The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-06-10

his usual place ut the entrance. On
looking out, / saw that he was sleeping
soundlv, some little distance off and
many fragments of shell falling near
him. / aroused him. telling him to
come TO the entrance for safety He
had scarcely started, when huge
piece of shell came whizzing along,
which fortunately George lodged in
time. and it fell in the very spot where
he had so lately slept.
at another time n more imminent
danger menaced the cave and all it
contained
ct was about four o'clock. one
Wednesday evening Smelling dur
ing the day had gone on about as usu-
all was reading in safety, | imagined,
when the unnlistakable whirring OF
Parrot shells told us that the battery
we so much feared had opened from
the entrenchments | ran to the en-
trance to call the servants in; and inn
mediately after they entered, shell
struck the earth few feet from the
entrance, bulying itself without ex-
ploding. / ran to the little dressing
room, and could bear them striking
around us on all sides. L crouched
closely against the wall, for / did not
know at what moment one might strike
within the cave. A man came IN much
frightened, and asked to remain until
the danger was over. The servants
stood in the little niche by the bed
and the man took refuge in the small
ell where / was stationed. He had
been there but short time, standing
in front of me, and near the wall, when
Parrot shell came whilling in at the
entrance, and fell in the center of the
cave before rs ALL lying there smoking
Our eyes were fastened upon it, while
we expected every moment the terrific
explosion would ensue ! pressed my
child closer to my heart, and drew
nearer to the wall Our fate seemed
almost certain. The poor man who
had sought refuge within was most ex-
posed Of ALL With a sudden impulse,
| seized large double blanket that
lay near, and gave it to him for the
purpose of shielding him from the frag-
ments; and thus we remained for a
moment, with our eyes fixed in terror
ON the missile of death, when George
the servant boy, rushed forward, seized
the shell, and threw it into the street
running swiftly in the opposite direc-
ton. Fortunately, the fuse had be-
come nearly extinguished and the shell
fell Understanding near the
mouth of the cave, rs trophy Of the
fearlessness of the servant and our re-
markable escape"
Nor was the life without its petty
discomforts, mingling annoyance and
priyation with the perpetual fear
Food was scanty, coarse, and not al
ways Sholesdsne; h,srses lived mainly
on cane tops and mulberry leaves, and
COWS instead of finding food, became
such to those so lucky as to look upon
veritable beef Mrs NJ. thus chronicles
one of these minor fortunes of war
"One afternoon l was looking out on
the opposite hill, where the shells were
falling frequently. / noticed a very
large, fine COW slowly grazing on the
side, and ascending higher and higher
us she moved. twas "A matter of Won
der with me where she came from, foI
beef cattle Of all kinds had disappeared
from Nicksburg. The COW was IN fine
condition; and thought. Poor crea-
ture, you are not prudent in eating
such dangerous grass A short time
before tea, M came up laughing
and said: Providence has indeed sent
you fresh meat, SO that you will not
have to depend upon mule. A fine
COW has been killed by shell ON the
opposite hill. The General has taken
the meat, and a large share has been
sent to you"
Here is another of those terrible III
cidents for which the siege will be re
called with shudder by its partici-
pants, while life and memory last
a soldier, named Henry, had no
ticed my little girl often, bringing hen
flowers at one time, an apple at an
other, and again a young hooking bird
and had attached her to him much by
these little kindnesses. Frequently
on seeing him pass, she would call his
name, and clap her hands gleefully, as
he rode the generals handsome horse
for water, causing him to prance past
the cave for her amusement. She
called my attention to him one morn
ing, saying: Omamma, look at Henry
horse how he plays?' He was riding
a small black horse that was exceed
ingly wild, and striving to accustom il
TO the rapid eyolutions of the Texas
troops, turning in his saddle to grasI
something from the ground, as be
moved speedily ON, Soon after, he
rode the horse for water; and | saw
him return and fasten it to tree. AT
terward ! saw him coming down the
hillopposite, with an unexploded Sharp
nell shell in his hand. In II few mo
ments heard quick explosion in Tho
ravine, followed by. a cry-a sudden
agonized cry ran to the entrance
and saw n courier, whom had noticed
frequently passing by, roll slowly Over
into the rivulet Of the rayine and liz
motionless at II little distance; Henry
oh, poor Henry holding out hi'
mangled arms-the hands torn ant
hanging from the bleeding CHASTITY
wrists-a fearful wound in his head
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