The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-05

pieket DutY.


Months ago the rebels, beginning 20
feel that they had commenced hard
campaign, and were likely to fiatten out
under the pressure which our Government
was bringing to bear, began threatening
US with various measures, If such and
such things in our policy were not
changed to suit them Guerrilla warfare
and the "blsek flag" were then first spo-
ken Of as their resort, should we persist
in violating such plans as they saw iit TO
restrict us to, and by these means IL was
thought the Government would become
intimidaled enough to change its policy.
The "black flag" seemed to "play OUT
after one or two unsuccessful efforts, and
when in one or two instances they were
forced TO hoist a white one in its place,
but it now seems to have become a sub-
ject for legislation, and will doubtless be
raised again with the usual bombast.--
With their system of guerrilla warfare
they have been little more successful
and have caused some annoyance. In
some instances our pickets have suffered
severely while performing picket dnty by
the attacks. of superior numbers Of these
guerrillas, and, as yet, there has been
adopted no efectuaI means to prevent
these repeated raids.
When it is remembered that the safety
of an entire army is dependant on the
alarm from pickets, who are always sup
posed to be first acquainted with the APP
prOach of danger, the importance of.hav-
ing these well posted and so secured as
to prevent surprise and capture, will at
once be seen. No measure should be ne
elected which will add to the efficiency
of this branch Of the service at any time,
and especially during campaign mark
ed as this has been with the most sim
gular cases of deception by our enemies.
In consequence Of these repeated attacks,
by bands who knew perfectly well every
post on our entire line, and can at any
time ascertain the exact number posted,
our picket duty has become the most
dangerous duty the soldier has to per-
form. Doubling, or even trebling, the
number stationed, will not secure it from
these attacks, nor against capture often,
since it is only necessary 10 double or
treble the force desired TO attack it,
During the night watch, guard who
is on the alert and doing his duty, is not
in such immediate danger as at other
times; for it is no hard matter to so dis
pose of picket guard after night fall, as
TO make it dangerous undertaking for
an enemy to approach, however stealthily
he may attempt it. The countersign
guards against the passage either within
or out of our lines during the night by
unauthorized persons, and as none are
allowed to approach Immediately up TO a
sentinel, either friends or foes, until he
has been halted and challenged, there is
not much danger of deception. But
during the day, the challenging at dis
tancc is deemed unnecessary, since it is
easy to see who approaches, and permit
from some person authorized TO issue
them, is considered sufficient to entitle
the bearer to pass through our lines.
But here seems to be difficulty. The
sentinel must allow any one or more who
approach his post, TO come Immediately
up to his person, or at least very near it,
before he can determine whether he is
warranted in granting pass or not. In
doing this he may unconsciously place
himself in the hands of disguised enc
my and if his post be near the reserve,
and more than one thus approaches him
his whole guard may share the same fate
taking the fun Of being captured for their
pains. Here is the sequel TO the almost
fatal raid on one of our picket posts in
one instance, aud the capture Of another
since, within few days. Now the ques-
tion arises, how is this to be prevented ?
We believe there can be measure adopt
ed, which will efIectually prevent it. In
both cases referred TO, these cowardly
thieves who approached our pickets
dressed in Federal uniforms were seen
time enough 10 have been deceRtly salut-
ed by a yolley Of well aimed musketry,
had il not been for fear Of firing on our
own cavalry but to determine this mat
ter there was no means, and hence the
capture Had this approach been made
at night, il would have met the reception
II deserved; and why can there not be
means adopted tomeet such cases as well
] e y a. u