The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-19
A PiCHeT-LlNs PICNIC.
A Time When the Blue and Gray Stacked
Arms for Tobacco and Coffee

AOa AopttcO tOACb.
Ned Buntline.
While Longstreet was in front of Suffolk,
pecking at us with Wright's batteries, in.
stead of coming in and "wiping us out" as
he could have done before we were rein.
forced, report came in that he was mass
ing heavy force to the southeast of our
lines our weakest point of defense To learn
the true state of things at that point was
sent with small scouting party by the way
OF the Shingle company's canal into Lake
Drummond, to scout from thence south Of
the Dismalswamp.
Going in skitfS we reached a landing Oh
tolerably sclid ground, and camped for the
night on "A little knoll in dense thcket of
scrub pine, II halt milo or thereabout from
the point of landing. OF course, had senti-
nel' we'll out from our bvouac, for we knew
by many sounds that the enemy were not
far from u.s. All went well through the
hight, and at dawn we made flee and
cooked some venisol that l hal got from
old Duke at the head of the anal as we
came by his place on the previous afternoon.
Noe sentinels were called into breakfast, for
there seemed to be no immediate danger.
We had just scnatted TO our coffee and grist
when "A sound struck our ears which made
every man in silence spring up and grasp
his Sharp's carbine. 1t was the heavy tread
of men. We had just got our arms in han l
when dozen men in rebel gray, led by a
lieutenant over six feet high and lean as q
nail, broke right through the brush in from
of us
In second, while both parties stood at a
ready, the lieutenant cried out:
Hold ON, YanksI If youuns won't shoot,
we'uns n hold fire. That coffee smells
mighty good-we'uns haven't had none fol
year. We've lots of tobacco, though"
He and his men looked so gaunt and hun
CRY, and so little like enemies just then, that
cried out:
"lf you'll stack your arms out there and
trust to us, you shall share in grub and coffee,
and then be free to go back and fight it out
If you want to"
Good AS sweet cornl We'uns are mighty
hungry, you betl"
They at once stacked arms, and we did
the same and while our cook put more cot
fee and more steak on the fire we set there
on the ground, the blue and the gray, and
talked as if we were old friends. Nothing
about the war or its causes, but about camp
life and other things
And the way our coffee went down with
hard tack and juicy venison steak, would
have satisfied the proudest landlord thai
ever Dragged of his table.
After we had filled up the Virginian
brought ont their tobacco, and did thei
share of treating. The lieutenant had 1
huge canteen of old peach brandy, and tina
went the rounds.
After we had got So friendly | asked the
lieutenant how he came to be in ON tina
point. He replied;
81 was sent to watch lest you 'uns came
this way in force to take us on the flank
Our main force is massed in front, wher,
the batteries are ready to go in il you 'un
weaken, and the old man Q.ongstreen wa
afeard you might come through the swamp
and tickle us in the rear What were you
'uns doing here"
"Just out ON hunt for fresh meat; goi
this deer last night"
well, the best O. luck to you. You dom
feel like fightin' now do your
Not if the boys don't 1t would be pitt
to spoil this picnic that way"
So we all shook hands. traded coffee 70
tobacco, and separated, at least for then, a:
| friends. The next day on the lines We wer
all throwing lead and iron at each other.