The Shasta courier., 1864-03-19
The Mysterious Foe.
BY AUGUSTUS CoMsTocK, LATE OF COMPANY A
DURYEA'S zoUAvEs.

BY AUGUSTUS coMsTocK, LATE OF COMPANY A,
DURYEA'S zoUAvEs,
"Trampl tramp tramp tramp tramp
tramp p
Company-was ruturning from a scouting
expedition The road they were pursuing
led directly to the camp, the illuminated
tents of which they could see cleaning out
distinctly in the moonlight, about mile
ahead.
Captain-prided himself upon, the orderly
manner in which he always led his command
into camp; so as they approached ae prom
ised haven of rest and repose for the night,
the men, who had hitherto been marching on
the route STEP" were ordered to form into
four ranks, ana to fright shoulder shift
arms.O
Soon the steady. regular tramp of hun
dred feet striking the earth simultaneously,
announced that each man vas in his place
and . keeping step" to perfection, while the
voice Of the captain was heard Ginning in
with the harmony of the sound:
Now-you' 've-got- it-keepit.
Left-left-left Now-you've-got-it-
d-nit-keep-it Left"
"Whiz-z z.z-zip!"
''Halt! What in the ID was that? A
bullet?'
The men stood still turning their eyes in
every direction. Behind them and upon their
left extended tract of open country, which
was illuminated by the beams of full moon !;
| but as far as they could see-a long distance
not even the outline of human figure
could be discovered, while on looking to the
right they ,av nothing but a wide stream of
water, beyond which stood few tall pines
and several oaks, scattered promiscuously to.
gether.
Dye you see anything, Tom? p
Nothing; do you, Jack ~
No; guess it was only bird going past.'
g If it had been bullet we'd have heard
the report of the gun"
4" think | saw the birds wings as it flew
by exclaimed fifth
Forward march !" ordered the captain.
Tramp tramp tramp tramp tramp I!
tramp!''
"Now-you've-go -it-d-n it-keepit.
Left-left-left Shoulder arms! Now
you 've-got-it-"
| "Buz uzzz-z.zween-woo-o o. o O. rip!"
I" Halt That's bulletl"
Again the men stood still, looking about
them with the same result as before.
. think it came from the right" said the
captain. Front" he continued, drawing
| his sword.
The company obeyed
- Fix bayonets ~
| This was DONE
g Shoulder arms Forward march - and
led by their officer away went the company
In the direction OF the group of trees on the
right.
They hunted the little grove thoroughly,
even looking up into the branches of the
P,,+ 1al,. a. u.
enemy was in sight.
This is strange" said the captain, g The
noise was certainly that Of a bullet
- But what surprises me is that we didn' t
hear the report of the gun," remarked one
of the men.
An 1rishman belonging to the company
was seen to cross himself.
Whist. it 5 the divil's own bullet, shure? ?'
said he.
Fall in men fall in p ordered the cap
tain, = this must be reported to the colonel.
| It's strange business"
The ranks were soon formed. and the men
again upon the road moving toward the camp
They had not gone more than ten yards
however, when . whiz z.zip!" came another
of the mysterious bullets. This time one of
the men clapped his hand to his leg, just
above the knee, and fell in the road writing
with pain.
Three Of his comrades were detailed to car
ry him to camp, while the rest Of the party
instituted another search for the foe. The re
suit of their efforts, however, were the same
as before. No enemy was to be found, end
though they strained their eyes over the open
country beyond, in the hopes of catching
glimpse of some retreating figure, rot even a
shadow or outline of the Kind was to be seem
Astonishment was depicted upon every
face while few of the men who were super
stitiously inclined, turned pale, and shook
their heads oIainously.
Leaving guard of six men under the
charge of corporal, to watch the grove, the
captain formed the rest of his company, and
again marched toward the camp, this time
without interruptions. The news of the sin
gular affair having already been circulated
through the regiment by the three men who
/ had been deputized to take charge of their
wounded comrade, the Zouaves had turned
out to a man to witness the arrival of the par
| ty, and no sooner did the ''heroes' make
their appearance, and break ranks than they
were piled with questions on all sides. The
captain lost no time in making his report to
the colonel and few moments afterwad the
latter mounted his horse, and rode to the
| grove. Dut DIS eHOFtS 10 SOlhe Tue HNsteTS
were rewarded with no better success than
that which had attended the exertions of his
inferior. He returned to camp half an hour
afterward, with puzzled countenance. and
having ordered a guard to the relief of the
six men left at the grove, he retired to his
| quarters.
For three days, the place was closely
watched by small details of armed men, who
| relieved each other at regular intervals; but
no enemy was seen, nor were the mysterious
bullets again discharged during that period
Accordingly, believing that the foe, by
some means or other, had effected his escape
| on the first night of his q debut the colo
mel ordered the guard, which was mach need
ed for other duties, to be Withdrawn. Short
ly afterward the stream near the grove be
came fayorite resort of the men. who sought
its cool, clear waters to refresh themselye;
with bath. One morning, about ten days
from the time of the withdrawal of the guarc