Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-02-24
A DARK NIGHT ON PICKET.


The last week of June, 1864, vii
long be remembered, on account of its
ex' RENE heat, by the soldiers who
were near Petersburg, Va. Encamped
mile in the rear of the trenches on &
hot, dusty plain, was the CoIored Di-
vision, which I was then serving with
In those days of campaigning, nc
preparation was made to go into camp
The regiment was formed in line, the
arms stacked, and the ColoneI would
command, t'Men, remain in rear of the
stacks; company commanders, see that
details are made for wood and water, .
and-we were in camp.
A little hill and belt of pine woods
protected us from the rebel artiIlerists
though out of range of bullets, stray
shells often came over, and caused q
scattering. Wagon-trains of Quarter
master and Commissary stores, am
munition and ambulances passed near
US, keeping up stifing dust. For
once, We were glad when the order
came to s'paek up.'' The usual amount
of hating: waiting, and changing po-
sition having been accomplished, we
started. No one knew our destination,
and very few ed, in their anxiety to
escape from the terrible dust. A hot,
dusty march of ten miles brought us
to Second Swamp"-one of those
sWampY, spread-out lakes of the
BlackWater River, located about six
miles southeast of Prince George Court
House.
A camping ground for the division
was selected, in a strip of pine woods,
with large open field ina 'front.'
Brsastworks OF logs. were ordered to
be built Immediately. One company
from each regiment was detailed for a
picket, and each company was sent of
in a different direction. For the first
time in weeks, no sound of musketry
reached our ears, and it seemed vel
come relief. Arblllery-hring at Pc
tersburg could be heard, reminding
US of the trenches. So quiet did eV-
erything seem that we almost won
dered at the orders for building breast
works. Blackberries were ripe and
abundant, and more anxiety was man
Tested to obtain them than to fortlfy
our position. A mum ber of mich cows
were captured, and my mess secured
one of The best. That night we had
the luxury of milk in our coffee, and
fresh blackberries wi b our hard-tack,
and spread our rubber blankets on
cool, clean graSs.
The following days were occupied in
battalion and company drills. On the
morning of the I'd of July a body of
Union caValry-a part of General Will
sons expedition, which had been bad
ly defeated near Reamss Station. on
the Weldon Railroad-passed our
lines. They reported that most Of
their command were coming in by
way of the Jerusalem plank road, but
they had been separated from the
main body, and obliged to take this
route TO avoid capture. The next
morning our Adjutant, who had been
up o division headquarters, came gall
Looping back with the startling infor-
nation that General Wilson's troops
had Teacr ed the Union rear and left
near Petersburg, having been badly
cut up and defeated near the Weldon
Railroad, with a loss of 200 men, and
all their artillery and trains. A large
force was said to be following them
and the Signal Corps had reported
that a great body of rebel troops was
moving around the Union left at Pc
tersburg. Probably they were intend
ing TO attack the sixth Corps, which
had been sent to the assistance of the
defeated cavalry. 1t might be that
they were making grand movement
to crush our left. Also, that the Cav
airy Corps, an Artillery Brigade, and
part of the SerOnd Corps were a little
In the rear of our division, throwing
up breastWorks, and making prepare
tiOns for an immediate attack, and
that we might expect the enemy upon
us at any moment. Involuntarily we
though we expected to see the gray
lines advancing. The regiments had
Just been dismissed from drill, and
were well scattered over their favor
ite black berry ground. They were
quickly called in, and for few min
utes there was lively time in pulling
down of shell er-tents and olling up
of rubber blankets. The surg on don
ned his green sh, and quickly plac-
ed him ~elfin the line of non combat
ants in a safe hollow in the rear. All
day and night the troops waited, but
no enemy came. On the fourth, my
company was detailed to relieve the
company on picret. Both of my lieu
tenants We're, absent, and the duty of
looking after the whole line came upon
me. A mile and half in front, found
the picket posts that I was to occupy.
They extended along a thickly wood
ed, irregular hollow. with an old corn
field in front, and another in the rear.
The road leading from camp was one
of those blind, crooked ones, such as
only can be found in the South
Where q 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 roads, one of which
leo toward Norfolk, the ether toward
Weldon. To the right and left were
numerous CROSSROADS, leading from