The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-02

made by corset makers, and the skirts
would then be fastened to the corset,
which would as the same time form
the body Of the dress.
Surprise Party ~
Gen. Custer in June Galaxy.
The night chosen for the undertake
ing proved to be a lovely moonlight
one. The troops assembled near
Kearncy's headquarters about nine
O'Clock in the evening, and leaving all
impediments in the way of blankets,
overcoats and unnecessary accouter-
ments behind, we soon began our
silent march to the front. It was
known that the Confederate pickets
were posted four or five miles in adj
vance ; but before marching half that
distance a halt was ordered and addi-
tional precautions adopted to preserve
secrecy in our movements. From that
point we pursued our way as quietly
as possible, no one being allowed to
speak above a whisper. Sometimes,
instead of following the road, we made
our way through paths in the forest,
feeling our way as cautiously as if
masked batteries-then the bette noir
of the average volunteer-were bristl-
ing from behind every bush. The
cracking of a twig in the distance or
the stumbling Of one of the leading
files over a concealed log, was sufficient
to cause the entire column to halt and
with bated breath peer into the dark
ness of the forest in vain endeavor to
discover a foe whose presence at that
particular time was not desirable.
In this manner we continued our
course, at each step the tension on our
nerves Ito describe it by no other
name) becoming greater and greater
until we resembled in enlarged form
some ludicrous stage picture in which
the alarmed family, aroused from their
beds by noise of imaginary burglars,
come stealthily, timidly into the room,
staring in all directions to discover the
disturber of the household and ready
to drop all weapons of defence and
seek safety in flight at the first real
cause Of alarm.
So it was with us. Inexperienced,
magnifying the strength and terrible
character of our unseen foes, dreading
surprise, we had worked ourselves up
to SO excitable condition that all that
was necessary to terminate ou1 anxiety
as we'll as the expedition, was to con-
front usiwith an undoubted enemy. We
were not to undergo much longer delay.
The house about which the picket was
posted and which was to be the object
OF our attack.-a surprise if possible
was located at one end of a long lane,
at the foot of which we now found
ourselves. A brief halt was made,
final directions from our leaders were
whispered from ear to ear, and again
we moved forward. Owing to clouds
we could only receive partial benefit
from the moon; sufficient, however, to
discern in the distance at the head of
the lane a clump of trees, within
which the house was said to be 10.
Gated.
AS we silently made our way up the
lane, moving in column of fours, with
not q skirmisher or advance guard
thrown out to the front, every isolat-
ed tree, OF even the farmers herd
grazing in the fields near by were suf.
| ficient to make us halt and determine
whether or not we were being s'flank-
ed.' Frequent discoveries Of our en-
rors in this respect might have in
| splred us with some little confidence,
but at that moment we surely heard
human voices up the lane in the vi
entity Of the house. OF course we
halted. It did not impress me that
we were engaged in a military under
taking; on the contrary it struck me
as resembling upon a large scale some
boyhood scheme involving a move
ment upon a neighboring orchard or
melon-patch, and the time had arrived,
just before crossing the fence, when
the impression prevails that the own
er OF the orchard and his dog are on
the lookout.
Hating to listen and distinguish the
voices again, silence ensued, during
which the clouds cleared away, per.
mitting the moon to shine forth and
| light up the whole scene, and enabling
the enemy's pickets to take in at d
glance who and what we were.
"Who comes there?'' rang out on
the still night air; and without wait.
ing for an answer bang bang bang
went three muskets. It was sorrow.
full waste of ammunition to fire three
muskets when one would have ans.
wered as well. am sure that while
we may have all been facing toward
J the house when the first shot was