, 1862-07-24
The Picket's Ruse.

Inc t0UOWttig lncloeut u bAlo W uANo OeCuIteu
near Yorktown, duri 8 its late siege BY the Fed
eral forces:
Private Joel Shapes, Of . hard-working,
tough-sinewed regiment Of Vermont volunteers
was q good shot and Q smart soldier. He
hardly ever came In after q days exercise IN
that branch Of military industry without having
q report to make to bis superior officer Of some
new work discovered, some conversation over
heard, some little chance circumstances perceived
that might be Of use In gaining an advantage
over the enemy.
Joel was long, lank. yellOw-baired fellow,
not very sOldierly IN speech or bearing, but OF
infinitely more service than many one OF our
snug, dapper, well-lOoking city soldiers. He
was irighifully sunburned, and his face, coarse.
featured and demurc, suggested good humOr and
power Of endurance more than courage or dis.
cipline. But there was twinkle about his small
gray eyes, which enlivened them despite their
scanty, characterless white lashes, and impressed
the closer sort Of observer with q wholesome
respect for his courage and intelligence. His
nasal voice and drawl his round shoulders and
fat build, could not shake this so lons as one
kept those clear, cool, iar-Seeing eyes in sight /;
and JOe's comrades prophesied that he had only
to behave himself and keep on in his own way,
to gain pair Of epaulets one fine day.
He openly declared that manual labor on the
earthworks was distasleful to him; and his OH.
cers, knowing his value at picket duty, evinced
enough consideration for him 10 keep him at that
SERVICE
The position that he liked best was on the
slope Of bill, opposite similar slope, occupisd
by . sentinel Of the COniederates This last was
quite high bit Of ground, whence one might
see good deal Of what was going on about the
batteries further down. Joel believed that the
sentinel there stationed learned more than was
well for our side. He accordingly harrassej and
annoyed every one that showed his head on the
hillside opposite, and efi several adventurous
fellows stretched out on the turf one after
another, as a reward for their temerity.
It was nearly quarter Of nile of, but, as
have said, the long Vernonter was good shot,
aud il became really dangerous for the enemy's
pockets to show themselves al all near the for
hidden hill side. They soon learned this lesson,
and very naturally acted upon 1t.
Joel, sauntering careesSly down his path, one
line afternoon, heard sharp report, and felt the
wind Of a rifle ball that came wonderfully near
his head. Turning quickly, he saw the smoke
floating up from little pile Of fresh earth on the
hill opposite. The enemy had dug pit wherein
the sentinel could sit at ease and expose his head
aud arms only when he fired Private Shapes
hastensd, with praiseworthy prudence, to get
out Of sight, among some cedars, and watched
ldr some time bef0re quite fixing the location Of
his f1eman again. Finally, discovering the fresh
earth once more, and imaginig that he saw hat
Just above IT, he took shot ir that direction. Up
psggcd tall sentinel, bareheaded, and returned
the lire instantly. He had only been trying the
old trick Of putting his hat on a ramrOd.
"rhls'll never do" sooquized Joel "That
cuss has got tew good berth over yander. III
Just have tew rouse him out"
The sentinel's death-warTant was In some sort
Esus,a aaN 1NuuaN hm
ter's brain was at work on the problem Of dis
lodging this man thencef0rth.
So long as joel kept quiet, 80 long hid his an
| tagOnist but II was presumabe that he could
see tho batteries in process Of construction, with
out exposing his heal, for the earth taken from
the pit was carefully piled up on the side towards
Joel. From theket a. the foot Of the two hills,
however, a shot could he thrown, lengthwise Of
the trench, and behind bis triding breastwOrk.
10 gain that thcket then, without being too Wis
lille Oh the barren slope, was Joels idea.
The next day, private Shapes took with him
long piece Of stout twine and loaded revolver,
when he went out on picket duty. II was not
yet daylight but the gray and indistinct light Of
dawn had begun 10 pale 10 the East
The sentinel as soon a. the guard passed along,
hastened 10 drive smOothe stake into the ground,
and TO est his musket over fork in cedar
bush In front Of the stake, the muzEle Of the
weapon pointing in the direction Of tue pit on
the farther slope.
He then cooked the piece, and having fastened
one end Of his cord to the trigger, begun steal
thily crawling down hill on his hands and knees,
paying out the line rs he went
Il was q hazardous experiment, for the thicket,
when he gained II, was very sparse, and so near
| to the Dit that the Confederate sentry, had he
suspected Joers presence there, could have
hardly failed to hit him.
Lying down, however, the Vermonter awaited
sunrise, and as the shadows faded away into the
lnists Of morning, he saw the light gleam upon q
bayonet, peering from the trench on the hill side
"Now for tsw make him show his picter u
said Joel to himself.
He pulled the string, carefully, at first, till It
| was drawn tight, and then . slight extra tug
Cred the musket from among the cedars above.
He had not calculated wrongly. As soon as
the rifeman 10 the pit hea this matinal saluta-
ton from his enemy over opposite, Is he sup.
pbssd. be raised himself up TO return the Dire, and
brought his head and shoulders plainly into sight
The next instant. he went heels over b 'ad into
his rench again, with bullet from the unsrring
Colt straight through the side Of his head.
HThe dsFnod fooll" said Shapes, didn't he
know ISllsF might shoot od . gun without hav.
ing q hold Onto itH'
The COniedorate pickets decided, thereafter,
thAe this position vas TOO exposed 70 DO proita'
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