Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-20
UNION SCOUTS.
BY WILBUR HOAG.

About the middle of July, 1862, /;
squad of mounted Union scouts were
approaching Amite river, Louisiana, neal
what is known as the lower bridge, hay
ing left Baton Rouge in the morning. As
they were descending the hill into the
the swamp negro pushed out of the
thick rnderbrush into the road making
signs for them to stop. The squad halt
ed. and the commander, Corporal* Earle
asked:
"What is it?" The negro had take1
off his palmetto hat made a bow and {
scrape, and continued:
"Massa, is you'ns Gubnor Linkum's
menu
"Yes," said the Corporal; don't you
see the blue clothes?'
"You'ns muss turn back, for sdar's {
heap O. rebels ober dat ribber."
"Do you hear that, boys? Joe YOU
you and Black dismount and this negro
will show you where they are. We mus
know all about what is going on" sale
the Corporal.
"'Fore God, masser, the'll kill dis mig
gah, shuah, if dey see him."
'Never fear; if you have told the
truth you will be taken care of. Give
the usual signal, boys when you return
The two scouts went on as ordered
taking with them the reluctant negro
while the rest of the party worked then
way carefully through the bushes some
distance from the road, where all dis
mounted. A picket was placedI SO as te
command view of the road in either
direction, but so hidden by bushes as mo-
to be easily observed by persons passing
The remainder of the dozen men and cor
poral took off their haversacks to i'm
prove the present leisure in eating, fol
while scouting it was impossible tc eat
with and regularity.
By coming obscure roads, in round
about way, they had thus avoided the
usual travel and been seen by very few
people. Some way news travelled very
fast in that portion of the country, sc
that it was no easy matter to surprise the
Alone Guards" or "Buttermilk Ran.
gers" or pumpkin Studs" as the Local
confederate troops in that section were
Familiarity known to the regular forces
There was also an organization, just be-
ginning to be feared, known as '.Irregu,
lars" because they were recognized by
neither federal nor confederate author
ity, and deprecated alike on either side
They were not only highwaymen, when
in sufficient force, but did not hesitate to
murder without cause, or outrage de-
fenseless females, of whom SO many were
of necessity left to keep up the home.
They grew to such numbers before the
close of the war that they constituted a
respectable brigade, and were the cause
of considerable correspondence between
the confederate commander of the de-
partment of Mississippi and the federal
commander of the department of the
gulf.
Our squad of mounted Union scouts,
mostly from the Fourth Wisconsin infan-
try, had been the only ones who so far
could find the ensmy, or surprise them
when found. Several times during the
previous few months the Confederates
had hastily abandoned well cooked din
ners and forage for horses to Corporal
Earle and his men.
In the course of half an hour Joe,
Black, and the negro returned and re-
ported a portion of Captain Powers COM
pany having good old time Jerking
beef and cooking food generally, appa-
rently for several days trip.
"Boys," said the corporal, 1--WE viii
stay quietly here until night and then
ride in and divide the provision, as we
are both in the same line of business"
After posting vidette in each direc-
ton, about half mile apart, the remain
der of the squad fed their last feed to the
horses and laid down. Everything re-
NAMED quiet until about 4 o'clock in the
evening, when the picket farthest from
the river discovered in the distance a
mounted soldier approaching at full gal
lop. It took but the second observation
to show that it was Confederate, and
the drowsy picket was Immediately on
the alert. He placed himself SO near the
road that one spring would bring him
within few feet of the head of the horse.
As the horse reached within few bounds
the sentry sprang into the road crying
"Halt." With the exclamation he cooked
his carbine.
The horse, startled, shortened up and
stopped within reach. The demand for
surrender" was complied with by the
horseman handing over his gun. The
picket, saying Follow me-" entered the
bushes for enough to be concealed from
the roadway, where he uttered cry like
a screech owl, which was soon answered
by similar cry.
The corporal soon appeared and began
to question the Confederate. There was
an agitation plainly visible on the part
of the prisoner, which increased as Earle
questioned him.
"Are you one of Powers men?"
'.No; am on furlough from North
Mississippi, and my time is out in day
or two" replied the prisoner.
"Do you know where any Of Powers
men are?" asked the corporal.