The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-02
NO. 70
Federal nnd Rebel pIckCIs-- heir
Modes Of Operation I9fskY Hal
loOning-' Picket Fighting.
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''N NAAifHN hN'h - D.
Wednesday, june IS.


FoUR MuEs FROM IT,
Wednesday, June Is.
The drums, both great and small, are
being beaten in the Rebel camps Just
across the Chickahominy, and the strong
current of air blowing fren that aircc-
tion at present rcproduces each note
round and full Every few minutes the
crack of rifle informs us that the pick
cts. are at their posts, endeavoring TO
pick of some venturesOmc or careless Of
liCcr or civilian who may have wandered
within range unconsciOusly. The pick
cts arc ordered not to fire on each other,
but should anybody, az above stated,
wander too close, the foe, on either side,
will be quite certain TO send q bullet at
him. ! am informed that this rule or
agreement with reference 20 pickets not
firing at ono another is however, one
that is broken and not at all TO be relied
on, without il may be in exceptional cases.
The men soon learn what they must ac-
custom themselves 70, and watchful
eye is kept on the lriendliest disposed
Rebel foe.
There are circumstances which may,
and do, sometimes attach considerable
importance 10 a picket station ~, for
instance, tree, rock, clump of bushes,
or other natural covering, may be occu-
pied by one party, while the other may
not be enabled to take advantage of
similar covering When such is the case
che lucky occupant Of that concealed po-
sition is apt 20 forget or ignore all cor
ders," and take the first chance to shoot
/ his friend " opposite.
Some two miles below here, in the
wood, one Of the enemy's pickets was in
/ possession of such a concealed position
and took advantage of it TO annoy ours,
! Just opposite, and in course of a few
! days and nights, succeeded in killing or
womding several. On my way up from
Fair Oaks the day being opprcssiyely
hot, seated myself on a log in the
shade Of the forest trees, aud soon OBJ
served short sturdy looking soldier
washing himself in pool of water. In
q short time another one came, aud, hay-
ing leaned his rifle against a tree, pro-
cceded to prepare for ablution also
The first soldier referred 20 was a
German, and he addressed the last t-comer
in this wise; cha! you Pete, where you
come from ?" The reply was TO the eff
feet that he had been with n portion of
his regiment doing picket duty some
where beyond there. The German pro-
ceeded 10 ask him if he remembered
certain tree in the vicinity, which the
rebel pickcts had for a period been sue
cessful i'm holding, and from IL firing at
them ayes, he remembered it "Well,"
says Tcuton, Z" / fetched one dem ----
fellcrs out of il dis morning--plumped
him in the right arm--he hangs up dc
odder little minute, an down lac comes
into de bush, dump
Those men become so familiarized
with such scenes that they converse
about them with the same a0aclalanre
that charactcrizes them when sitting
around a camp fire, discussing hard
tack (biscuiD and coffee
! am informed that the enemy are la
boring diligently as bees on the doiences
before the city; and the series Of earth
works, rife-pits, forts, &c, that the dar-
llies have turned out for them are truly
formidable. That they are so, however,
is no more than was the case at York
town and one or two other places, and
the result will, without doubt, be the
same, or nearly so, as to the places re-
fcrrcd TO-, Really, | have no doubts
about any great battle occurring before
Richmond; yet, am not the son Of a
prophet.
Each day see loves balloons float
ing in the air, at great elevations, one
being located at Gaines Hill and the
other al Mechanicsyillc, some five miles
further to the right, and nearer the city
Of Richmond This latter one, / under
stand from an officer the enemy shell
every few days, making il very risky for
the Professor 10 take the necessary OBJ
seryations. Thoy have never prevented
him doing what has been necessary from
day to day.