The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-08
GENERAL sHERMAN,s NARROW ESCAPE.
How Near He Came to Being Shot by His
Own Soldiers just Before Shiloh.
n. Bnckland, in Fremont (O. } ionrnaI.

ii. F. Buckand, in Fremont (0.) Journal.
While the Seventy-second Regiment, o. V. l.,
was stationed at Shiloh Church, on Sunday,
March 81, 1862, week before that memorable
Sunday fight detachment of pickets was sent
out on the Purdy road In the detachment were
Jerry Heath and Jacob F. Hutchinson of Com
pany c, who were placed at the same picketpo
The post at which they were stationed was out
some two miles from the camp, and consisted of
large oak tree, situated about three-quarters
of mile inside of a thick oak forest which con-
tanned considerable underbrush Upon the I'M
derbrush were suspended large quantities of dead.
dry leaves, which creaked and cracked whenever
disturbed. The road leading to this tree divided
near it, passing upon both sides and joining
again some distance beyond. The pckets had
orders to shoot any person seen In front
of them, but not to fire under any otner
circumstances. Jerry and jake as they were
things, with nothing to vary the still quiet of the
day, for it was clear, bright sunny day. with
out the least wind astir. when about o'clock In
the afternoon some fifteen or twenty shoats
came out of the woods in the road some distance
beyond them. OH how deliciously appetizing
they looked to the boys who had not tasted any
fresh meat for long time 1t was quite natural
that they should seek some device by which they
might obtain one. So Jerry spoke up and says,
Jake, how can we manage to get one of those
into campp Says jake How many hard
tacks have your "Ten or twelve answers
Jerry Give me some" says Jake, land will
coax them up into bayoneting distance when
you bayonet one' Jerry having furnished
the hard tack, Jake broke them up in
to small bits and threw them out
coaxing the shoats toward them. 1t took good
deal of maneuvering to get the hogs anywhere
near them, but finally one, a little tanner than
the others, crawled up to the desired place, and
Jerry, true to his duty, made lunge, striking it
between the eyes. The bayonet glanced and
buried itself in the animals neck, deep enough
only to set his porkship squeahng, which it did
with vengeance and set the whole drove to
grunting. This brought the boys to realize their
per;ious position, which for the moment they
had forgotten. Jack jumped back behind the
tree and resumed a picket's position, to be ready
for an emergency Jerry in the meantime. was
tugging to get has bayOnet loose from the pie.
Seeing his predicament Jake yelled stomp it
out" which Jerry proceeded to do, and. succeed
ing, he too jumped behind the tree; exclaiming as
he did 'This will bring the gorrilas."
Both stood with ready guns. In few mo-
ments they hear a noise of sabers and horses
among the trees and leaves, about thirty rods on
the left in front of them. Immediately man
on horseback appeared in the middle of the road
and faced from them. Both raised their guns,
took steady aim and pulled their triggers but
owing to their pulling very hard, did not re-
spond quickly. Jake felt the hammer of his
that's General Sherman" mo, it amt it's them
rebel gorillas dressed in our uniform" answers
Jerry mo, it's General Shermans horse
quickly responded Jake, and as he spoke the man
on horseback wheeled ana Iac6Q them, oXclAln-
ing: Don't shoot, I'm General Sherman; I've
made INSTALLATIONS on the post" Advance
and give the countersign," came from the
pickets. The man dismounted at the proper
distance, advanced and gave the countersign,
and behold it was none other than General Sher-
man.
A log was procured for him to sit upon; upon
sitting he said: Boys this is the nearest call
ever had"
His staff officers came out of the woods and
advanced to the post
The General, with his staff, had been out in
speeding the picket-line, and had got beyond it
by mistake, and when the General turned from
the pickets he was looking in that direction for
the post But for the fact that the triggers
pulled hard General Sherman would certainly
have been killed, as both had dead bead on
him. and they were striving to obey orders.
Their intention was to shoot him as the first man
and retreat to the next post to give them warn
ing, and continuing with the others till they got
into camp it being necessary to do so to secure
the camp from being surprised
1t is scarcely necessary to add that the Gen
eral did the soldieriy substantial thing by the
boys, although against orders, but he said he
could trust them.
The hog was left to his fate Company G did
not get any of it.
Nh. Hutchinson had the pleasure of recalling
the incident of his escape to General Sherman
when last in Fremont. The General remem-
bered it, and had good laugh at the hog part of
the story