The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-01
A RUN FOR DEAR LIFE.
THE ADVENTURE OF A PICKET
IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG.
Surprised Between the Lines by the Sud
den Interruption Of Truce, He
Ran the Gauntlet of Sharp
shooters Fire

guilty to the intent and to having done
my best to carry it out, but as | never
saw the body of my victim and no jury
pronounced him dead by the hand Of
violence, my conscience is free Of re-
morse for the bloody deed. 1t was in
front of Petersburg, where the oppos-
ing works we're from sixty to eighty
rods apart and the picket lines from
thirty to forty. Our regiment was di-
vided into two battalions and occupied
two fortified knobs, called forts be-
longed to the second battalion and one
day had charge of several picket posts
on the right of the First battalion,
about eighty rods distant, as the bird
flies, from the fort But owing to the
cussedness of certain bloodthirsty
sharpshooters on the Confederate side,
the distance was more than half again
as far-that is, in going to and from
the picket line, even at night, we were
compelled for safety to steal along the
ditch behind the breastworks for about
eighty rods, then stoop and follow a
covered way running zlgzag toward the
picket line, which was parallel to the
main works thirty rods ia advance of
them. Even these precautions did
not insure mans life, and | could go
now TO certain spots on our brigade
front where officers and soldiers in
scores and hundreds were shot down
while passing on some Grand Of camp
routine during hours of peace, as un.
suspecting of danger as one would be
at home.
The posts on my beat began at the
intersection of the covered way and the
picket line. The post nearest to the
way was headquarters for that section
of posts and was constructed to afford
shelter for several men. 1t was made
of saplings, laid above one another,
banked up on the outside with earth.
These structures, known as picket pits,
we're about four feet high and were
loopholed for an outlook. Directly in
front of the pit l speak of the Con.
federates had picket post about forty
rods distant and in front of that,
toward our line, was thickly foliaged
tree-a cedar, | believe. That pos,
and tree and the tall swamp grass sur.
rounding them became notorious as the
lurking spot of a Confederate sharp
shooter who made it his special bushes:
to keep up fire on the exposed
stretches of our covered way. Thi:
fellow became known by some terrible
nickname which have forgotten
given him by our men and adopted b
his own comrades as very appropriate
1t will be just as we'll if simply cal
him "Snake -in.the Grass" for we never
knew from what particular spot hi
would strike his venomous blows. Tit
day speak of was what we call ;
picket truce-that is to say, by mutua
agreement there was to be no firing
on the picket line. At such times thu
men of both sides walked freely bacl
and forth between their breastwork
and picket pits, and sworn eneme
ventured close enough to be able t,
converse across the bloody chasm
Now and then they met for handshak
ing, exchange of newspapers, etc
These truces were unofficial, but the,
had the effect of stopping the frinl
and making existence of soldiers in tn
trenches quite endurable. At sucI
times the picket's duty was of cours
only nominal one. He was to re
main at his post until relieved in tn
regular order. 1t happened that Oh
the evening before a comrade witt
whom l had served throughout tn
war had returned from Andersonvil
prison to the camp of the First Bat
talon. Naturally l was very anxiou
to see him, and about noon, while tn
men were passing back and forth freel
between the lines, and there being n
sign of danger for which p'ckets hav
to be on lookout, l stroled lelsurely t
the fort.
About an hour before dusk l starte
to return to my post the same way
came-that is, across the open feel
between the breastworks and the plckt
l;oa cavi,o the distance around nv nh
covered way because it was unnece
sary. At that hour the greater part {
the men who had been visiting tn
picket lines during the afternoon ha
retired to their camps for supper, bl
there was no firing and l stepped c
in a natural pace quite at ease. TT
distance, as have said, from the TO
to my post was about eighty rods.
had gone about half the distance whe
suddenly rifle rang out somewhere c
the picket line, just where did NJ
notice, Immediately followed by dozel
of scattering shots from the Confedera
side. Before could look around
see what was up as many shots we
answered back from our lines, Son
of the bullets whistled uncomfortab
close, but l walked on, confidential
thinking it was only an accident ar
that a single volley would be the er
of it. AS was walking in line o
lique to our breastworks / was on
about 200 feet distant from them al
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