The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-31
An Incident of the Battle of Dead Angle.

IA. Incident of the Battle of Dead Jingle.
Southern Bivouac.
On the night of the Sd of July, 1864,
we were ordered back from the line at
the Dead Angle, and, as luck would
have it, the writer of this was detailed
with twelve men as vidette to crawl
on our hands and knees out about ten
yards in front of the works through the
abattis and other distractions to watch
the enemy while the line was gradually
falling back. First went the line OF
battle and than the skirmishers, and
then to our great Joy we left our posts
and fell back, too In crawling out to
our post that night we ran great risk,
for if we shook bush or made the
least noise, we would hear the unwel-
welcome firing of mimic bullet at once,
and they came pretty close, too, If they
were fired in the dark. We had orders
not to fire our guns under any circum-
otances, so we could not reply to the
calls we had. 1t was our province to
watch and listen, and, if crowded, to
Jump and run. Well, the men were
placed, one by one, in a zigzag line as
well as they could be in the
dark by the writer, he having
to crawl out and post one
and then came back after another until.
they were all arranged. Then it was
the duty of the officer to go along the
line and see if they were all doing their
duty, that is, lying down and keeping
awake-not much trouble to keep
awake that night, assure you. Well,
on one of the tours of inspection the
officer got little off the line and it
being crooked, too, he got clear out
side of the line and got turned around
so that he could not tell whether he
was going to his own men or not.
While creeping along in this frame of
mind he ran up against the muzzle OF
musket right against his bosom, and
then heard the click, click of the cock.
Well, the past life of the writer came
up before him. All the mean things he
ever did were passed in review in few
seconds, for it was only short time
that it took to pass through this trying
ordeal. He was afraid to catch the
gun, for it would make the man at the
then goodbye. So he asked, "Who is
thatP" No answer. Then he said,
IF you are Federals, am your meat"
Still no answer. eff you are rebs.
am your officer" No answer yet.
The sweat was pouring down my face
about this time, tell you. The
soldier took his gun down then,
1 don't know why, for he took me
for federal soldier as my clothes were
dark and l had on black hat. How
ever, the gun was down and the writer
was down, too, lying prone on the
ground by the soldier, and he saw who
it was that held the gun. 1t happened
to be a man in the regiment that was
considered little off about the head,
in fact, ''sorter queer" and then the
scare came on good, for he had no more
sense than to shoot anyhow; if it had
been one of the other men they would
not have cooked their guns, and would
have tried to find out who it was creep
ing along there. Well, the reaction
came to my nervous system and | was
as weak as water; if the enemy had
come on us then, could have been
taken in sure, as it would have been
to get off the ground. Well,
the poor fellow was frightened, too,
when he saw how near he came to send
ing me to my long home. AT a given
signal, which was about y o'clock, we
moved back to the works, and then we
lost no time in catching up with the
rear guard, which we found about two
miles ahead of us. / should add that
the vidette line right along there did
not get inspected any more that night.