The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-10-27
HEARING THE CANNON SNAP.

In the beginning OF the war, when
we were all green in campaigning and
mighty cautious in our movements, l
was one of a picked squad sent by Or
der of General Price to watch the move
ments of the enemy in Southwest
Missouri. The night was stormy and
raining, and as dark as pitch. We
halted in long narrow lane, by an old
corn crib, each man dismOunted ac-
,cording to his own tactics, hitched his
horse to the rail fence and stood ready
for any duty. Our Captain, who had
already given evidence of the rising
soldier, called out for "One volunteer
TO be detailed as an outpost" A six
footer with long rifle and a pair OF
Mexican spurs, stepped forward, re-
ceived his orders, and stalked away In
the dark to guard for an hour. The
remaining party crawled into the crib
single file, through a small opening,
and made themselves very comfortable
in the straw, in the manner OF less no.
bier animals.
We enjoyed the comfortable shelter
but a few minutes, when in the midst
of a dream of "Spanish blades and
heaths five fathoms Deep" l heard a
stentorian voice as if coming from
boots. six feet below somebody's mouth,
CRYING out, "the Feds the Feds they
are upon us, Captain !" Our brave
Captain responded to the alarm by
jumping up, sabre in hand, daslling
out through the small opening, mount
ing his "war horsen and calling on HIS
bows to follow him. The boys jump
ed up, rushed out two abreast, where,
with difficulty they entered single file,
mounted likewise, and boldly followed
our Captain at 'ttwo-forty," in the OPP
posite direction to that from which we
expected an attack.
The valiant outpost had o wild
young horse he was breaking-in for the
service, and took the precaution to
fasten him securely with half dozen
knots, which being rained upon, made
the halter impossible to unite, but be-
ing an ingenius fellow, and not to be
captured, he jumps into the "Califor-
mia tree" the ten feet rail crosswise
before him, and wheeling the Mexican
spurs into the sides of the spirited colt,
came dashing down the narrow lane at
lightning speed, the rail taking lis
square in the small of the back and
scattering us right and left, as long as
it took him to fly apast us. We not
knowing that any of our party wa.s
left behind, and being SO dark as to
leave MS unable to distinguish our next
rider, supposed the "F sdsn had come
upon US with some internal machine
for the use of cavalry. Soon, we all
dashed out Of the lane into an open
space of elevated ground, and the moon
emerging from behind heavy cloud
revealed to our astonishcd eyes the
outpost aud his rail in our advance.
Our Captain and expectant Brigadiel
General whether from exhaustion o,
some valiant purpose, hourished his
sabre and cried halt. The boys
halted, glad to get a chance to scratch
their backs, gathered around the Cap
tain, keeping sharp lookout for any
nearer approach of the outpost an6
his rail. He couldn't instantly checl
up his horse, and went circling rount
aud round the astonished group. AT
ter few circles he halted square il
front of the Captain, who, In a lout
and authoritative tone, cried ont
"Well, sir, where is the enemyf VIII,
/, have you given us this scare 7" "fl
be damned, Captain cried the frac
tious outpost, f'if / hain't heard tn
cannon snap"