The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-20
A WASP BITE.
How a 1sth III. CaYalryman was BADLY Sea


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your ex-
eellent paper of May 30, 1889, there is short
article written by J. M. Watson, Co. L, 9th
Mich, entitled "A Warm Bed" 1t reminded
me of circumstance which happened to one OF
my comrades, Will Hawley, at Chester Gap,
Va, on the night Of the 22d of July, 1868.
Gen. Meade, hoping to cut off Lees retreat
from the Shenandoah Valley and strike him a
crushing blow while there. ordered the cavalry
to hasten to the gap and secure it. The cav
airy were little too late, for, on reaching it,
found it already in possession of the enemy and
strongly guarded.
We reached Chester Gap some time in the
afternoon of Sept. q, and on discovering the
enemy, charged on him with fury, securing sew
eral wagons and prisoners as the result of our
effort. 1t being late and the enemy strong and
securely posted, we fell back short distance to
an elevation and went into camp in an old dry,
stony field for the night We were not dis
turbed by the enemy, although our fires were
in plain view.
Next morning we went back and attacked
them again; but before we left camp we found
that the field was literally covered with dew
berries which the boys gathered and consumed
in very short time, some of them getting
snake-bitten while picking the fruit. As com
missary" and doctors were scarce with us al
that time, some of the boys came very near
dying from the poisonous effects of the bites
We found the enemy on the lookout for us, and
soon we began our work OF harassing him. and
| las a dog bats bull" SO we baited Long
streets Corps that day.
We had a section or two of artillery with US,
which pitched solid shot and she'll into the
rebel column as it passed from the gap and
down the valley. The rebels stood this teasing
very patiently, only putting out a line strong
enough to hold us in check and repulse our
sudden onslaughts on their marching column.
But patience ceases to be virtue" some
| times, and so it had an end with them. About
o'clock that afternoon they formed a double
line of battle and came for us with a whoopee
when we very consistently and hastily got
up and got " out of their way. They followed
US but short distance, and then returned tC
| the gap, and we went into camp ON the same
| field we'd occupied the night before. After Sc.
curing our horses and feeding them we pitched
our little pup-tents" and crawled in for {
nights rest.
! Hawley was as brave q boy as ever rode a
| horse or drew saber, but he had dreadful
| fear of snakes and little garter would excite
| him as much as whole regiment of rebels
| When our nest was ready and we were about
to crawl in he hesitated and said: what il
one of those darned snakes should creep in anC
bite us? and with no doctor or whisky in camI
we would certainly die"
/ / said that all the snakes had been either
| killed or scared away and that did not antic
| ipate any harm from them. He still felt an
easy, but after some coaxiug crawled in and
soon was sound asleep and snoring only as ole
! soldiers can snore.
l was soon asleep, too and was sweetly
dreaming of home and :" the girl left behind
me" when Hawley gave yell and sprang t.
his feet, popping his head through the top o
the tent and carrying it off with him, pegs
pole and all He yelled at every jump, and said
Pm ake-bit, snake-bit; oh, God, will die!'
was almost paralyzed with fear, for ! die
not know what moment the snake might faster
his poisonous fangs into me. / called hastily
for help, and soon Jerry Fleetwood, our Quar-
| termaster-Sergeant, came to my aid, bringing
| lighted candle with him.
| cautiously crawled out and began to poke
the blanket about with my saber, when, oh
horror, what did we sea great black wasp!
WELL" said jerry, eff that don't beat -
Just then George Bandy came up, and on see
ing the wasp said Shut up, Will; it's nothing
but wasp!"
We all had hearty laugh, and then crawled
| into our pup-tents again.. NJ. GARDNER
serg't Co. E, 18th Ill. Cav, Eagle, Neb.