Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-02-03
The Crazy Scout.


see was pressing the Confed crates
closely, and it was necessary to pre-
serve strong picket lines at all times,
and keep the SCOUTS constantly on the
lookout to avoid surprises.
North of Stevenson was a range of
mountains known as WaIden's ridge,
which was covered with d dense
growth of oak and hickory. The
country was sparsely settled, there
were few roads, OF even pathways.
! and the heavily wooded rsvines aud
hillsides were wild and rugged in the
extreme There were caves, water
falls, wild game in abundance, and
everything pertaining to country
remote from civilization.
To stand all night on picket duty
in some lonely ravines, where there
was no sound save bab5ling of mouo-
tain rivulets or the weird sighing of
the winds among the trees, was any
thing but pleasant.
My company was among those de-
tailed for this duty, and the first night
We were stationed in dark. gloomy
ravine at the foot of Walden's ridge.
One of the picket posts was under q
large oak tree at the very darkest,
most aninteresting spot on the entire
line. We went on duty at 8 O'Clock
at night, and there would be no relief
until O'Clock the next morning. A
| yonng man, brave aud watchful and
general favorite in the company Was
assigned to the post under the giant
oak.
The night passed without incident,
| but when We were relieved the next
morning Private Thompson, the young
mau stationed nnder the tree. was
missing His gun was broken and
! lying near the tree, and there were
! indications that brief struggle had
taken place. but nothing more to tell
his fate. There were 10 blood stains,
and his disappearance was Il mystery.
Nothing else was talked of during the
day by the members of the company,
and there was great anxiety to learn
the fate of the brave young soldier.
The second night Private Baugh
was assigned to the post under the
tree. He laughed at the mystery
when left alone. but his voice trem-
hled slightly and it was apparent that
he would have preferred some other
place in the line. Again the night
passed without any demonstration in
our front, but when We were relieved.
the face of every man in the company
turned shade paler when it was
known that Baugh had also disap.
pesred, leaving his gun behind Here
was q genuine mystery and it attract
ed the attention of the regiment. A
squad was detailed to examine the
locality by daylight. but careful
search revealed nothing. The officers
decided the mystery would not occur
again, aud the picket line was formed
for the third night. When the relief
came on the third morning the man
under the oak was again missing, aud
his gun lying broken on the ground
What was to be done The mys-
terry must be solved in soma way,
Sergt Brown volunteered to take the
dreadful post on the fourth night aud
promised to solve the mystery. He
was a tall, well-tormed man,a giant in
strength and a stranger to fear
Promptly at O'Clock that night he
took his position under the old oak.
whose branches seemed to hang low
or, as though they would envelop the
the spot in still deeper mystery The
men and officers of the company felt
confident of Sergt. Browns ability to
penetrate the mystery, which had cost
us three good men, and were eager
for morning to down. At last the re-
lief came, and every mao's face
blanched when it was learned that
Sergt Brown had disappeared. His
! gun was there, bent and broken, and
there were signs of desperate strug
gle between two or more men. but
| nothing to tell the story of his fate
Bush hackers, Federal scouts, wild
animals. everything was suggested
which was believed possible to ac-
count for the disappearance of the
four men. The matter soon became
the one topic of conversation in the
army and by the officers of our regi-
ment it was reported TO Gen. Bragg
He ordered that five or more men be
stationed at this post with instructions
to remain perfectly quiet, keep care
full lookout aud discover if possible
the fate Of the absent men.
l was one of the i've detailed by
our Captain for the duty. We sta
! toned ourselves in small circle
within the shadow of tie oak, and
! stood like 80 many statues during the
long night. Once We heard noise
like some man or beast creeping
through the dense underground to-
ward Us. The noise stopped sudden
ly, a moment later it was heard re
ceding, and that was all. When we
were relieved the next morning the
mystery was as great as ever. The
Captain ordered US on duty again the
following night, and we then agreed
upon different plan. One .nan was
stationed on the post, three Of US
climbed up among the lower branch
es of the big oak tree. while the fifth
man was stationed behind clump OF
bushes twenty yards away. 1t was
a bright starlight night and moving
objects could be discerned at dis
tance of several PAGES.
Not sound broke the stiffness un-
til near midnight, when myself and
companions in the tree distinctly
heard the sounds of something NOV
ing stealthily toward the man stand
ing beneath US Once we caught
glimpse of a giant form moving slow
ly forward with almost noiseless
| tread.
The decoy picket evidently had not
heard the noise, as he remained mo-
! tionless When within ten feet of the
man under the tree, the mysterious
being suddenly sprang forward with
the agility of cat, and our comrade
was borne to the ground in an in
slant. Our first thought was to leap
to the ground and rescue him, but
we determined to await develop
) ments in the hope of learning the fate
Of tbs, three mis,iDp men