Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-10-16
1selntn1tt Chronicle.
A MIDNIGHT CAPTURE.
The Long Roll was Sounded and the POoi
Porker Died.


my time to stand guard. You know
how they stand; three men and corpo-
raj go out, and it was customary for
them to divide the night into four parts,
the officer takes the first quarter; but he
isn't obliged to stand at all.
"We went out that night with no idea
of foraging, as our orders were very
strict against it, old Forrest being pref
ty close to US, and the camp was ready
to turn out at moments notice. The
corporal of the guard was Mack Hollis
he afterward became Lieutentant-
and the relief consisted of Henry Will
Jams, Tom Irwin and myself.
about $50 o'clock, as we were sit
ting around the fire accusing the rebels
and wishing the war was over, we heard
a short, sharp grunt and shutting of the
air. Turning around, we saw one of
those razor backed, rail-splitting hogs,
like you spoke of, Andy. 1t didn't look
like it had been fed in six months, but
we were awful hungry for fresh hog
meat, and Tom Irwin and l snatched up
our guns, and would have fired, but
Mack told us to hold on, we'd alarm the
whole camp. The hog turned around
all of a sudden and ran into the bushes
like a train of cars; you know that sort
of pig can outrun race horse, anyhow.
We heard it tearing along little ways,
and then it stopped, to listen, 1 suppose.
"'There,' said 1, you've let it get
away.
"iNe, haven't replied Mack. Put
your bayonet on the end of your gun,
Bill, and 90 out to the right about fifty
steps and stand still. Tom, you fix your
bayonet and go to the left about the
same distance. Hen and l will go
around the hog and drive it toward the
fire; it will go on one side or the other,
then make sure stab.
ave got into our positions, and Mack
and Henry went out to drive in the
porker. OF course they had their guns
ready, SO if they got close enough they
would stick the brute. Pretty soon l
heard grunting, and crashing of the
bushes, and in a few seconds the porker
ran out into the light of the fire and
stood stock still, head down and evident
" listening; hearing Mack and Henry
coming from behind, it gave quick
sharp grunt and dashed straight toward
me.
81 got good grip on my gun, and pre-
pared to drive my bayOnet right through
the hog when it got near enough, but it
must have seen me for when it got with
in about fifteen feet of me it sheered
and started between myself and the fire.
1t was too far away to stick, and, OF
course, l was resolved not to let it es-
cape If could help it, so L raised my
gun and threw it at the animal with all
my strength. But it was running faster
than thought, or else L did not throw
the gun quick enough; for instead of
striking right behind the fore legs as
intended, the bayonet went through the
back part of the hams, sank deep into
the earth and pinned it to the ground.
"The hog set up such a squealing as
never heard before, louder than steam
boat whistle, and fairly made my ears
ache with its terrible din. A few jumps
brought the boys on the spot, and we
all tried to talk at once, but none of us
could be heard.
81 caught hold of the butt end of my
gun, which was shaking like a leaf, to
steady it, for, if the hog kept up his
struggles, it would pull the bayonet out
of the ground and run off. Hen and
Tom grabbed it by the legs and ears to
hold it still, and Mack, in his excitement
quite forgetting to use his bayonet, jerk
ed out little twenty-five revolver, he
had been carrying to practice with, placed
its muzzle in the hogs ear and stopped
its squealing forever.
"The pistol, being so close to its head,
made pretty loud report, and fool in
the next picket to the right heard the
sound, and concluding that the rebs
were right onto us, fired off his gun and
gave the alarm. We knew we were in for
it then, so we covered up the dead hog
with bushes and got back to the fire.
"The long roll sounded, the whole
army turned out and got ready for in
slant battle. 1t must have been two
hours before the mistake was discovered
and the men got back into their quar-
ters. Nothing was done about it that
night, and we brought our meat into
camp with us next morning. About
twelve o'clock we were summoned be-
fore the Colonel to answer for our
breach of orders; of course we all de-
MED our guilt, but the Colonel broke us
off with:
"I know that one of you is guilty,
and if that one doesn't report to me by
five o'clock this afternoon l will be
obliged to punish you all
"As we passed out of the tent we saw
another body of men, which we sur
missed was the other picket, coming slow
ly toward headquarters. We four talk
ed the matter over and decided that, as
we were equally guilty and one man
could suffer for the whole party, we
would draw lots to see who would report
to the Colonel. l drew the unlucky
straw, and at five o'clock presented my
self at headquarters, announcing that |
was the guilty wretch. The Colonel set
me to work carrying a log of wood-a
pretty heavy chunk, by the way-up and
down before his tent. In a couple of
hours he concluded L was punished
enough and let me go, and my extra
work only made the pork taste all the
better, but my shoulder was terribly sore
for time.
"As for the other picket, the Colonel
failed to see that they were little to
blame, and as they refused to pick out a
man to suffer for the balance, the whole
squad was sent on fatigue duty for a
week" Pennsylvania Grit.
BROWN IRON BITTERS