Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-07-31
The YIrrlnla snnl,e IIuuters.

AnA NaAAaaAfN tfNAANAA AAAHANA~e
A correspondent Of the New York Tri-
Bune has this lively account of the poCu-
liar body of Virginia scouts known as
Capt Bagg's snakshuutefs;
But Harper's guerrillas and their de-
leetable allies, the "a Moccasin Rangers"
we're for months "ohased with a sharp
stick, by an equally eccentric local organ
ization, known as @Snakc Hunters These
were stalwart, rugged foresters, noun
taineers and "original backwoOdsmen'i-
shrewd, wary, and daring, as they were
hletic and active-heet Of foot, nimble
climbers, and perfect in the use Of knife
and gun. They were enlisted at Wheeling
and mustered into the Union service thore,
under that most half-horse-half-alliga
and-the-rest-snapping turtle-est of human
beings since the demise Of the lamented
Col. David Crockett Capt Baggs, who beat
every county in Western Virginia for the
right breed, and sent them TO Wheeling
as fast as he found them to be linked into
the shape required to constitute q snake
hunter in good standing. They were re-
cruited for mountain service, and were
usually kept on the trail of guerrillas, and
for other independent enterprises; but
when attached TO an army, their business
was to "trot" in the extreme 'front.' in the
capacity of guides, scouts, and spies. For
while they were RithRosenoran's Army
of the Kanawha and Gauley, and came
often in contact with their rebel rivals, the
Moeeasin Rangers.
As to their arms, the only peculiar fea-
ture believe was their variety, each sep
arate snake-hunter being at liberty to in
dulge his fancy, and consult his early hab-
its, the training of his hand and eye, in
the choice of his weapons. But in their
" "toggery" everything was peculiar, a mag
ni6cent contempt for uniform distinguish
ed them, and motley was their only wear !;
no two were got up alike, and rarely did
the accomplished suHke-hunter permit him
self to be seen TIVE days in succession on
/ parade Cif their extraordinary system of
tactics included such dandyism) in the
same eccentric combination Of s' duds."
But most peculiar Of all was their drill.
Every movement was accomplished on the
double-quick or in a run. They acknowl-
edged no common time" and if reduced
TO dead march they would surely have
muhnied. This, for instance, was Captain
Baggs very original style of dismissing
his company:
"Put away them thar blasted old guns,
and be ID TO you'll"
| (which, being interpreted, is "Stack
arms l"l
"NOw to your holes, you ugly rats, and
don't let me see you again till want you.
Which being reduced to the Hardee YER
nacular, means Break ranks-marchr r'7
Exeunt Snake-Hunters, on the run, with
grand advertisement Of whoops, yells and
squeals, interspersed with life-like imita-
tions Of birds and beasts. .tfl
Once, when the Snake-Hunters were de-
tailed to guard some stores between Fair
mount and Beverly, two elaborate gentle
men from Philadelphia, who were making
a tour of that country, had the good fortune
to witness theirvery original style Of drill,
and at the close of the performances invited
Capt. Baggs to take drink at a neighbor-
ing rummery. As the tin cups were laid out
/ one of them expressed his astonishment,
not to say admiration Of his peculiar style
of dismissing, which looked to him very
much like a stampede" and was curious to
know where in the world they were all
gone TO, and how the Captain expected to
get them back if he should want them in a
hurry. Baggs replied that the process was
rather difficult to explain, but I" if they'd
jest let that ere rum wait minute he'd
show EN- "--whereupon, going to the door
he fred three barrels of his revolver The
echo of the third report was still linge' ing
among the cliffs when every blessed Snake
Hunter burst into the barroom with whole
menagerie Of roars and squeals and hee-
haws, and without question or apology
called for tin cups. The demonstration of
Captain Bagg's style of q falling in " cost
the elaborate gentlemen from Philadelphia
five dollars.
On one occasion, Baggs made his way to
Floyd's camp, near Gauley Bridge, disguis-
ed as a Quaker-his suit Of homemade
jeans suEmOunted by the regulation broad
| brim, whose orthodoxy was attested by a
small Confederate flag. On passing the
pickets, his unmistakable innocence being
countersign enough, he asked to be conduct
ed to the General, to whom he had import
ant information to communicate. On being
admitted to headquarters, he informed Gen.
Floyd that party of Union men were or
ganizing in the neighborhood, for the pur-
pose of annoying his troops and killing off
| piekets-that he had obtained complete
knowledge of their strength and places of
rendezvous, for the purpose of catching
them in a trap-and that he had been ar
rested and compelled to take an oath of Sc
creey. q g. -- =
Floyd listened to him with confidence,
and was induced to send out three compa-
nies, who surprised the Union party, and
captured most Of them-meantime giving
his Quaker friend pass through his lines,
Of which the latter ayailed himself without
loss Of time.
But the cream Of the story (which you
will please to observe, is the Snake Hunt
er's own, and not to be sworn to by any one
but himself is to be found in the fact that
the "Unioh party in question was in
truth a guerrilla band mastering by au-
thority Of Floyd himself
Capt. Baggs' style of punishment, like
his drill, was peculiarly his own. He
knocked down the refractory Snake Hunter
with his fist, and mauled him to his hearts
content. he was once tried for cruelty to
one Of his own men while under arrest but
acquitted i r. y
Baggs, if still alive, is a sturdy, good
looking, staggering, hard swearing fell
low, of about six feet two inches, and quite
young.