The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-10-21
Fun In a Camp.

Just prior to the advance on Pope,
it became necessary, in order to
carry out General Lees order in
regard to baggage, broken-dOwn
horses. guns, etc, To select "A cam
ping ground for such as we had to
leave behind. Charged with this
duty, | examined the country in
the immediate nelghborhood of
MOrtOn's Ford for a place that
would answer the purpose. Upon
the banks of a rivulet, tributary to
the Rapidan, | found a beautiful
glade or opening in the forest.
The negroes of a neighboring
plantation had been in the habit of
passing through this glade on their
way to the road. They passed the
creek on a log that had been
thrown across il, and by means OF
a path through the thorns just
wide enough for one to pass, they
reached the road. For some time
the men wondered what brought
the darkies to the camp. They
rarely spoke, unless first address
ed, but seemed content TO stand
upon the outer edge Of the circles
around the fires, where they list
ened with protruding eyes and of
ten awe-strickcn countenances to
the wonderful stories that were
told. BIT presently certain arti.
cles began to he missed from the
camp, and it was not very long be.
fore it was concluded that the Wis
itors really had n definite object in
coming. First, big spoon, the
common property of all, disap-
peared. Then % frying pan, a sheet
iron kettle, II bag Of flour, some
bacon, and so on.
OF course the negroes knew no
thing of the missing articles, and
when uskod about them would AN
swer somewhat in this wise
"Klar to Gaud, marster, amt seed
y fryin' pan, deed; indeed | aint,
Notwithstanding such emphatic
assurances of innocence, the boys
were convinced that they had
| "seed 'em,n and accordingly form
cd n plan for making the camp q
| disagreeable place for the sable
? visitors. One clear night, whci
the moon, shining with unwontct
= brilliancy; Illuminated the little
Q cluster Of tents, a guard with al
. old rusty saber in his hand .wal
I stationed at the end of the 10,
c bridge, with instructions to arres
u every negro rs he, she, or it cam
Q across, and escort them to n larg'
$ tent at the lower end of our line
S which for the occasion was impro
0 vised into ~ guard-house. Her
l. was stationed Jim L., arme,
l. with u saber, whose duty it was t
s see that none Of them escaped "a
v least until the proper moment) an
. to profess great pity for their M
G fortunate condition, at the sam
u time plying them with the mos
G dreadful stories he could invent @
$ the barbarities pacticed upo
l. such as had been sent to Ricl
= mond, to which point he had ais
d been directed to tell them the
@ were destined. Jim was particr
|. larly well fitted for this post, a
I; he possessed The faculty OF "ms
II king statements unsupported b
If evidence in remarkable dcgre,
These preparations having bee
: made, an old howitzer was draw
up in position a rod or two bac
= = of the path through the bramble
" and near the spot where the pat
p" entered them. A blank cartridg
y was put in, a friction primer insel
e ted into the vent, the lanyard al
% !, tached, while one of the boys ll
ing fat on the ground held tn
:, toggle in his hand ready to LET tlI
~ gun roar when the moment cam,
y The guard at the tent soon had hi
- hands full in arresting the rapid
arriving negroes. They came |
- twos and threes, until in one hour
: time there were twenty-nine col
2 fined in jim LIS tent. Ths
" brave Munchausen had improve
:" every moment of his time, ha
pictured to them in the most ghas
!" ~ colors the narrowing details I
> suffering in the trenches aroun
- Richmond, and had told them ,
" dead darkies he had seen pile
= mountain highs In fact, he lie
with all the vigor of a man wi
- hasa keen relish for such recre
:, " ton and a natural aptitude for
" But all his stories were interlardt
- with expressions of great pity al
- commiseration for thom.
= This was a part Of the plan. ii
was to relent, to let them escap
: first directing them to take Il
!. -. path through the briars, and co
sequently directly past the loadt
paunou At tho frat intitaafif