The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-07-18
A WAR PICNxICN

While Longstreet was in front of S\-
folk, writes Ned Bunthne, pecking at
us with Wright's batteries, instead of
coming in and ''wiping us out" as he
could have done before we were rein
forced, report came in that he was
massing heavy force to the southeast
of our lines, our weakest point of de-
fense. To learn the true state of things
at that point l was sent with a small
scouting party by the way Of the Shingle
company's canal into Lake Drummond,
to scout from thence south to the Dis
NAL swamp.
Going in skiffs, we reached landing
on tolerably solid ground, and camped
for the night on little knoll in a dense
thicket Of scrub pine, half mile or
thereabout from the point of landing.
OF course, had sentinels well out from
our bivouac, for we knew from many
sounds that the enemy was not far from
us. All went well through that night,
and at dawn we made coffee and cooked
some venison that had got from old
Duke at the head of the canal as we
came by his place on the previous after
noon. The sentinels were called in TO
breakfast, for there seemed to be no
immediate danger. We had just squat
ted 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 hand when dozen men in rebel
gray, led by lieutenant over six feet
high and lean as a nail, broke right
through the bush in front of us.
In second, while both parties stood
at ready, the lieutenant called out:
"Hold on, Yanksl If you 'uns We MT
shoot, we'uns'll hold fire. That coffee
smells mighty good-we'uns haven't
had none for year. We've lots of to-
bacco, though"
He and his men looked so gaunt and
hungry, and so little like enemies just
then, that cried out:
IF 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 corn! We'uns are
mighty hungry, you betp'
They at once stacked arms, and we
did the same, and while our cook Put
more coffee and more steak on the fire
we sat there on the ground, the blue
and the 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 venison steak,
would have satisfied the proudest land
lord that ever Dragged of his table.
After we had filled up, the Virginians
brought cut their tobacco, and did their
share of treating. The lieutenant had
a 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 lest YOU uns
came this way in force to take us on
the flank. Our main force is mas ed
in front, where the batteries are ready
to SO in if you 'uns weaken, and the
old man (LongstreeU was afeared you
might come through the swamp and
tickle us in the rear. What were 'un.
doing hereP"
"Just out on'a hunt for fresh meat
got this deer last night"
"Well, the best of luck to you. You
don't feel like fighting now, do you?"
'Not if you boys don't. 1t would bt
a pity to spoil the picnic that way"
So we all shook hands, traded coffee
for tobacco, and separated, at least fol
then, as friends.
The next day on the lines we were ALI
throwing lead and iron at each other.