Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-08-09
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A MIDNIGHT CAPTURE.
The Long Roll Was Sounded and the Poor
purl<cr Died,

my time to go on guard. You know how
they stand; three men and corporal go
out, and it was customary for them to
divide the night into four parts the Of
ficor takes the first quarters; but ho isn't
obliged to stand at all. ...... .l.
"NYe went out that night with no idea
of foraging, as our orders were very
strict against it, old Forrest being pret-
ty close to u.s. and the camp was ready
| TO turn out at moments notice. The
corporal of the guard was Mack Hollis
he eafterwards became Lieutenant-and
the relief consisted of Henry Williams,
Tom Irwin and myself.
| About $3.50 o'clock, as we were sitting
around the fire accusing the rebels and
wishing the war was over, we heard a
short, sharp grunt and snufling of the
/ air. Turning around, we saw one of
those backed, rail-splitting hogs,
like you spoke of, Andy. 1t didn' look
| like it had been fed in six months, but
we were awful hungry for
fresh hog meat, and Tom Irwin and
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 sudden and ran into the
| bushes like train of cars; you know
that sort of pigs can outrun race horse,
anyhow. We heard it tearing along a
little ways, and then it stopped, to
listen l suppose.
There said I, you've let it get
away l.-... -.
"'No, haven't, replied Mack. Put
your bayonet on the end of your gun,
Bill, and go 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 / will go around
the hog and drive it towards the fire; it
will go on one side or the other, then
make sure stab
1--WE got into our positions, and Mack
and Henry went out to drive in the
porller. 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 few seconds the porller
ran out into the light of the fire and
stood stock still, head down and evident
ly listening; hearing Mack and Henry
coming from behind, it gave quick
sharp grunt and dashed straight toward
mo. .ts.
Il 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, | was resolved not to let it
escape 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 l thought, or else 1 did not throw
the gun quick enough; for instead of
striking right behind the fore legs
as l intended, the bayonet went
through the back part of the hams,
sunk deep into the earth and pinned it
to the ground.
''The hog set up such squealing as
never heard before, louder than a 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 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, jerlled 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 it's 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
stant 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:
81 know that one of you is guilty,
and if that one doesn't report to me by
five o'clock this afternoon ! will be
obliged to punish you ALL
''As we passed out of the tent we saw
another body of men, which we surmised |
was the other picket, coming slowly to-
ward headquarters. We four talked 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. |
drew the unluclty straw, and at five
o'clock presented myself at headquar-
ters, announcing that was the guilty
wretch. The Colonel set mo to work |
carrying log of wood-a pretty heavy
chunk, by tho way-up and down before
his tent. In couple of hours he con-
cluded was punished enough and let |