Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-05-25

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power of generations of men who long,
long ago performed their part in
human affairs! Nothing impressed
me more than the vast size of the
blocks OF polished red granite seen in
the perfect masonry of this vast TEN.
pie, which has lain for ages buried
here in the sands of the desert.
Stories Of the War. $3.50
! During one of our Summer campaigns
in Western Louisiana my regiment
CHANGED to be bivOuacked one night
upon an open prairie near Bayou
Teche. The regiment held the right
Of the brigade, and we were advancing
up the country. 1t was IL en- tie &C
casion nearest the bayou. All the
dlnger-th;t could reasonably be ap-
! pretended WAS from the front, and the
picket line was therefore extended
along the whole front OF the brigade
forty rods away. from the right
flank of my regiment to the skirt of
the trees and bushes along the low
bank of the deep and narrow stream,
the distance WAS about the ssme-f0r-
ty OF fifty rods. There was no planta-
tons in the immediate vicinity, and
between the right and the bayou
there were no fences nor Instructions
OF any kind merely an open plain
separated us from the Teche.
WAS '.otfiter of the day, and Of
course charged with the supervision
Of the picket line, about midnight ]
made my second tour of inspection on
horseback, and found the pickets all
vigilant and the situation quiet.
Nothing suspicious nor remarkable
h;sd been Seen or heard; and rode
hack to the reserve, intending to ex.
change word with the officer OIL duty
there, and then report ut hcad.Qnar.
rode up and said:
picket the right flank :; but l have
made \ couple Of posts there about
half way between the Camp and the
bayou.
lit can do no HARM" was my re.
Spouse, sand probably no good. Still,
the very greatest prudence might re-
quire it. I will ride over to see for
myself how you have posted Them"
1.-The Corporal who went with the
two men had not returned yet, he
said. ''ue was ordered to-
''Hark!''
The deep, solemn stiffness of the
hour and the scene was interrupted
only by the low tones of his voice but
while listened to him my ear had de.
tected the faint, far.away sound of a
woman S voice over to the right. =
1.-The pickett was my instant
thought. ''Hark - exclaimed.
Again heard the sound, and it was
heard now by the Lieutenant, as we'll
;,s by the soldiers standing near. Be-
fore another word could be spoken,
the sharp, startling report Of rifle
rang out upon the night from the same
direction.
''Take arms shouted the Meuten.
ant and leaving behind me the re.
serve, hurrying about and falling into
line with noise that sounded like the
buzzing of an awakened hive rs left
it further behind, put spurs to my
horse and went racing like mad to.
ward the point of alarm. If an enemy
had really made All appearance in that
unexpected direction, it would require
Il change of front Of the whole OF part
Of the brigade to meet him; and in
tending to recOnnOiter, and learn the
extent of the threatened danger, l
rode ON till reached one of the flank
pickets.
"What's the trouble p demanded.
''Nothing here, SIR" was the reply.
stake over there. fired few minutes
ago, but / guess it was a false alarm.
I've seen nothing, and heard nothing
alarming but that shot, =
90 The next minute l was with the
other picket and listening to his ex-
plantation. 1t appeared that he had
been posted but about twenty minutes,
with orders to keep lookout toward
the bayou. Footing it back and forth
few yards upon either hand-as
is the custom Of soldiers on picket
in lonely and remote places-with his
rifle over his shoulder, his ear was
caught by a shutting along the ground
as OF feet apparently proceeding from
u point somewhere between him and
the bayou. He stopped instantly and
bent Ills eyes in the direction !Of the
sound. The night was quite dark, and
nothing was visible at first. the sus-
picious noise still continued. and in II
moment more he saw what appeared
10 he the head, shoulders, and arms of
a:man moving along the ground direct
" toward him. 49, 1852 4a5.12} 81 4
....H;alt - he shouted, bringing his
fitle to il guard '.aalt-who:s
there!' s..s 49, -...
It was the cry we had heard at the
serve. There was no answer, but
the shutting noise continued. and
the object moved straight toward him.
ssli:slt - he shouted again, this time
with his gun ut his shoulder. lie fred
almost with the, word, Is 1915
The Corporal was near by on his
tour, and hnrrying to the spot at the
report, reached it almost Is soon as I
did. We found the soldier with his
musket reloaded, standing at a guard,
and peering e,sgerly into the darkness.
a few w0rtls from him explained the
cause of alarm, but not u thing was to
be seen. The Corporal laughed, AMI
I was disposed to be: yexed with the;
man.
81 say there was q rebel on his
hands and knees out there. coming
this way, the soldier stnrdily insist
ed. 81 wish you d both been here and
seen him, % I did. i tell, you It was
some guerxihas spy 1neskls1 around