Litchfield enquirer., 1862-08-28
THE SNAKE HUNTERS

THE SNAKE HUNTERS
 Harpers guerrillas and their delectable allies, the "Moccasin Rangers" were for months achased with sharp stick" by an equally eccentric local organization. known as Snake Hunters" These were stalwart, rugged foresters, mountaineers and original backwoodsmen" "-shrewd, wary, and daring, and they were athletic and active-feet of foot, nimble climbers, and perfect in the use of knife and gun. They were enlisted at Vince ling, and mustered into the Union service there under that most halfhorse-ha -alligator-and-th rest snapping turtleest of human beings since the demise of the lamented Col. Davd Crocket. Capt. Baggs, who beat every county in Wes- tern Virginia for the right breed, and sent them to Wheeling as fast as he found them to be lick ed into the shape required to constitute snake hunter in good standing. They were recruited 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 capacity of guides, scouts, and spies. Fofa while they were with Rossncranz's Army of the Kanawha and Gauley, and came often in contact there with their Rebel rivals, the Mocoasin Rangers.
 As to their arms. the only peculiar feature l believe was their variety, each separate snake hunter being at liberty to indulge his fancy and consult his early habits, the training of his hand and eye, in the choice of his weapons. But in their "toggery everything was peculiar, mag. nlfcent contempt for uniform distinguished them, and motley was their only wear; no two were got up alike and|farely did the accomplished snake hunter permit himself to be seen two days in succession on parade If their extraordinary system of tactics included such a dandyism) in the same eccentric combination of" duds."
 But most peculiar of all was their drill. Every movement was accomplished on the dou. ble-quick or in a run. They acknowledged no common time," and if reduced to dead march they would surely have mutinied This for instance, was Capt. Bragg's very original style of dismissing his company:
 "Put away them thar blasted old euus and be d-d to youw
 l Which, being interpreted is "stack armsp'l Now to your holes, you ugly rats, and don't Let me see you again till I want your'
 (Which being reduced to the Hardee vernac- ular, means Break ranks-Marchr
 E:eeunt snake hunters, on the run with grand advertisement of whoops. yells and squeals, in- tersperssd with lifs.liks limitations of birds and beasts. tH tE
 Once, when the snake hunters were detailed to guard some stores between Fairmount and Beverly two elaborate gentlemen from Phila. delphia who were making tour of that country had the good fortune to witness their original stye of drill, and at the close of the performance invited Captain Baggs to take drink in neigh boring rummery. As the tin cups were laid out one of them expressed his astonishment, not admiration, of his peculiar style of dismissing, which looked to him very much like stam. pede," and was curious to know where in the world they were all gone to, and how the Cap. tain expected to get them back if he should want them in hurry. Baggs replied that the process was rather difficult to explain, but if they'd jest let that 'ere rum wait a minute he'd show lem, "-whereupon. going to the door, he fred three barrels of his revolver. The echo of the third report was still lingering among the cliffs when every blessed snake hunter burst in. to the bar'room with a whole menagerie of roars and squeals and hee haws, and without question or apology called for tin.cups. The de.uonstra. tion of Captain Bagg's style of family in' cost the elaborate gentleman from Philadelphia five dollars.
 On one occasion Baggs made his way into Floyds camp near Gauley Bridge, disguised as Vuaker-his suit of homemade peans sur. mounted by the regulation broad -hrim, whose orthodoxy was attested by small Confederate lag. On passing the pckets his unmistakable innocence being countersign enough, he asked 10 be conducted to the general, ts whom he had important information to communicate. On be. ing admitted to headquarters, he informed Floyd that partysof Union men were organixiag in the neighborhood. for the purpose of annoying his troops and killing off pickets- he had obtained complete knowledge of their strength and place of rendezvous, for the purpose of catching them in a trap-a and that he had been arrested and compelled to take an oath of secre. cy.
 Floyd listened to him with confidence. and was induced to send out three companies who surprised the Union party, and captured most of them meantime giving the Quaker friend a pass though his lines of which the latter availsd himself without loss of time.
 But the cream of the story (which, you will please to observe is the snake hunters own, and not to be sworn to by any one but himself is to be found in the fact that the Union party" in question was in truth guerrilla boy, mus tering by authority of Floyd himself.
 Captain Baggs' style ofpanishment, like his drill was peculiarly his own. He knocked down the refractory snake hunter with his fist, and manled him to his hearts content. He was once tried for cruelty to one of his own men whie under'arrest. but acquitted.
 Baggs. if still living is sturdy good looking,