The Portland daily press., 1894-12-22


take-He Shot Cow and Precipitated
Pitched Battle Between Federal Com
Miraculous1y, Only the Cow was
Hurt-sergt. Ellis Interesting Nara
tive.
At recent meeting of Bosworth Post,
Mr. Hiram Ellis, of South Portland, read
the following interesting paper:
In October 1868 after the great f1ank1ng
march of the Army of the Potomac, the
Regt. to which / pelonged-the I'd U. 5.
Cavalry-was sent into Maryland to get nee
essary supplies and relieve our horses from
the hardships of the campaign that rendered
them almost useless. We passed through
LeesbuIg, crossed the Potomac at Young's
Island, followed the tow path down to Sem
eca Locks under The canal through the cul-
vert and went into camp near the main or
river road. We had hardly got settled for
the night when the patrol, that WAS always
marching up and down OH the towpath, re-
ported that an important post OF the pick
ct few miles down the river was without
guard. And it was afterward found that
the patrol on it's downward march had re-
ported the same to the Scots 900, regiment
stationed few miles further down. Upon
the receipt of this report our colonel is
sued the following order:
''Send company to that point TO guard
it for the night, to place one sentinel at the
mouth of the culvert and two others at
his discretion
At that time was 1st Sergt. and temporar
lily in command of the company. The Sergt.
Major brought the order to me. saying that
data ad bat nutv md
gave lie directions how to find the place.
We saddIeI up at once and set out, arriving
at the place just after dark and posted the
sentinel according to orders. In order to
make my story clear will make this ex-
PLANTATION.
From the main, or river road. to the
canal. it was about 20 rods by a small road
or by path. surrounded with sparsely grow
ing shrubs and small pines. This path had
a slight rise for about half the distance,
then fell off sharply to the bottom of a ra-
vine, this ravine running parallel with the
river. The path here made slight turn to
the right, continuing to the bed of stream
that flowed through the culvert. beyond
which was a ford of the river. Directly
across the ravine, on slight bluff. stood
block house or ''bomb proof and I must
QlECIlUG LulS dS lh HAS lAuCA " ~ WILL LILY
story. 1t was built by setting two rows of
timber like stockade, one outside the
other about seven feet apart, and the space
between filed with earth, the top covered
with heavy timbers and then with earth to
the depth of about feet. The only en-
trance to this block house, WAS through
hole so small that only one man could get
through at time and on his hands and
knees at that. While the sentinels were be-
ing posted some Of the men investigated
this hole, got inside and built small fire SO
that the inside of the place could he seen.
1t looked like good place to spend the
night. Our horses We're ranged along the
bottom of the ravine and fastened to trees
and bushes that grew plentifully on one
side.
Upon getting inside the block house
it was found that while a good place to
spend the night, it would be bad place
in case of attack. because one man armed
with picked stick would hold US all priso-
ners or starve US to death. 1t was there
fore ordered that if attacked every man
should get out and get to his horse as soon
as possible. l will say here. that l had
posted sentinels as follows:. One at the
mouth of the culyert, one on the bank of
the canal further down stream and one at
the highest point of the by-path already
mentioned We had hardly got ready to
spend the night in the block house when
the sentinel posted up the road. challenged
and called out the guard. We got out
through that Unfortunate hole quick as
we could, got into line and after a parley
allowed one of the party to approach and
give the countersgn. 1t was then found to
be a Co. of the ''Scot 900' sent there with
orders almost identical with mine. 1t was
under command of u lieutenant who at once
took command of the whole. He looked at
my orders and together we rode round and
visited my sentinels, who challenged sharp
ly and required the countersign in good
style.
He approved of what l had done
and suggest ed that's bis orders required
him to post sentinels he would take two
men from his company and for relief take
three men from my company and two from
mine and so on till morning. One of these
men was posted south of the block house.
on high ground, and the others to the north
on what would be a continuation of the
rayine, or what we supposed was cropping
of ledge slightly higher than the surround
ing intervale. 1t was afterward found en-
direct line with the cnlvert. These senti-
nels we're posted without saying anything
about it to the others. Then our troubles
began. | will say that the night was very
dark, the stars could be dimly seen through
the haze, and the atmosphere was in Condi-
tion to transmit sound to a long distance.
No wind was perceptible. We had scarcely
got inside the block house when shot was
fred Immediately followed by others and a
general uproar outside. We all made a dive
for that COMPOUNDED hole and got out and
there was trouble enough. The sentinels
on tee low ground were chasing each other
round challenging and shooting right and
left and those on the high ground were
firing and calling out the guard. And then
all made break for the block house. After
much confusion order was restored and as
no enemy was found the sentinels We're re-
turned to their posts. Then the Lieut.. and
myself investigated. We found that the
last sentinel posted had fired first and he
exnlained that he had heard something and
seen some thing move, and had challenged
and threatened and then. fred, but admit