Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-03-15

known as Fort "Damnation," when
the shot twenty-nine years before had
been fred, and the Fourth of July was
almost the anniversary of the very day.
Instead of white targets for n mark it
had been the tops of two Sibley tents,
which peeped over the ramparts of
Fort Hell, just opposite Fort Dam
nation. They were the tents of the
federal officers. He knew that from a
deserter who had informed him, also
that the officers of the whole com
mand held daily consultation there
and that he could tell the time from
the fact that they hitched their horses
around the tents. Col. Richardson was
then a captain in the Washington artil-
lery, and he conceived the idea of
scoring a point on the federals by fir
ing on the tents just az the time of the
daily consultation. He selected the
best gunner in his command and told
him what he wanted him to do. and
that was to load and prepare the guns
for a special shot which he was going
TO direct them to make the ensuing
day. The young captain was sure that
he had gunners he could depend upon,
and to make his triumph complete he
asked Gen. Malone to be present when
the shots were to be fired.
1t was noon the next day when the
horses of the fedora al officers were seen
collected around the two tents. The
gunners were told to train their guns
upon them and to be certain to make
their shots tell. Those two shots were
made the center of the interest of those
in Fort "Damnationn for that day, for
the word was passed around that the
destruction of the officers tents was to
be attempted.
After deal of preliminary arrange
ments the two shots were fired and the
tops Of the two Sibley tents disappeared
Ike card houses in a gale of wind.
The success of the shots was the sig
nal for cheering on the part of the
confederates Gen. Malone compli-
mented the accuracy of the artillery
men, and it was then that the captain
stepped to the gunner and expressed
his APPRECIATION in much the same way
that he used to the one that made the
good shot at Morgan City. But
there had always been tinge of dis
satisfaction about that shot at the fed
ersl tents and that was that he had
never ascertained whether anyone had
been hurt in the tents, and for the
twenty-nine intervening years that one
thought had pervaded the whole Incl
dent
With these thoughts in his mind Col
richardson turned away from the gun
ner at Morgan City, and at that mo-
ment one of Morgan City's prominent
citizens, Mr.. Gray, stepped to the
eoionels side and said:
Isn't this Col Richardson"
Yes"
Well, have been wanting to meet
you for many years. ever since ] heard
that you had been in Fort 'Damnation'
a the same time that was in Fort
He'll"
Ies?' said the colonel, land when
We're You in Fort 'Hell'?"
In July, 1864; in fact, just twenty
aine years ago to-day" answered Mr..
Gray.
The colonel instantly thought of
Nose two shots. and wondered if his
curiosity was to be satisfied. do you
remember day while you were oppo-
s.ie me at Fort He'll, when the tents
y me officers were taken down by two
slots which were almost simultaneous?'
The stranger did not reply for full
,-lnute. A shadow seemed to fall over
l''h his eyes grew dark, and he stepped
SAek and surveyed the colonel from
.aad to foot. Then he broke out, feel
Igiy; Hang you'll shall never for
81 those shots They swept away the
-oWer Of my corps My first lieutenant
" vas killed, and the leg of my second
-eutenant was shot off and FIVE others
sere killed And did you fire that
HE deep feeling Of the man was evil
s but moment later he said;