The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-06-07
Shot by the Picket.

In the autumn of 1862, when Lees
army was encamped around Fairfax
Station, our outside pickets were sta
toned on field less than half score Of
miles from Alexandria, says writer in
the Wdverly Magazine. 1t was then
the habit for the picket lines TO fire at
each other on the slightest provocation,
custom af erward wisely abolished to
the relief of all. But at the period of
which | write, not content with remain
ing at their posts at night, the men
would go beyond them and seek shot
by stealth at the enemy, so that picket
duty was not only severe, but danger
Gus. One night in September the post
taken by the writer and two others was
in an old field. The Northern post was
less than half mile away in long
line of woods. We were given many
hints by those we relieved, and told
that one of our men was killed the
night before; that we could lot be too
careful, for his slayer had approached
the post on all-fours like hog, and, as
may be supposed, we determined to
keep a sharp lookout with eyes and
ears. The night was dark and wet, and
We began work by stretching blanket
across little framework and lying face
downward, with our guns ready cooked.
We lay thus till well on toward mid
night, when my comrades fell asleep. |
could hear their regular respiration,
and determined 1 would not follow
their example. Suddenly l heard a
noise in the tall, thick grass in front. L
almost stopped breathing so that l
might hear the better. Yes, heard it
again! The thick grass seemed now
and then 10 crackle, and presently l
thought 1 heard the grunt of hog.
My ears were open to the least sound.
There it was again, the same low grunt,
but nearer; l felt sure it was Northern
soldier, not an animal, from whom the
sound proceeded. Should l awaken my
companions, or how must l act? They
might do the very thing the fellow
wished and tell him where 10 fire. This
clearly would not do. With cold chils
chasing each other down my back, |
grasped my gun, already cooked, and
waited. Now | could hear tie North
erner as he cautiously crept through
the tangled grass; then | heard gruLt
not a dozen yards off. Strange 10 say,
l. wac uOl hdN OSCb'
looked fixedly ahead. l thought | could
count the stems of the long grass as
they parted to the coming feet, and
there was the enemy on all-fours right in
front. Bang! went the old musket,
and up jumped my thoroughly awak-
ened comrades with What is it?" on
the lips of both. In a whisper | told
them all l knew, and for the rest of that
night three pairs of eyes were never
closed. Not sound came from the
front. All was quiet as the grave. Had
l killed the North erner, and would his
companions come to see after him?
These and a thousand other questions
kept me busy till daylight, the first
streak of which revealed to me dead
body not a dozen yards off. What a
lucky escape we had had But we must
remove the victim, so one of my COM
rades crawled out, while we watche d
every movement with gun at shoulder.
What's that you say, John?" A
hogl" were the whispered words.
Yes, it is hog and no Yankee!"
came back the reply. And so it was.
That night, when relieved, we took
the porker TO camp on our shoulders.
1t was some days before l recovered
from the double scare and the jokes
and laughs of my companions, but the
addition to our supplies was a most
welcome Oue-IrOU Times