The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-01-23
The Picket's RuSe.

The Picket's Ruse.
Private ice! Shapes, of hard working,
tough sinewed regiment of Vermont Nolun-
teers, was good shot and a smart soldier
r He found great satisfaction IN picket duty,
and hardly came in after a DAYS exercise 10
that branch of military without having a
report to make to his superior officer of some
new work discovered, some conversation
, overheard, some little chance circumstance
perceived, that might be of use in gaining an
advantage over the enemy.
Joel was a long. lank, vellow-haired fellow,
not very soldierly in speech or bearing. but
, Of infinitely more service than MANY a one
of our snug, dapper, welllooking city sol
diers. He was frightfullv sun burned, and
; his coarse features and demure look, sug-
gested good humor and power of endurance,
more than courage or discipline. But there
was a twinkle about his gray ewes, which
enlivened them despite their scanty and
characterless white lashes, and impressed the
| closer observer with wholesome respect for
F his courage and Intelligence. His nasal
voice and drawl, his round shoulders AMI fat
build. could not shake the respect 50 long as
one kept those clear, cool. far seeing eyes in
sight; and Joel's comrades prophesied that
he had only to behave himself, and keep on
his own way, to gain pair of epauleits one
fine day.
He openly declared that manual labor on
the earth orks was diStastefnl 10 him; and
, his officers, knowing his value at picket duty,
evineed enough consideration for him TO keep
him az that service.
The position that be liked best was on the
slope of a hill, opposite similar slope, oe-
cupied by sentinels of the C0nfederates
This last was quite a high bit OF ground
whence one might see a great deal that was
going on about the batteries further down.
: Joel believed that the sentinel there station
{ ed learned more than WIS wei for our side.
He accordingly harrassed and ANNOYED every
one that showed his head on the hillside op-
posite, and LETT several adventurous fellows
; stretched on the turf one after another, re-
, ward for their temerity-
Ii was nearly quarter o; mile on, but
as have said the long Nermonier was 4
good shot, ana il became really dangerous
for the enemy's p;ckets 10 show them
selves At All near the forbidden hillside
They soon learned their lesson. and very
soon acted upon IL
Joel saun-ering down his path one fine af-
terroon. heard a sharp report. and felt the
wind of rife hail that came wonderfully
hear his head. Turning quicl " he saw the
smoke floating ap from pile OF fresh earth
on the hill opposite. The ,nemy had dug a
pit. wherein the sentiGel could ST at ease,
!, and expose his head and arms only when he
fired Private Shapes haStened with praise
WORTHY prudence II g5t ont Of sight. among
some cellars. arl watched for some time be-
fore quite fixing the location of the foeman
again. Finally discovering the fresh earth
once mole, and imagining that he saw hat
Just above i, a.. took shot in the direction.
Up pegs.,l tail sentinel. bare-headed, And
, returned the fire instantly. He had only
, been irving the old trick OF putting his hat
on a ramroG.
"This'l never dew" soliloquized Joel,
: that cuss has got TO good a birth over yon-
: der. III just have ter route him out The
other sen:inel'S death warrant was In some
sort sisrei from that moment. The crafty
Eeln pr,er's brain was a: work on the prob
lem of disloiC;ng his man hcncetorth.
So long as Joel kept quiet. 81 did his an
, tasonist: but il was presumable that be
could see the batteries in process OF con-
s,ruclion, wi1hou; exposing himself for The
earth taken from the rit was carefully piled
5 upon the sid toward Jeel.
: From a ihicket at the foot of the two hills
however. shot could be goi lengthwise of
the trench. and behind this triling breast
work. To gam the thicke;, then. without
being too visible on the barren slope, was
Joel's idea. The next day private Shapes
took with him long piece of stout twine
and revolver. when he went ont on picket
duly L, was not Vet daylight, but the gray
and indistinct light of dawn had begun to
pale in the east.
The sentinel. as soon as the guard had
passed along. hastened to drive smooth
stake in the ground, and TO rest his musket
1 oven fork of cedar tree in front of the
stake. the muzzie OF the weapon pointing IN
the direction o: the pit On the further
s.ope.
He then cooked the piece and fastened one
t end Of the cord 10 the trigger, steathily
Z crawling down the hill on his hands and
j.; knees, PLAYING out tie line as he went.
1t was a hazardous experiment for the thick
\ et, when he gained it, was very sparse, and
:, SO near TO the point that the Confederate
sentry, had he suspected JOel's presence
there could hardly failed TO hit him.
L,:ng down, however, the Nermonter
o awaited sunrise, and as the sha !ows faded
), away in the mists OF morning. he saw the
light gleam upon bayOnet peering from the
trench On the hillside.
Nos for to make him show pictur :" said
r joel 10 himself.
:. He pulled the string carefully at first, till
it was drawn light, and then a slight extra
6 tug fired the musket from the cedar above.
He had not calculated wrongly As soon
as the riheman III the pit heard this national
n salntation from the enemy over opposite, as
5 he supposed, he raised himself up to return
the FIRE. and brought his head and shoulders
plainly into sight.
' The next instant he went heels over head
s into the trench again, with bullet from the
II unerrlng Colt straight through the slde,oi his
=. head.
The darned fool" said private Shapes,
y didn't he know fellow might shoot on
II gun without having hold OF II
II The Confederate pickets decided thereafter
S that this position was too exposed to
proftably occupied
IS 4 Hint To MEDICINE JAkERS--lf any per
% son who are obliged TO take offensive med