The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-01-19
The Scouts Narrative.

Tne SCOUTS Narrative,
1t was in the bleak mountain country Of
East Tennessee; the evening was growing late
and the campfire was smoldering lower and
lower but we still sat around it. for the spell
q Of thesoouts marvellous gift Of stOry-telling
we were none ofus willingto dissolve. Cap
tain Charlie Leighton had been a Lieutenant
in a Michigan Battery at the commencement Of
the war, but a natural love of excitement and
restlessness Of soul had early prompted him to
seek employment as a scout in which he soon
rose to unusual eminence. He is q man of
much refinement we'll educated, and Of a
"quick inventive BRAIN The tale am
about to relate is my best recollection of it as
it fell from his lips, and if there is aught of
elegance in its-diction as here presented it is
all his own, BE had been delighting US with
the incidents Of the war, most Of which were
derived from his own experience, when [ ex-
pressed desire to know something of his first
attempt at scouting. He willingly assented,
took long pull at my brandy flask, and com
menced his yarn; and l thought had never
seen a handsOmer man than Charlie Leighton.
the scout, as he -carelessly lounged there with
the ruddy CLEANS Of the dying campfire occa-
sionally lickering over his strongly marked
intelligent face, and his curling black hair
waving ftfUlly in the night wind, which now
came down from the mountain fresher and
ehillier.
It happened in Western Virginia, said he
/ had been personally acquainted with our
commander, General R., before the war COM
menced, and having intimated, a short time
previous to the date Of my story, that de-
sired to try my luck in the scouting service
Of which a vast deal was required to counter
act the guerrillas with which the Blue Ridge
fairly teemed at that time-one night. late in
the fall Of the year, was delighted to receive
orders to report at his headquarters. The
General was a man Of few words and my in
Etructions were brief.
Listen, said he. "AIy only reliable scout
(Mackwortb) was killed last night at the
lower ford; and General F. (the rebel com
mander) has his headquarters at the Sedley
Mansion on the Romney road"
Every well, said l, beginning to feel lit
tie queer.
al want you to go to the sedley Mansion, -
was the cool rejoinder.
"To go there Why it's in the heart of the
enemys positiOn!" was my amazed ejacula-
tion.
"Just the reason want it DONE" resumed
the General. Listen: I attack tomorrow at
daybreak. F. knows it. or half suspects it,
"
wing. must know Chieh. Tho task is thick
with danger-regular life and death. Two
miles from here, midway to the enemy's out
posts, and six PAGES beyond the second mile
stone, are two rockets propped or the inside
Of q hollow stump. MackwOrth placed them
there yesterday. You are to slip to F. IS quar-
ters tonight learn what want, and hurry
back to the hollow stump. If he masses on
the center let off one rocket; if on the left let
of both. This duty, I repeat abOunds with
danger. You must start Immediately, and
alone. VIII you go2"
Everything considered, think voted in
the affirmative pretty readily, but it required
a slight struggle. Nevertheless, consent 1 did.
and Immediately left the tent to make ready.
1t was nearly ten o'clock when, having re-
eeived few additional words of advice, from
the chief, I set forth on my perilous ride The
country was quite familiar to me, so 1 had lit
tie fear of losing my way, which was no in
considerable advantage, can tell you. Riding
slowly at first, as soon as Ihad passed our last
outpost I put spurs to my horse IA glorious gray
thoroughbred which the General had lent me
z for the occasion) and fled down The mountain
alta break-neck pace. It was n cool misty
uncertain night-almost frosty, and the coun-
try was wild and desolate Mountains and
ravines were the ruling features, with now
and then a diversifcation of the broomv. ir-
regular plateau with which our mountain
scenery is occasionally softened. continued
my rapid pace with but little caution until 1
arrived at the further extremity ofone of these
plateaUI. Here brought up sharply beside
q block of granite, which recognized as the
second milestone. Dismounting, I proceeded
20 a hollow stump which the General had in
timated, and finding the rockets there, exam
Il III J. = IL
-remounted, and was away again. But now
exercised much more caution in my move
ments. I rode more slowly, kept my horse on
the turf at the edge Of the road, in order to
deaden the hoof-beats and also shortened the
chain ofmy sabre binding the scabbard with
{ ny knee 10 prevent its jingling Still was
not satisfied, but tore my handkerchief in two
and made fast to either heel Of the rowel of
ny spurs, which otherwise had a little tinkle
oftheir own. Then kept wide awake, with my
eyes everywhere at once in the hope Of catch
ing glimpse Of some clew or laudmark-the
glimmer Of a camp-fre-a tent-tOp in the
moonlight, which now began to shine faintly-
or to hear the snort Of a steed the signal Of a
picket-auything, anything to guide me or to
give warning Of the lurking foe. But, no: if
there had been any camp-fres, they were
dead; if any tents they were struck. Not
q sign-not a sound Everything was as
quiet as the tomb. The great mountains rose
around me in their mantles of pine and hoods
Of mist, cherries and repelIiug, as if their
solitude had never been broken. The moon
vas driving through weird and ragged sky,
with something desolate and solemn ii her
haggard face that seemed likean omen Of III.
And in spite Of my efforts to be cheerful felt
the ron lionel ness and sense Of danger creep
through my flesh and touch the bones.
None but those who have actually expert
encci It can properly conceive of the apprc-
tensions which throng the breast Of him, how
soever brave, who knows himself to he alone
in the midst OF euemies who are iHpisiJJe. The
lion-hunter Of Abvssinia is encompassed with
peril when he makes pillow Of his gfn in
the desert; and cur own pioneer slumbcrs but
lightly in his new cabin when he knows that
the savage, whose monomauia is vengeancc,
Is provling the forest that skirts his clearing
Bur the lion is not always hungry; and even