Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-09
NO. 1862.

| hundred yards off Knowing that the COM
pany cooks had built brush shelters over
their fires, to prevent showers from extin-
gushing them. thought it possible that
we might be in the vicinity of our Divis-
ion-camp, and this light some smoldering
ember OF campfire. With the light for
our beacon, we started briskly toward it;
but it appeared to recede as we approach
ed. After going short distance, it SEEM
ed no nearer than before, and farther adj
vance was stopped by our old enemies,
the brush and mre. As we halted, the
light rose several feet from the ground, for
a second glowed sickly blue, and then
vanished. We had been following the
! tgnts tdtuus, or ''will-o'-the-wisp."
a groan of supersttious horror ran
through the ranks, 80 good lordy hab
mursey Dat am de Jack-o'-lantern HIM
{ self! No good nebber come nobody arter
chasing one oh dem lights !" calculated
terror-strcken Negro. 1t was with diff
Guilty that a general stampede was pre-
vented, so great was the fear among most
of the men. Only a few hours ago they
stood their ground bravely against Rebel
cavalry and bush-whackers. but now they
were ready to fly before an imaginary
''spook.' All attempts to explain the
phenomenon having failed, | told them
that, if they scattered, ''Jack-o'-lanten"
would catch them separately; but if they
kept together, he would not dare to troub-
le them An immediate huddling was the
result. There was no alternative but to
wait for daylight.
Here was bad situation for a young
and ambitious officer. Before daylight
the Union troops would be ten miles
away, and the roads leading toward them
might be filed with the Confederate for
ces who defeated General Wilson's COM
mand. Our greatest danger lay in en-
countering some of the rowing regiments
of Rebel cavalry, who were always scout
ing in the rear OF our army. and to whom
my little band of sixty would be but a
mouthtul. Death or capture would be
the fate of most of us should we encoun-
ter one of these expeditions. l well
t knew that, in case OF capture, my white
skin would not save me from being hung
+ to one of the live-oak-trees that abound
ed. Even if we should reach the Divis-
| ion all right again, dreaded the censure
of our severe Colonel almost as much as
: an encounter with the enemy.
y Two trusty men were detailed to watch,
: and the rest lay down and attempted to
; sleep. The woods were full of dismal
i noises. One of the great horned owls of
: Virginia perched ON a brnach above us
| and began his unearthly cry, .'Whoo-ha-
whoo-o-o r' followed by a strangling,
throttling sound, and ending in a maniac
thrown to drive him away, but only made
him snap his bill like a watchman's rat
tie. Whippoorwils, chuck-will's
ows, tree-toads, and locusts. all seemed
to combine to make a grand nocturnal
concert. \ naturalist would have been in
ecstacy; but we failed to appreciate it.
Slowly the hours passed till daylight
, A heavy breakfast was eaten, knapsacks
and blankets snugly packed, and the
, arms carefully inspected and recapped.
The road was found not fifty rods dis
tant near where Division-camp had been.
A Sergeant and two men were sent
short distance ahead, rs skirmishers, and
a like party followed in rear. No sound
of artillery or musketry reached our ears,
and we hoped that the roads might yet be
clear.
Prince George Courthouse was passed
without an alarm. and our spirits were
rising, when the skirmishers ahead stop
ped and gave the signal to halt, The Ser
geant came back, and made report:
: yander | done heerd the driber's lash
+ Sergeant | cautiously advanced, and,
3 peering through a clump of bushes, saw,
two hundred yards distant, a log-and-
. splint house, situated in the middle of u
t corn-feld.
e +. Suspended from an oak-tree, by their
: thumbs, were two Black Men, stripped;
: and the blue clothing lying near them
e showed that they were soldiers. Two
stalwart men in Rebel gray were stand
= inc by them, each with black snake
whip in hand. Three other Rebels were
, seated on the ground, while another stood
by their horses, which were hitched u
, short distance off. Their carbines hung
to the saddles, but all had revolyers and
sabres buckled on In the doorway of
the house stood II dirty-looking female,
with IL snuff-stick in her mouth, and some
tallow-taced children around her. Three
/ large, ferocious, yellow dogs lay near the
, horses.
/ Alternately the men with whips would
measure the lash across the back of the
Negro nearest them, to mark the place
| where the blow should fall; then giving
. the whip full round twing over their
heads, would bring it down ON their vic
tim We could hear the lash whiz and
crack as il struck, and see the blood fol-
low the stroke. One Negro never finch
I
ed nor moaned. His comrade yelled,
Cried and begged piteously. The Rebels,
women, children, and dogs Were closely
watching the proceedings, and seemed
greatly edited by the spectacle-the wo-
man in particular. FL
) My plans Were quickly made. A breeze
blowing toward us prevented the dogs
) scenting or hearing us A squad was sta
toned near the road, and another squad
started by circuitous route to reach the
I road on the other side of the house, to pre-
9 vent the Rebels escaping in that direction.
With the remainder crept quietly toward
Q the house, through the corn. The rustling
/ sound of the corn prevented any noise that
; we made being heard, and we reached
t safely within five rods OF the house with
. out alarming our foes. They were sitting
Is down, backs toward us, watching the whip
A ping The man at the horses was unloos-
/, ing a saddle -girth. One Negro was cry
i inc the other was defiant. We heard him