Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-02-20
Vermont Strategy.

i seihnOHt strategy.
Private Joel Swipes, of hard working
rough-sinewed regiment Of Vermont volun
teers, was good shot and smart soldier
He found great satisfaction in picket duty
and hardly came in after days exercise ir
that branch OF military service without hav
ing report for his superior officer Of some
new work discovered, some Circumstance
perceived. that might be of use in gaining
an advantage over the enemy.
1 joel was long, lank, yellow haired fel-
low, not very soldierly in speech or bear
ing. He was frightfuly sunburned, and
his face, coarse featured and demure, suc-
sested good humor and power of endurance
more than courage or discipline. But there
was twinkle about his small grey eyes,
which enlivened them despite their scarty
and characterless white lashes, and impress
ed the closer sort of observer with whole.
some respect for his courage and intelli-
gence. His nasal voice and drawl. his round
shoulders and flat build, could not shake
this respect if one kept those clear, cool,
far.seeing eyes in sight, and JoePs comrades
! prophesied that he had only to behave him
SELF and keep on in his own way, 10 gain a
pair Of epauletts some fine day.
He openly declared that manual labor on
the earth works was distasteful to him and
his officers knowing his value on picket du-
ty, evinced enough consideration for him To
keep him at that service.
The position that he liked best was the
slope of hill, opposite similar slope oc-
cppied by sentinel OF the confederates.
This last was quite high bit of ground,
whence one might see great deal that as
going on about the batteries further down
Joel believed that the sentinel there sta.
toned learned more than was well for our
side. He accordingly harrassed and annoy
ed every one that showed his head on the
hill side. They learned their lesson and
acted upon it.
| Joel sauntering down his path one fine
afternoon, heard sharp report and felt the
wind of a rife 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 ene-
my had dug pit, wherein the sentinel
could sit at ease, and expose his head and
arms only when he fired. Private Swipes
fastened with praiseworthy prudence TO get
out of sight among The cedars, and watched
for some time before fixing the location Of
his foeman again. Finally discovering the
fresh earth once more, and imagining he
saw hat. above it, he took shot in the
direction. Up pegged tall sentinel, bare
headed, and returned the fire instantly. He
had been trying the old trick of putting his
hat on a ramrod.
"That'll never dew" soliloquized Joel.
That cuss has got tew good birth over
yonder. I'll jest haveter rouse him out"
| The other sentinel's death was in some
sort signed from that moment. The crafty
Vermoner's brain was at work on the prob
lem of dislodging his antagonist; but it was
presumable that he could see the batteries
in the process of construction, without ex-
posing himself, for the earth taken from the
pit was piled upon the side toward Joel.
From thicket at the foot of the bill,
however, shot could be got lengthwise of
the trench, and behind the trifing breast
work. To gain the thicket, then, without
being too visible on the barren slope, was
Joel's task.
The next day Private Swipes took with
him long piece of stout twine and re-
volver when he went out on picket duty.
1t was not yet daylight, but the gray and
indistinct light of dawn had begun TO pale
in the east.
The sentinel, as soon as The guard passed
along, hastened 10 drive smooth stake in
the ground, and to rest his musket over
fork in cedar tree in front of the stake,
the muzzle of the weapon pointing in the
direction of the pit on the other slope.
He then cooked the piece, fastened one
end of his cord TO the trigger, and began
stealthily crawling down the hill on his
hands and knees, paying out the line as be
went.
1t was hazardous experiment. for the
,hicket when he gained ii was very sparse
and so near TO the poin. shs, the Confed-