Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-05-01
One Of BuhtIIns's War Stories.

ANtu Duhilluo III ANNN iVih N'iNFy
While LOngstreet was II front of
Suffolk pecking at Us with WrighHs
batteries, instead OF coming in and
'wiping us ont as he could have
done before we we're REINFORCED, a
report came in that he was massing
a heavy force to the southeast of
our lines, our weakest point of de-
fence. To learn the true state of
things at thispoint | was sent with
a small scouting party by way OF
the Shingle COmpany's canal into
Lake DrummOnd, to scout from
thence south OF the Dis NAL Swamp
Going in skiffs we reached a
landing on tolerably solid ground
and camped for the night on a lit
tie knoll in a dense thicket Of scrub
pine, a half mile or thereabouts
from the point of landing. Of
course l had sentinels we'll out from
our bivouac, for we knew by many
sounds that the enemy were not
far from us. All went well through
the night, and at dawn we made
coffee and cooked some venison
that | had got from old Duke at
the head of the caLal as we came
by b is place on the previous after
noon. The sentinels were called
in to breakfast, for there seemed
to be no immediate danger. We
had just squatted to our coffee and
grist when a sound struck our ears
which made every man in silence
spring up and grasp his Sbarp's
carbine. 1t was the heavy tread
of men. We had just got our arms
in hand when dozen men in repel
gray, led by a lieutenant over six
feet high aud lean as nail, broke
right through the brush in front of
US.
In second, while both parties
stood at a ready, the lieutenant
cried out
'Hold on, Yanksl If you 'uns
won't shoot, weuns III hold fire.
That coffee smells mighty good
we'uns haven't had none for year.
We've lots of tobacco, though
He and his men looked so gaunt
and hungry, and so little like enc
mics just then, that | cried out
If you'll stack your arms out
there and trust to us, you shall
share in grup and coffee, and then
be free to 60 back and fight it out
ifyou want to-
Good as sweet corn We'uns
are mighty hungry, you bet =
They at once stacked arms and
we did the same, and while our
cook put moro coffee and more
steak on the fire we sat there on
the ground, the Blue and Gray and
talked as if we were old friends.
Not 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
yenison steak would have satisfied
! the proudest landlord that ever
Dragged of his table.
After we had filed up the Vir.
ginians brought out their tobacco
and did their share of treating.
The lieutenant had huge canteen
of old peach brandy and that went
the rounds.
After we had got so friendly |
asked the lieutenant how he came
to be in on that point. He replied :;
Il was sent to watch least you
uns came this way in force to take
! US on the flank. Our main force Is
massed in front, where the batteries
| are ready to 90 in ifyou'uns weak
| en-, aud the old man (Longstreet)
was afeared you might come
through the swamp and tickle us
| in the rear. What were you'uns
doin' herep
Just out on hunt for fresh
meat; got this deer last night
well, the best of luck to you.
You don't feel like lighting now, do
you p
Not if you boys don't. 1t would
be pity to spoil this picnic that
way
SO we all shook hands, traded
coffee for tobacco, and separated,
at least for then, as friends. The
next day on the lines we were all
throwing lead and iron at each
other.