Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-03-20
UNION sC6UTs.
BY WILBUR HOAG-

About the middle of July, 1862,
squad OF mounted Union scouts were
approaching AInite river, Louisiana, near
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 a negro pushed out OF the
thick underbrush into the road making
signs for them to stop. The squad halt
ed, and the commander, COrporaIF Earle,
asked:
''What is it?'' The negro had taken
off his palmetto hat made bow and a
scraPe, and continued:
aMassa, is yOu'ns Gubnor Linkum's
men?'
eyes" said the Corporal; don't you
see the blue clOthesy'
'9You'ns muss turn back, for dar's a
heap o. rebels Ober dat Ebber."
'DO you hear that, boys?- Joe you
you and Black dismOunt and this negro
viii show you where they are. We must
know all about what is going on said
the Corporal.
Fore God, masser, the'u Kill dis mig
gah, shuah, if dey see him.
"Never fear; if you have told the
truth you viii 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 their
way carefully through the bushes some
distance from the road, where all dis
mounted. A picket was placed so as to
command a view of the road in either
direction, but so hidden by bushes as not
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, for
while scouting 1t was impossible to 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, so
that it was no easy matter to surprise the
"Home 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 We're
of necessity left to keep up the home.
They grew to such numbers before the
close of the war that they constituted
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 ind 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 "a good old time Jerking
beer and cooking food generally, appa-
rently for a several days trip.
'Boys," said the corporal, ''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 a vidette In each direc-
ton, about half mile apart, the remain
der of the squad fed their last feed to the
1--,v--,- 1n,T 1as1 1-vu-, I4-1,rr no
manned quiet until about o'clock IN the
evening, when the picket farthest from
the river discovered in the distance a
mounted soldier approaching at full gal
Top. it took but the second observation
to show that it was a Confederate, and
the drOwsy picket was Immediately on
the alert He placed himself so near the
road that one spring would bring him
within a few feet of the head of the horse.
As the horse reached within a 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 "FoloW me" entered the
| bushes for enough to be concealed from
the roadway, where he uttered q 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.
sAre YOU one Of Powers menf''
s.No; L am on q furlough from North
Mississippi, and my time is ont in a day
or two" replied the prisoner.
do you know where any Of Powers
men areY'' asked the corporal
eyes; on the other side of the river,
and was hunting them up" replied the
prisoner, with increasing agitation. Con
I tinung, he said; hurriedly:
You all appear to have good faces and
VIII answer the purpose as well. Ny
mothers home is now being robbed by a
I set Of ruhians who cal themselves Con
/ federates, but who are nothing but high
Raymen. They are your enemies as wen
as ours. Come with me and we VIII drive
them or so that they VIII remember tl'
The corporal, who was easily impressed
I by real trouble, said:
..Look me squarely ia the eye. 1t is
I rr., s.r-- H1rraI1 go