Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-08
Tales and Sketthfs.
A DARK NIGHT ON PICKET.

Ile last week of June, 1864, viii long
be remembered, on account of its extreme
heat, by the soldiers who were near Pc
-ersburg, Va. Encamped mile in rear
OF the trenches on a hot, dusty plain, was
the Colored Division, which ] was then
serving with. In those days of campaign
ing, no preparation was made to go into
o camp. The regiment was formed in line,
the arms stacked, and the Colonel would
command, "Men remain in the rear of the
stacks; company commanders see that
; details are made for wood and water
and-we We're in camp.
: A little hill and belt of pine woods pro-
tected us from the Rebel artilIerists
Though out of range of bullets, stray shells
often came over, and caused scattering.
Wagon-trains of Quarter master and Com
j missary stores, ammunition, and ambu-
lances passed near us, keeping up sitting
dust. For once, we were glad when the
order came to pack up" The usual
amount of halting, waiting, ,aand changing
position having been accomplished, we
started. No one knew our destination,
and but few cared, in their anxiety to es-
cape the dust. A hot, dusty march Of
ten miles brought us to "Second Swamp
of Blackwater River, located about six
miles southeast of Prince George Court
house.
a camping ground for the Diyisionwas
selected. in a strip of pine-woods, with
large, open field in front. Breastworks
of logs were ordered to be built immedi-
ately. One company from each regiment
was detailed for picket, and each COM
pany sent off in a different direction. For
the first time i'm weeks no sound Of musk
etry reached our ears, and it seemed a
welcome relief. Artillery firing at Peters
burg could be heard, reminding us of the
trenches. So quiet did every thing seem
that we almost wondered at the orders for
building breastw orks. Blackberries were
ripe and abundant and more anxiety was
manifested to obtain them than to fortity
our position. A number of milch COWS
were captured, and my mess secured one
of the best That night we had the lux
ury of milk in our coffee, and fresh black
berries with our hard-tack, and spread our
rubber blankets on cool, clean grass.
, The following days were occupied in
battalion and company drills. On the morn
ing of the I'd of July, a body of Union
cavalry-a part of General Wilson's expe-
dition, which had been badly defeated near
Ream's Station on the Weldon Railroad
passed our lines. They reported that most
of their command were coming in by way
of Jerusalem plank-road, but they had been
separated from the main body, and obliged
to take this route, to avoid capture. The
next merning, our Adjutant. who had been
up to Division Headquarters, came gallop-
r ing back with the startling information that
General Wilson's troops had reached the
Union rear and left near Petersburg, hav-
ing been badly cut up and defeated near
the Weldon Railroad, with the loss of 200
| ,,f tn,, .fl1,.xr a,,1
= large force was said to be following them,
and the Signal Corps had reported that Il
great body of Rebel troops were moving
around the Union left at Petersburg.
Probably they were intending TO attack
the Sixth Corps, which had been sent to
the assistace OF defeated cavalry. 1t might
be that they were making d grand move
ment to crush our left. Also, that the Cav
airy Corps, an Artillery Brigade, and part
OF the Second Corps were little il rear
of our Division, throwing up breastworks,
and making preparations for an immedi-
ate attack, and that We might expect the
enemy upon us at any moment. lnvolun-
tarily we looked to the open field in front,
as though we expected to see the gray
lines advancing. The regiments had jast
been dismissed from drill, and were well
scattered over their favorite blackberry
ground They were quickly called in, and
for few minutes, there was lively pull
ing down of shelter-tents and rolling up of
rubber blankets. The Surgeon donned his
green sash. and quickly placed himself in
the line of non-combatants in a safe hollow
in the rear. All day and all night the
troops waited, but no enemy came. On
the 4th, my company was detailed to re-
lieve the company on picket. Both of my
Lieutenants were absent, and the duty of
looking after the whole line came upon
me. A mile and half in front. found
the picket-posts that | was to occupy.
They extended along thickly wooded, IL
regular hollow, with an old corn-iield in
front, and another in rear. The road lead
ing from camp was one of those blind,
crooked ones, such as can only be found in
the South. Where a big pine-tree stood
in the way, the road ran around it;
swamp-holes were left to take care ,of
themselves. My 'reserve-a Sergeant and
ten men-were stationed on this road, at
the junction of two other roads. one of
which led toward Norfolk, the other toward
Weldon. To the right and left.yere nu-
merous Crossroads, leading from the diff
ferent plantations. The men, in groups OF
three and four, were placed to the right
and left OF the reserve, about two hundred
lyards apart, in such positions as would en-
able them to watch the roads and fields
, without being seen. From the reserve,
one soldier was sent hundred yards tc
the front, and another the same distance
in the rear. We had no axes, but built
i, rude barricade of rails and brush across
" the road. that it might annoy an enemy ii
the night.
Late in the afternoon I visited all tn,
y posts, and cautioned the men to keep a
sharp lookout, and to extinguish all fire
before sundown. In case of an attack
a. they were to deploy at once, taking ad
vantage of all shelter, and not to fall back iii
6 their resistance would be useless. and thel
to keep within supporting distance ofeacl
other. Should have occasion 10 visit
them in the night, l would first signal BY
- twice clapping my hands. asup 4
The Division Officer OF the Day--a Ma
jor, radient in uniform fresh from some
i, suffers stock-visited the posts and In
! structed them in the details of yidette anc