Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-05-16
FRIENDLY PICKETS.

L Hopc uoNcI w ~ 1uIouSu ouoA d Wal
as that again. l don't believe could
stand it now, but then we don't know.
Some scenes arise on my mind as if they
never could have happened. often
think of Spotsylvania where | have seen
my men standing on the dead bodies of
their comrades, loading and firing, ut
terly Indifferent to the death below
them, the death in front Of them, and
the death everywhere. The dead bodies
were lying down outside the works, in
the ditch, which was half filled with
water, and there, soaking in the rain,
the dead men lay and their friends were
using their bodies to get little eleva-
tion in putting in that terrific work.
Yet" said the general, "there we're some
right funny scenes in that war. Did [
ever tell you about the man coming in
only to look at my camp?
"We were on the. Rapidan river,
where it was little stream, hardly 100
feet wide. Gen. Lee sent me word that
l must 60 out and break up the commu-
nication between our pickets and the
enemy's. They had got to trading with
each other in newspapers. tobacco, lies,
and whatever would vary the monotony
of picket life They would not shoot at
each other, and so it was not military
like. So | started out one morning on
my horse and rode the whole length of
the picket line, and just as | came to
certain point saw that there was con-
fusion and surprise, as if | had not been
expected. What is the matter, men,
here,' l asked. Nothing. general,
nothing is here You must tell me the
truth, said | +; Il am not welcome, see,
and there must be some reason for 1t.
Now, what is the matter?' There has
been nobody here, general. We were
not expecting you; that is ALL turned
to two or three of the soldiers and said,
beat down these bushes here They
had to obey, and there suddenly rose up
out of the weeds man as stark naked
as be had come into the world Who
are you?' asked |. i am from over
yonder, general Over yonder-where? ?
He pointed to the other side of the
river. What regiment do you belong
top The 1O4th Pennsylvania, general.
'Wnat are you doing in my camp?'
why, thought would just come over
and see the boys See the boys-what
boys? Do you mean to say you have
entered my camp except as prisoner? !?
Now, am going to do this with yom. |
am going to have you marched to Libby
Prison just as you are, without rag of
clothes on you!' why general, you
wouldn't do that, just because l came
over to see the boysl l didn't mean
any harm! I felt lonesome over there
and wanted to talk to the boys little.
That is all y Never mind, sir; you
march from this spot, clothed as you
are, to Libby Prison?' General, said
the man, i had rather you would order
me to be shot right here No, sir !;
you go to Libbyl' Then several of my
soldiers spoke up: General, don't be too
hard on him, he's pretty good fellow !!
He didn't mean any harm; he just
wanted to talk with u.s. This business
must be broken up said l, mixing up
on the picket line
"It had not been in my heart, how
ever, to to arrest the man from the be-
ginning, | only wanted to scare him, and
he did beg hard. I'll tell you what
will do with you this time, for saw
that he was brave, good humored
fellow. If you will promise me that
neither you nor any of your men shall
ever come into my lines again except az
prisoners, I'll let you 60 God bless
you general!' said the man, and with
out any more adieu he just leaped int
that stream and came up on the othel
side, and took to the woods"
General Gordon said, referring to the
relative bravery of southern and north
ern soldiers, that he had seen as perfec
instances of cool and desperate plucl
among the soldiers in blue as among
soldiers of his own.-Johnny Boqaet a.
". 7. Tribune.
If an editor omits anything, he i
lazy. If he speaks of things as the.
, are, people get angry. If he glosse
over or smootbs down the rough points
be is bribed. If he calls things b,