fee, or So disclosing the full extent of the corn
stalk while his companions jump erect and sing de-
risiye choruses in a loud voice.
Thus the pickes strive 10 alleviate the weary rgors
of their dnty. / hope one would blame them.
What they do is always squarey within the limit OF
their Instructions | have looked at q good deal Of
picket service, and never knew case where, in the
daily interchange of shots, our men were the agrees
sore. They wait long before resenting the attacks
upon them but when they do reply, 1t IL not often
without effect. If they keep up their spirits IN the
midst of il ALL 30 much the better for them. have
written obly of the pleasaner phrases OF their HE.
There is enough that is painful and barassng. when
the night comes. with its binding miss and backness
when the silence is broken by the rustling and the
cracking, which Of approaching danger, when the
hours must crawl by without the utterance of word
whisper, lest the eager enemy shall learn the secret
of the positions when ague-breedng storms pour down
and the rude pits turned TO pools-then the woes Of
pcket-work is really felt
An hour Of such exposure and anxiety is than
whole day of ordinary service. have seen picket
guards coming in of morning 80 langud and exhaust
ed that they seemed TO be but half recovered from
desperate illness. The stern dscipnRrians who dare
TO growl at the merciful enience which releases pri
Scott Of Vermont from the terrible penalty Of his
single error, must know very little Of the difficulties
which surround the midnight duties of the pickets.
believe that the worst punishment man in SCOTS pO-
siIion could sustain would be the sefconvction that
he had failed in his trust The infauy Of execution
under such circumstances would not belong 10 the suf
ferer alone. The original establishment Of the extreme
penalty for sleeping post was in nations, and in
times very different from oun. 1t was needed,
because Of the comparative low moral standard
Of the soldery, whose idea Of duty the perform
ance Of functions vigorously enforced, and nothing
MORE The fat that army is an army Of volunteers
il properly considered sufficient TO prove the enormty
Of nhictng a deih.sentence for au accidental error.
Tie popular impression that the drowsness of single
may bring humiliation TO entire army is fool
ish deuson. 1t would be strangely organized army
whose existence rested upon any such chance. Private
SCOTS fault was great and perhap, bis restoration to
liberty wholly UNPUBLISHED. not the most judicons
means Of dealing with the Adequate penalties
no one would blink at but it is hard If we must be
bound To a military code 80 wholly unsuited 20 our
time aud condition.