Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-11-12
MURDER ON THE OUTPOSTS.


1t was in Virginia during the autumn
of 1861, the first year of the war.
was a sergeant in an infantry company
which had been selected on account OF
its fighting qualities to guard an inn
portant point on the line of commune
cations. The South Branch, rising
q considerable distance above Moor
field, winds along north until it reaches
Romney, and four miles beyond that
mountain locked natural stronghold
bends abruptly TO the east, on it's way
to join the greater streams of the PotO-
mac. At this bend the turnpike road
connecting Romney, where the Union
force was disposed, with Green Springs
Run, the depot supplies on the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, crossed the
river by suspension bridge. The
written order to our captain com
manded him to hold this bridge "to
the last man, if necessary" And
there we remained until some weeks
later, when the Confcderates maneuv-
cred our entire force back to its base
on the railroad.
The war had stripped this part OF
Virginia of most of its people. Hill
side and valley seemed to belong again
to the wild things of nature. The
scream of an eagle soaring in the gray
sky would call out a perfect din O
animal notes. Even the handful o.
soldiers prowled about as stealthily al
the foxes themselves which now anC
again scampered out OF the laure
bushes. Graceful deer, with spreading
antlers, sometimes peered out from
under the forest growth. One after
noon bear even made bold to lnvad,
a picket-post's cooking camp-kettle
licking the fat from the edge with grea
relish and cOntedly Looping off befor,
the startled soldiers could realize the
character of the visitor and fix theil
bayonets to turn him into better mea
than mess pork.
One evening, just at 6, as the second
relief was changing posts, the SHARP
crack of a musket shot rang out, from
down the river apparently. 1t was ,
dark night and nothing could be seen
At the shanties the pOker-decks were
cast aside and there was hustle for (.
moment, the rush of feet, the rattle O
leather straps as the men put on theil
harness, curse or two as some on,
failed to find his own musket, and ther
all was still again. Cartridges wer,
looked at, pieces clutched and bal
anced in half-jocose manner, as if t.
say the Johnnies" would get more thar
they came for, and all listened for tn
next shot, or volley, and the orde
to "fall in!'
We had a captain and two lieuten
ontG Knit fhn EirSt 1 iantnnant
crusty, good sailor, who was killed tn
next year at Antietam, was serving hi
turn on guard that day. Just befor
dusk we knew he had crossed tn
bridge with corporal and private t
go to the left, along the river and u
The ravines, to see that all was in orde
at the posts for the night. Ten of tn
men also from the shanties had bee
missing since early in the Afternoon
and it was supposed they had dodge
the posts in order to ford the rivel
and had gone to a hut In one of til
ravines where an old negro had bee
smuggling whisky for some time an
selling it clandcstinely to OF
soldiers. The Lieutenant had il
tended to visit the hut in quest of ii
stragglers.
Minutes passed. and though we stoc
about ut the shanties with arms in han
no sound came but the murmur of Il
river eddl ing along under tho bridg
the 81 ching Of tho trees and the couS