The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-08-19
A War Picnic.

While Longstreet was in front OF
Suffolk, writes Ned Buntline, peck
ing at us with Wright's batteries, In
stead of coming in and "wiping us
out as he could have done before
we were reinforced, a report came
in that be was massing heavy force
to the southeast of our lines. our
weakest point of defense. To learn
the true State of things at that point
I was sent out with small scout
ing party by way of the Shingie
company's canal into Lake Drum
mond, to scout from thence soutn
of the Dismal Swamp.
Going in skifis, we reached a land,
ing ON tolerably solid ground, and
camped for the night on a little
knoll in a dense thicket OF scrub
pine a half mile or thereabcut from
the point of landing. Of course, 1
had sentlnels well out from our biv-
ouac. for we knew from many noises
that the enemy was not far from US;
All went well through the night, and
at dawn we made some coffee and
cooked some venison that | had got
from old Duke up at the canal
as we came by his place on the pre-
vious afternoon. The sentinels were
called in to breakfast, for there ap-
peared to be no immediate danger.
We had just squatted to our coffee
and grist when sound struck our
ears which made every man In 81
lence spring to his feet and grasp
his Sharp's carbine.
1t was the heavy tread of men. We
had lust got our arms in hand when
a dozen men in rebel gray, lead by
lieutenant over six feet tall and
lean as a nail, broke righ. through
the bush in front of Us.
In a second, while both parties
stood at a ready, the lieutenant cried
out: :.
Hold on, Yanks. If 'uns won I
shoot, we'uns'll hold fire. That cof-
fee smells mighty geod-we'uns
haven't had none for a year. We've
lots of tobacco, though"
IF you'll stack your arms out
there and trust to US, you snail
share in coffee and grub, and then
be free to go back and fight it ont II
you want to."
Good as sweet corn. We'uns
are hungry, you bet J"
They at once stacked arms, and
we did the same, and while our cook
nut more coffee and more steak on
the fire, we sat there on the ground
the blue and the gray, and talked af
! if we were old friends. Not about
the war and 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 that ever brag
ged 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 ole
peach brandy, and that went tht
rounds.
After we had got so frienly | ask
ed the lieutenant how he came TO b'
in on that point. He replied:
Il was sent to watch lest IN:
came this way in force to take US OF
the flank. Our main force is mass
ed in front. where our batteries ar,
ready to 90 in if 'uns weaken, ano
the old man Longstreet) was afear'
ed you might come through the
swamp and tickle us in the rear
What are 'uns doing here?"
Just on hunt for fresh meat
got this deer last night"
"Well, the best o luck TO you
You don't feel much like fighting
now, do your"
Not if you boys don't. 1t would
be a pity to spoil this picnic tha
way"
So we all shook hands, traded cot
fee for tobacco. and separated, a
least for then, friends.
The next day on the lines We wer'
all throwing lead and iron at eacl
other.