Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-11-09
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
FUN AT The FRONT.
Some Amusing Scenes Recalled by a War
Veteran.


Some Amusing Scenes Recalled by a War
Veteran.
In q little house surrounded by locust
trees, situated on high hill overlook
ing the Rappahannocls river and right
in sight of tho new White Sulphur
Springs hotel, lives an old soldier named
Capt. Hills,who fought through the late
war from Manassas to the great strug-
gle on Little Round Top, under the
brave Stuart, and who has lived ever
since in this little cottage, near which
ripple the shallow waters of the river
and around which the Blue Ridge seems
to stretch like great stone wall, shut
ting out the busy world beyond.
His frame is emaciated and bent, but
his mind is clear and correct and his
bright eyes sparkle with merriment as
he relates some of the amusing Incl
dents which helped to keep the spirits
of the brave boys alive during the dark,
dangerous days of the '60s. While
down on my vacation short time since
1 called to see him, and as he seemed
bright and lively L asked him If he
would not tell me something about the
life of the men in the camp and in the
1ield during that great strife.
Il should think you would have al-
ways been unnerved and gloomy under
such circumstances" 1 suggested, by
way Of drawing him out. "Did you all
quake whenever you entered fight?"
"No, no." he replied; "we had no time
to think of such things. We kinder
acted mechanically after the first two
or three engagements, and, somehow,
never seemed to think of the danger
with few exceptions, of course. There
was one fellow in our company, how
ever, who was just dying to get at the,
Yankees before the fighting began, and
then every time they began firing he
would fall fiat on the ground, moaning
and groaning and swearing he was shot,
and would have to be taken from the
field. He was never worth 'picayune
to the cause
Our lieutenant, too, for long time,
used to make a tremendous dodge every
time he saw the fame from the mouth
of the enemy's cannon. AS if he could
dodge the shell.
''Spealtingef getting scared, though
he laughingly continued, Il shall never
forget one man in our company named
Silas Embry. He was riding along the
Rappahannock road one night when
there were lots of Yankees around, and
was pretty nervous, anyway. Well,
the road was dark as pitch, and you
couldn't sec ten steps ahead of you. At
turn in the road he happened to lift
his head, and there right beside him
stood tall, savage-looking warrior,
ready to shoot. L surrender, sir; 1
surrender; for Gods sake, don't shoot
he gasped, and handed over his sword.
lou can imagine his chagrin when,
after a careful scrutiny, he found that
it was nothing in the world but tall,
gray gate-post, which had been left
standing in the road years before.
81 remember, also, once when we ex-
pected night attack the same man was
detailed to stand picket about mile
from camp, and upon hearing the ap-
proach of the enemy's cavalry was to
discharge his piece and ride with all
speed to camp to inform the sleeping
army. He was stationed in the road on
the edge of large body of pasture
land, and about midnight 80 or 40 colts
belonging to the farmer came sweeping
down the valley toward the sentinel.
Well, he was ready to run, anyway, and
when the colts got within 800 or 400