The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-02-21
True COurage-An Incident of the
War.
Ky J. S. SEGAR
70 Mss J@c"2

lhefe Wefe some 0elGRS worth possessing
Such as a detail in the Quarternaster's dc
partment, and most especially detail tD de
Conimissdry department.; but all soldiers know
that detail to go on picket is not always SO
pleasant. We Immediately prepared to go, ]
leaving my dough in its unfinished condition
and taking some "hard tack" and a hunk OF
meat in my haversack to last me until my re-
turn. Alas how little did think that
should not return there ere this, and that my
friend, Sergeant C, was doomed never Is
behold that spot again, or see the father Of
whom he was the idol
As we'll as remember there wero twenty
Of us detailed for picket duty. We started
for "Dutch Gap" place which is now So
well known from the fact that Butler attempt
ed to cut canal across it. Arriving there,
we made our headquarters in an old barn neaY
by and were duly ensconced ip the hay which
was stored there.
Sergeant q was young man Of noble
attributes. He possessed noble heart Not
gifted with superior education. but nature
had endowed him with manly form, and
there was no such thing as fear in his nature
Stern and inflexlble in the performance Of his
duties, he was nevertheless kind and generous
towards all his comrades. Often when he
would receipe box of eatables from home
would he give me the invitation to assist hin,
in deyouring them an invitation which did
not often refuse Come boys, let's make
hay while the sun shines" were the words
which he would use upon these occasions
words which l will always remember.
But let me hasten on, Sergeant c.
placed Que half Of US on post Immediately,
and gave us the necessary instructions, TO
gether with the 'countersgn." A Lieutenant
M, too, Of the Navy, cautioned lis not to
fire upon him or his men, who were about 70
attempt, by means Of floating torpedoes, to blew
up some ircn-clads, then lying about two hun
dred yards distant from u.s.
had stood my part of the night. it being
twelve O'clock and returned to the barn to
| take that rest, which can only be realized by
a good "nap"' of sleep Placing my hayer
sack, with the meat i'll it, under my head, and
taking my "bhlnderbuss" in my hand, hug
gtng it closely, was soon wrapped in. the
arms of Morpheus
Soundly did l sleep Nothing disturbing
me, not even the barn rat, that was so eagerly
attempting to deprive me of the littlo morse
contained in my haversack. The night was
dark and gloomy one. Black clouds over
hung the horizon, and it was difficult mat
ter to recognize any one three feet distant
Sergeant c., too, had retired with me,
having placed a Corporal in charge of the
picket
Let us pause here, and return to the camp,
which was about six miles from us. All is
quiet there. Taps" have long since sum-
moned all to quarters and all noise is forbid
den after that event. The father Of Sergeant
c. has arrived. He came to visit his Gully
and hriprc with hin, oil he Iai;o,o;oe
that farmer, Virginia farmer, can afford
in these times. He is happy Happy that
his only son, from whom he has so long been
separated, is still living to enjoy the 5000
things" from home on the morrow,
As, for human xpectation-human hopes
We indulge in bright, beautiful dreams Of i'll
turity, only to realize more fully and more
sensibly that misery which is the portion Of
all humanity. We soar above, take lofty
flights, only that our fall may be the greater
But such is lifel Can we wonder at the Joy
OF the father who has been SO long deprived Of
the smiles of an only son, when he has, seem
ingly, so certain prospect cf beholding that
son again? Who can measure the depth Of
parental affection? Not Its only the parent
who can fully imagine the joy Of THIS father,
bowed down with the weight Of years, aud
crushed in spirit by the deyastations and sep-
arations incident to war. Aye, they Can pie-
turs it truly in imagination, and not wonder
Reader, if you have been soldier, you can
bear witness, give testimony in behalf of what
l now say You have been on picket; you have
performed your taoo hours duty, and then, With
your ragged blanket, stretched yourself upon
damp mother earth" to take four hours' rest
Have you not been struck often with the seem
ing length of the former, and the seeming bre-
witty of the latter Have you not, upon many
occasions, when the unwelcome voice Of the
corporal reached your ear, "Come, get up, it is
time to go on post"-have you not been led
to exclaim, sit is not time, and turned over.
only to sleep again, perhaps to be put upon
extra duty?" Have not the four hours of rest
seemed SO many minutes, and the two hours
Of duty seemed so many days ?. Experience.
that best OF teachers, has taught me this and
feel sure that you have learned the same les
sons and formed the same conclusions.
1t was thus with us, upon the night of the
eleventh of July eighteen hundred and sixty
five All was quiet when we retired and No
sound could be heard, save the bells on the
enemys iron-clads, denoting the hour of the
night Tired, our sleep was too deep to be
distured by any dreams Of evil or good. Hung
ry, as we have been upon many occasions,
without the wherewith to stay that hunger.
we were contented, because we believed that
heaven smiled upon us, and that our cause
was that of the "patriot soldier" SO beauti-
fully pictured by the poet. Alas, all is vanity,
vanity; vanity, saeth the preacher!
TO BE CONTINUED.