The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-28

jokes were perpetrated on the front of the
army of the James one evening last week.
The night was wet and cold. A heavy fog
below with thick clouds above shut ont
nearly al light from the Weli-nigh full
moon. The opposing pickets, where the
lines were nearest, between the New Mar
ke: and Dsr Dy:own roads, could herar but
not see each other. As it drew towards
midnight, some waggish, shiveYing John
MES were heard to say: Now, we're going
to STR up the Yanks." Then they fred
their rifles towards our Lines. Comrades
at thei, left Erred also and started some Of
the cavalry videttes from their position.
I; IS easier to commence picket firing than
10 stop il, and for several minutes shots
were rapidly repeated along the rebel
front. They were heard IN cur camps,
and i. one regiment the iong-roli was
soandeo. That iuade the alarm general
Ok THIS .as % the hUes. Regiment after
reg ,nen- repeated the call Of Ganger, and
soon all was cJipno.lon Throughout; our
ia.eIy Gniet greg. cry 81 camps. The rat
cling continuous roll Of the aruccs sounded
~ ana down our front. "rrrn on: here ~
'1'arr ol.. lively, al Of you - called half
dressed and i1aii-awai:e officers 20 they
hurried from their log cabins and repeated
the Summons ID their aalt-a wake and half
dressed men already nnrrving rom their
log nuts. New recruits though thoroughly
Of home 70 hear the confusing din Of thou
sands OF voices and the rattle and Gathering
Of the st-ll-rolling drums. Old soldiers
concluded very speedily that there would
be sharper iosef firing # there was any
serious trouble bn the line, and so were 10
10 degree disturbed as they fastened 10
obey orders. No: many minutes had
passed before there was a hris:l!ng line OF
battle within our works from right 10 left
as far as the alarm extended. All this
while, the Johnnies on picket hearing the
long-rol and listening 10 the. sounds Of
hah-nGb were laughing at the success o.
their Joke, and jeering the Yankee pickets
on the ;imidity OF their friends 10 camp.
Our outpost men who knew the origin of
the affair were provoked at the extent Of
the scare, ard some CT them vowed revenge.
by and by, the excitement died away
Ali being CEiet again OIL the y!dettA line,
the regiments broke ranks, and the men
returned 70 their huts 10 finish their
dreams.
An bour later, some o: the csvalrynen
were heard 10 say Now, let's star: up
Word went along the line, and tire was
opened by our videttes. With m.sket-
~ volley, our men raised a yell. That
started the alarm over the lines. In the
camp Of the Iohnnies "the drum did beat
at dead Of night First from one regi-
ment, then rom another far up TOWARDS
the Charles City road, and away towards
the river sounded the peal Of the long-roll
and aroasing all who had slept before
Then there was hurrying to and fro among
s en-. Any new recruits they had from The
cradle or the grave were disturbed in
dreams Of their former. home. Their vet.
Grams had chance to- speculate or the
probabilities of '3gbt. Their officers were
ont, half. and half-awake, and soon
their line Of battle bristled along their
works from right 10 left. This time the
laugh was among our men, and the swear.
ing was among the outwitted pickets. II
was well towards morning before the
Johannes had chance to break ranks to
return 20 their hu.s and finish their
dreams.
Our boys felt tina. they were quits with
the Johnnies, but were no. satisfied about
the first scare. They thought it was hardly
warranted by the circumstances. A iat--
faced youth, not yet more than nineteen,
although re-enlisted veteran soldier, said
on his return 10 camp the following morn
ing, as If his pride was touched by the
alarm Of those he defended, "You needn't
have sounded the long-roll in here. Did
not you suppose we could keep back the
Johnnies till you could turn out in the
reg'lar way? We could ha' held line Of
battle for three hours if you'd ha' wanted
US to- Old soldiers enjoy joke; bat
thew don't want il carried too far.