The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-07-21
Power of Imagination.
A Revolutionary Anecdote.

My grandfather, Revolutionary soldier,
was accustomed to relate the following
among the incidents of his experience du-
ring the war
1t was during the famous Jersey campaign
of 1777.8. Attached to the company to
which be belonged was private soldier,
an inveterate fault finder, sour, Grabbed,
perpetually disgrunted about some
thing but who, nevertheless, was never
suspected of leaning towards the enemy,
and had always done his duty as a good
soldier of the Continental army. On one
occasion lieutenant and part of his CON-
pany, including the subject of this story,
were sent out on scouting excursion, in
structed to watch the movements ofa body
of the enemy who were prowling in the
vicinity 1t was very warm day, and the
party, after three hours march, came in
sight of the foe, who being in greater num-
bers than was anticipated, compelled the
lieutenant and his men to use " the better
part of valor !" and prepare for a retreat
On this, Z" Old Grouty," as he was called,
lowered his musket, broke forth into til
rade against military duty in general and
scouting parties in particular, and finished
by declaring that he had done enough for
one day, and was determined to remain
where he was for the remainder of It. To
the representations of his comrades that
he would be captured by the enemy, he re-
piled that such an event would be prefera
BILE to any further exertions, and stay he
would and abide the result. After ex-
hausting argument and entreaty, the lieu
tenant informed him that rather than suffer
him to be taken by the British and give
them the information they would seek con-
cerning our forces, ifhe persisted in his de
termination to remain, he must shoot him
in order to secure the general safety. The
reply was, +" Shoot and be hanged shall
stay where am "
On this hurried consultation was held
by the officer with his men, and it was re,
solved to experiment with him, and avoid,
if possible, the sacrifice of his life. He
was told to take seat upon log in the
woods where they then were, and to avoid
alarming the enemy by general volley, q
single soldier from behind was to send a
bullet through his heart The announce
ment was received with dogged resigna-
tion and an unaltered purpose. All being
ready, the soldier detailed as executioner
at the word of command, fired blank car
fridge, while, by Encouragement, a second
simultaneously threw small pebble smart
ly at the spot intended to be hit. The man
fell and groaned and the lieutenant ap-
preached, expressed his opinion that the
wound was mortal and his sorrow that his
duty compelled him to the measure, bade
him adieu, and then led his party to the
rear where they concealed themselves to
watch the result.
The martyr to stubbornness lay for some
time uttering an occasional groan, varied
with maledictlons on the service, his fate,
the red-coats, his comrades. His wrath
toward the latter seemed to be kindled by
the bungling manner in which they had per-
formed their duty leaving him to linger-
ing death instead of despatching him at
once. AT length, with dolorous exertion,
he raised himself on his elbow and looked
over and beneath his shoulder, as though
to determine the nearness of his exit by
the quantity of blood that had issued from
his wound. Apparently astonished at find
ing none, he next with slow but seemingly
less painful movements commenced feeling
behind his back for traces of the bullet
hole dissatisfied with this he raised him.
self to sitting posture, and with much ex-
ertion, took of his coat, and finding no
perforation, the truth and trick flashed up
on him at once, when seeing some strag-
glers of the enemy in the distance be start
ed up, seized his musket and ran as none
had ever seen him do before, towards the
American lines. He arrived long in ad
vance Of the lieutenant and his party, who
had never occasion thereafter to censure
his baffled subordinate.