The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-04-30

lnnumerahle hungry heaS-I dare not say, with
| out some qualification, that every tenth grain
| of sand was flea; but, do say, like the sand
| OF the sea shore, they were very numerous.
| Drifting Of sand before the wind is very COM
| mon.o on the sea shore. Our breast works were
| sometimes almost obliterated. An old negro
man, who was throwing sand upon the fortif-
cations, being asked one day what made the
breast works so low, replied, "it is most all
flea, and L spec he done jump away" The
mosquitoes were as NUM- erous and as blood
thirsty as the heas. III were permitted to per-
sonify them. would say they were the most
honorable foe We had to contend with ON tho
Island. The feas and Yankees would take us
unawares at any disadvantage, but the mosqui-
toes warned us-always singing their war
songs when they approached to take our blood.
Many were the extravagaut stories told in camp
about the wonderful feats that were performed
by the James Island mosquitoes
The sections of the Macbeth Light Artillery
alternated between camp and picket duty out on
the line. l was always sorry when went on
picket duty and glaI when came off, In the
camp smoke from our fires and pipes, would
lessen the visits Of the mosquitoes, but out on
the picket line, where fire was pot allowed, you
suffered all the tortures that the triple alliances
of sand-fy, flea and mosquito could iuact
The Federal and Confederate picket lines
were daily drawing closer together They had
excellent bands, and often treated us to some
good music. Sometimes they played lankee
Double, to tantalizc us, and then played Dixie to
put us in good humor. One afternoon the two
lines came together, aud the rattle of musketry
was so great that it seemed like nobody could
come out Of such fight, whole. Old man
Cul Thompson, member of the Macbeth from
Laurens, listened until the firing ceased, and re-
marked. ''if nobody is hurt over there, don't
see the use of much Shooting ] never
heard that any one was killed or wounded in
that skirmish; but, as big as it sounded then, it
was the mercst child's play, compared with
some we afterwards heard.
Lieut.. d. A. Jeter was on picket with the
first section of the battery the morning that the
enemy threw themselves calamity against
our works at Secession. They made it bloody
little fight, but most of the blood came from
them. They left in haste, aud no doubt felt bet.
ter when't they got back to the protection of
their gunboats. No one of the battery men
was hurt, and do not know that the section
from the Macbeth hurt any one, but it is rcas-
enable to suppose that men who were so anx-
ious to be initiated, left their marks at -Scces-
sonville
Our camp at this time was in tho center of thc
Island and surrounded by marshes and talI
sorts of pests. AS the preventive against coun-
try fever whisky and quinine were issued to
the soldiers in small quantities. Our horses
were attacked by strange disease that proved
very fatal Itappeared first in a cough and in
creased in violence until the animal died A
post-mortem examination revealed the fact that
the lungs had been entirely consumed.
The spemy became dooile after the lesson
they were taught at Secessionville, and we were
not needed on the picket line, 50 we were or
dered, to Fort Johnson, in quest of more health
ful quarters and the move was quite an i'm
provemcnt. We again rejoiced in the sea bree ze
and feasted our eyes in looking at the city of
Charleston. Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumpter, tn 0
blockade vessels, all in full view. The men re-
joiced in sea bathing, and amused themselves
catching fish. But, just as On occasional vessel
would slip in and out Of Charleston harbor, in
spite of the vigilance of the enemy. so an occa-
sonal case of country fever would put in its ap-
pearance, in spite Of whisky quininc and better
sanitary arrangements. William Perry, the
friend and playmate Of my School-boy days con-
| tracted country fever and diei.
Soldiers do not endure confinement we'll They
soon grow restless. and are always ready for
| change even when it is for the worst. SO when
were ordered to Virginia, the men left the
Island with demonstration Of joy.
VIDi.