The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-11-02
The Ghost Of the Guard.

In 1868 Hilton Head Island, in South
Carolina, swas the headquarters of "thc dc.
partment OF the South" 1t was garrsoncd
by ten thousand choice troops from seven
different States Port Royal harbor, u
finest in America, was black with masts, and
q hundred ships carried the American flag
Hilton Head proper was strongly fortified.
1t contained vast stores of provisions and
mt I'D quantities OF ammunition and nipple.
men OF war. The conicderates looked on
with eager eyes, naturally desiring its pos.
session, and therefore sent swarms of spies
AMI pretended desertcrs to observe it,
strength and take note OF its weak points,
The land bordering on the sea was defended
by the iron clads and some ''old line. of bat.
tie Ships" and that portion bordering on
Broad River was held by u single picket line
of infantry and cavalry.
One dark and stormy night picket on q,
solitary post was suddenly approached by
what he thought was human form. The
intruder was apparently powerful and well
built man, and wore a blue ovcrcoat. He
evidently did not observe the picket at first,
but kept advancing until the loud command
to Halt! was given three times in success
sion, and the sharp report OF Il rifle broke
the midnight silence. The flash of the gun
enabled the picket to sec the form i'll the
b,ue overcoat fall heavily to the ground, AZ
though pierced in d vital part. The sentinel,
suoposng that forge OF the enemy was in
hi, immediate presence, did not leave his
post to observe the effects OF his shot, but,
like good soldier, stood his ground until
the alarm brought speedy reinforcements.-
Having indicated to his brother soldiers the
SPOT where his dead man had fallen, they
los no time in examining the bushes, but,
strange to relate, nothing could be found =
After thorough search, and upon talking
the matter all over, they concluded that the
We're rather disposed to ridicule his story
but he stoutly persisted that he knew his
business, and wasn't fool enough not to
know the difference between q man and
tree. TO be on the safe side, the picket
was doubled for the remainder of the night,
but all remained quiet until morning
AT daylight fresh survey of the suspi-
c;ous SPOT was made, and the soldiers were
startled to find the footprints of mani
They suddenly believed the picket's story,
hut we're at a loss to know what had become
of their man.
The next night different detachment was
on duty, and the same scenes were enacted
over again, with the exception that the form
appeared at different post.
Each night, for q whole week, the picket
line was Kept in constant commotion by the
strange visitor, and fresh detachments were
sent ont from time to time, until there was
almost n continuous line of battle bodies
of troops and scouts secured the woods by
day, and volunteers were lying in the swamps
by night. In the meantime the footprints
which the visitor invariably left behind were
measured, and found in every case to be
identical in shape and size.
a company in the li5th New York, hear
ing of the affair, and the wonder and ex-
element it produced, requested to be sent
to the place for one night. The men felt
sure that whether man or devil faced them,
they would clear up the mystery.
The New Workers, after being accepted,
repared to the line, and in placing their vi.
dettes, the officers took the prccaution to
ealways have at least two men on each post,
and In more remote places three or four
All had en- intense desire to be successful,
and they moved about as quietly as possible.
Shortly after midnight Andrew Smith heard
a stick crack in somesdepse bushes few
yards distant, He instantly dropped down
into the tall grass and peercd out into the
thick darkness. All was still as death for "a
moment, when another stick cracked and
there was a rustling in the leaves. He
.clutched his rifle firmly, put his finger on
the trigger, and pointed it in the threatened
slgat of any object. Nothing appearing,
Smith concluded that after all it must have
been an alligator or some other dcnizcn Of
the forest that he heard. He was speedily
undceeyed, however, for the terrible form
in blue stood before him, ere he could think.
At first Smith was startled and almost thun.
der struck, but, being naturally a brave
snan, he quickly recovered his self possession
and fired his gun, aiming for the breast Of
the form in front. The object fell, with u
deep groan, to the ground, there was rum.
bling in the bushes for moment and all was
still. A dozen soldiers bounded to.the spot,
but the man in blue was gone.
They were perplcxcd greatly, and it was
the most wonderful mystery for all, how the
l.blue devil" got away. Some locked on
with fear, few voted it o capital joke, but
nearly all declared that the old fellow was u
cute one.
A negro left the urch in the midst of
<b. sarv;oea and i'm nalled partly from fear