Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-02-24


the mIre and brush seemed to be cl
every side. A dozen times we started
but after a short tramp would be halt
ed by the underbrushs Believing tha
we were travelling in acircle, and com
/ pletely beWildered, ordered 8 hal
and waited for the clouds to breal
| away, the rain having ceased falling
The clouds were breaking a little
1 when one of the men exclaimed
"Dere one of de regiments cook
fire." We saw a fiiekering light, ap
parently a hundred yards off,
+ Knowing that the company cooks hat
I built brush shell ers over their fires, x
| prevent showers from extinguishini
them, I thought 1t possible that WI
might be in the vicinity of our divis
ion camp, and this light some smO1der
ing pmber of campfire. With th'
light of our beacon, we started briskly
toward il; but it appeared to recede a
we approached. After going a shor
distance, it seemed no nearer than be
tore, and farther advance was stopped
by our old enemiesz the brush anG
mire. AS we halted the Light rose
several feet from the ground, for sec
Ond glowed a sickly blue, and ther
vanished. We had been following The
i0TaGs fdtNgGS, or ''gill-o'-the Wisp."
A groan of superstitions horror rau
through the ranks. so, good Lordy,
hab mussey Dat am de Jack-o'-lan
tern hisself. No good. nebber cum no
DUCfy zrTer chasing one oh dem Iights!'i
calculated a terror stricken negro. Il
was with difficulty that a general
stampede was prevented, so great was
the fear among mO~tef the men. On
ly a few hours ago they stood on their
ground bravely against rebel cavalry
and bushwhackers, but now were
ready to fly before an imaginary
f'spook-" All attempts to explain the
phenomenon having failed, ] told
them that, if-they scattered, ssJack-o'-
lantern would catch them separately:
but if they kept together, he would not
dare to trouble them. An immediate
huddling was the resalt. There was
no alternative but to wait for day
light,
Here was bad situation for a young
aud ambitious officer Before daylight
the Union troOIS would be ten miles
away, and the roads leading toward
them might be filed with the Confed-
crate forces who defeRted General FVil-
sons command. Our greatest danger
lay in encOuntering some of the rowing
of rebs cavalry, who were
always scouting in the rear of our
army, and to whom nv little band Of
sixty would be but nlouthfuI. Death
or capture would be the fate of most
OF us should we encounter one of these
we'll knew that, in case
of captures my white skin would not.
save me from being hung to one of the
live-oak trees that abounded. Even if
we should reach the division all right
again, / dreaded the censure of our Sc
we're Colonel almost as much as an en-
counter with the enemy.
Two trusty men were detailed to
watch, and the rest lay down and at
tempted to sleep. The woods were full
Of dismal noises. One of the great
horned owls of Virginia perched on
branch above us and began his un-
Earthly cry, +" Whoo-ha-w -whOo7 90 ~
followed by a stTangling, throttling
sound, and ending IN a maniac laugh
that was fearful to hear. Dirt was
thrown to drive him away, but only
made him snap his bill like a watch
mans rattle. Whipp0orWills, chuck
tree-toads, and Iocusts,
al seemed to combine to make a grand
acknowledgements. "A naturalist would
nave been in ecstasy; but we failed to
appreciate it.
Slowly the hours passed till daylight, |
A hearty breakfast was eaten, KNAPP
sacks and blankets snugly packed |
md the arms carefully inspected and |
,ecapped. The road was found not 1
lftY ids distant, near where the diVis |
on camp had been. Al Sergeant and |
Wo men were sent 8 short distance |
ihead, as skirmisLers and like party |
in the rear. No sound of ar |
ltlery or IA Esiz zetF5 eaehed oER ears.
md we hoped that the roads might yet /
De clear.
Prince George Court House was pass
ID without an alarm, and our spirits /
we're rising, when the skirmishers
head stopped and gave the signal to
lalt. The Sergeant came back, and /
made report: ''Cap'n, some debbiItry
wine on ober yander. l done heerd
lie driber's lash and black peoples
loller." With the Sergeant cautious
y advanced, and peering through a
lump of bushes, saw, two hundred
ards distant, log-and-spIint house, /
ituated in the middle of corn field.
Suspended from an oak tree, by their
humbs, were two black men, stripped;
nd the blue clothing lying near them
howed that they were soldiers. Two
talWart men IN rebel gray were stand
ng by them, each with a black snake
7hip in hand. Three other rebels
yere seated on the ground, while an
Their stood by their horses. which
zere hitched ashort distance off. Their
arbines hung to the saddles, but all
ad revolv ers and ssbres buekled on.
q the doorway Ofthe house stood a
irty=feoking female, with a snuff
tick in her mouth, and some talIow-
iced children around her. Three
ri ge, ferocious yellow dogs lay near
ne horses.
AIterna ately the men with the whips
-ould measure the lash across the
aek of the negro nearest them, to
lark the place were the blow should
lould fall then giving the whip a
al, round swing over their heads,
-ould bring it down on their Victim.-
We could hear the lash whiz and crack
S it struck, and see the blood follow
ne stroke. One negro never fiinched
1a1 II Ifcs l., Id i
ried, and begged piteously. The reb-
IS, women, children and dogs, were
losely watching the proceedings, and
eemed greatly edited by the spectacle
the woman in particular.
My plan was quickly made. A
reeze blowing toward us prevented
ne dogs scenting r hearing us. A
quad was stationed near the road,
nd another squad started by circuit
us route to reach the road on the 9TH
r side of the house, to prevent the I
sbels escaping in that direetion.-5
With the remainder crept quietly to-
Tard the house, through the corn
he rnst1ng sound of the corn pre-
ented any noise that we made being
card, and we reached safely within /
We rods OF the house without alarm
lg our foes. They were sitting down, J
acks toward us, watching the whip
ing. The man at the horses was un-
)OS1ng q Saddi6-girth- One negro was
wing; the other was defiant. We ]
card him say g XII me if ye dare;
le cuIIud soldiers will come back,
nd dey will find me, and will settle
id you 'uns. Do your wust; my [
leerit shall haunt ye all I" Giving {
le signal, we started for them, and
efore the rebels could draw their re-
alvers from the b. listers, they were !
ruck With musket barrels, half stun !
d, and lay with glistening bayonets |
ricking their breasts. The orders had I
cen not to fire, except in the last ex-
emily, and they were faithfully !
Oeyed. Our prisoners were disarmed '
ld securely piniOned, before they |
iirly knew what had happened to |
lem. The neAroes who had been
hipped were quickly released. When I
le rush was made, the dogs flew at {
le men so fiercely that it WAS with {
iffieulty that they were subdued, and
OF till they were dead did they cease |
ghting.
The woman set up a yelling, but was :
uickly awed into silence. Clad in
irty cotton dress, hair uncombed, face
feet bare, a snnff-stick in !
er mouth, and the snuff juice running
own her chin, she presented picture
II 8 hirehngs" to gaze upon. Before !
was aware of their intentions, the