Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-07-14
sKlRMIsHINe FoR ERuIT.
Union Soldiers CleverIy Tricked by Com
federates.

federates.
It was July, 1861, at the beginning of
the war. when the celebrated Light
Horse cavalry of Albemarle county,
Va. was stationed little below Gull
pepper Court House. Va. The country
then had not been ravaged by war, bat
was fresh and full of abundant crops of
both fruit and vegetables; the men,
therefore had no trouble in living sump-
tuously every day. The enemy were
reported as advancing rapidly from
Washington, and the ''rebs, fresh for
the ray" anxiously awaited them
There happened to be just in front of
their picket-line a fine peach orchard.
the luscious fruit of which was just be-
ginning to turn. The boys had been
waiting eagerly for them to ripen,
when they expected to have a feast.
But the ''Yanls" had now reached the
other side of the orchard. and their
pickets had also spied the savory fruit,
which they also laid claim TO. 1t was
now almost daily occurrence for the
pickets on each side to have brush"
to see which should get the peaches
which hung SO temptingly between
them. First the .'Yanks" would be
driven back and our men would load up
haversacks and fall back; then the
"Yanks" would be successful and get
the pick of the crop. 1t occurred to our
boys, however, that the enemy were
getting the lions share, so resort to
strategy was necessary in order to Sc
cure the remainder
1t was known that the yankees"
had orders not fire to upon any negroes,
but to treat them with the utmost civil
ity; so it happened on one dark night,
that Ben Tarbolt, the sergeant of the
company, who was perfect mimic of
the Negro dialect conceived the idea of
taking a dozen men with him, black
themselves up. and see what could be
done. Ben with his party skirmished
around the orchard. and soon each fell
low was safely perched in a peach tree,
pulling peaches for life; at the same
time our pickets were sending a few
shots over their heads to keep up APP
pearances and allay any suspicion on
the other side. The ''Yanks, however,
heard a rustling in the trees and, think
ing all was not right, called out:
''Whos there?"
Ben, who was spokesman, replied:
Its me, boss; don't shoot boss. Is
gittin' desc ere peaches to bring to you
all"
''Oh, is that you, Sambo! Well, be
quick, and bring us the peaches and we
will pay you for them" replied the
Yankee" picket, in low tone, as he
crept close to the edge of the orchard.
''All right boss. | amt gwine to let
dem white rebels git ali desc ere
peaches, so don't shoot dis way boss"
replied Ben.
Word was now passed along the
picket-line not to shoot at the Negroes:
SO Ben and his party quietly picked
away unmolested, until they had Sc
cured every peach. and then retrrated
in good order back to camp with their
booty. much to the amusement and
hilarity of the company. The ''Yan'ls'
waited patiently for the supposed NJ
groes to bring in the peaches. but it
was not until next day that they found
out that every tree had been stripped
of its fruit by our men, who had thus
outwitted them. This event was really
the first skirmishing with the enemy's
advance line from Washington, and,
strange to say, not man was killed or
wounded on either side while contend
ing for the peaches, but the piclIets on
both sides would frequently converse
with each other in friendly manner,
until more stringent orders We're issued.
N. y. Ledger.