Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-04-23
PIcLetIng at stony Creek.
CAMP NEAR EDENRURG,
SHENANDOAH County, VA,
April l.ilh, 1862
Editors MteIligencer:

d@"HO'S I"C'AT'"t"'--
On the morning of the 4th of April, the
lst Virginia Infantry started to the picket
ing grounds, about one mile aud IL half
distant, which is in the rear of Battery II,
lst Ohio Artillery. We arrived there ut
nine o'clock, stacked arms, and sent out
Co. to relieve the last company of the
29th Chic.
About ten o'clock, as we were Iounging
around from place to place, some reading,
some sleeping, some getting their dinners,
we heard the sound produced by the dis
charge of a rilied l2-pounder of the enc
my, aud in less time than it takes me to
tell you, we heard the whizzing of shell
over our heads, and directly Afterwards the
report Of it bursting. 1t was percussion
shell, and had struck the side of the hill
in our rear. Two more followed in quick
succession, but did no damage, they, pass
ing over our heads aud striking against the
same hillside, exploded. Our guns did not
reply, and their battery was Immediately
withdrawn.
On the day previous, Battery II gave
them Yankee trick worth recording
The distance from the woods on our side
to the crrek is probably half mile, and
on the side the rebels have possession of;
probably one mile, so that, you see, there
- pANuGJ lONlLL lOl NlGG dTtlliCTI
In fact, as the artillerists say, "splendifer-
Ous."
large amount, comparatively speaking,
of pickets had gathered in crowd aud
were reviewing our battery with a small
glass. They were rather aggravating, so
she'll was fired not Mt them but some
twenty or thirty yards below them or in
front of them, as there is gradual slope
from the creek up to the woods, that pro-
duced the desired effect-they took to the
woods instanter. We did not fire again for
few minutes. They gradually grew bold
er, and some went aud picked up the shell.
Others soon Joined them and they were
viewing the she'll and calculating the
weight aud how far they would do execu-
ton. Two guns of the battery were eIe-
waited and the exact altitude found. Boom!
boom! went the cannon, and the confeder-
ates suppOsing that the shells would strike
near the same spot, ran helter skelter for
the woods and by the time they reached
tue woods the shells were among them
doing fearful work.
Several of them were left at the edge of
the woods and not many more coRfederates
gathered around that spot on the Sd of
April.
About three o'clock the cOnfeIerates
having got our exact range run up their
breech loading rifed steel gun and put in
five shells in regular style. Some went
over tue woods, some exploded over our
heads, aud Que struck in an open field on
our left, among a crowd of boys, doing no
damage, however. One threw dirt over
several of our boys. The range, however,
was perfect; could not be better.
That night the pickets went down to the
creek, and it was supposed by men high in
authority that some of their pickets would
come down to the creek aud attempt to fire
upon ours in the morning. or would cross
during the night and take the advantage of
the pickets in the morning. The pickets
were strengthened that night to prevent
surprise, with orders to fall back to some
out building in the morning, and should II
man show himself to draw bead on him.
Did you ever listen after night to large
water fall. There was q dam close to my
post and and all night long there was a
continual noise resembling a body of men
crossing the creek, was deceived about
every five minutes into the belief that some
one was crossing. The night resembled
some of the nights of old. 1t was of plu-
tonian darkness.
Morning ut length came and we were
drawn back to an old building few feet
from the creek and was prepared for any
emergency. Presently whiz, whiz, went
bullet, passing within a few feet of us and
striking large white oak, just grazing the
neck of II Massachusetts boy. "A close shot,
remarked the Massachusetts boy, who i'm
mediately left his post and started to hunt
the source from whence it came. Whether
he was successful or not, do not know,
as we were shortly afterwards relieved
More anon. NJ. \.
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