The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-03

] ue on the IlpA'f ntN'iF' N't''N- 49,
beyond our present position.
For tho next few moments we walked
/ forward without much uneasincss' unill
We came 10 the foot Of the rising srouna'
] oycrloolng the river. Then, returning
to our crawling posture, We went on to-
/ wards the lines OF the enemy. flndihE
! that we had almost reached the crest OF
/ tho bridge. we halted, in order 10 eaten
/ sound from man or horse, 10 heip us
/ locate the "pickct-posts.' We had gotten
/ within nfiy steps Of cayaryman' as We
/ gathored from the rafting OF brldic-pt.
/ Having located one man on our risht at
tontlon was turned TO che piacInE OF
/ mo next man 10 our left. That beng IOne
We we're prepared TO so halfway between
/ Them. when our greatest danger would be
over. until our return 20 the DicSet-line,
on our way out. While sirainng our
mowers 10 locate re next man. the Diff
/ Gully was settled Tor US. The relief
/ guard" passed along the pickct-iine, and,
| stopping al each post. gave All the III
formation that We needed on TIA, point.
| They passed within thirty steps OF us,
and halted at the next picket-post. Under
cover OF the tramping Of horses, ana the
rafting OF sabrcs. wo hurried throusn
the line. and. standing erect. we moved
rapidly towards the house OF "a oouthsfh
refugee.
BOYS. HE'S A REB.
Mrs. Thomas Moore the vito OF a
prominent lawyer at Fairfax Courthouse,
lad LEFT her home. and come TO Culpeper
county for safety-a vain effortas she was
now in the rear Of the eneinys mes She
gave us supper. and some litue inlor-
InatOion about the movements OF lhe
troops. Pressing forward. we went next 10
Mrs. Hansbrough's, the mother OF one
of our marty. When We reached the house
ir WAS about 10 o'clock at night, but she
~ very busy with the preparation or
sumner for the tired soldiers VINO hhd just
come in and Hooded the house. AS sh'
uasscd the window. q gentle tap with the
lngcr-nau on the glass, served as Nle
srnal to-aftract her attention ana lh
snort time she had put liberal supply
Of bread IN her apron, and had dNioeu
/, among us. she gave such Information
az she could gather from the CONVERSE
ton OF r1ie men in the house
In ION minutes we were pressing for-
yvard ?, see for ourselves the extent OF
the movement. and the probable design Oh
the enemy. We wanted TO capture men
fror, Tine command that had been al
vanced. This would give snii.cleHl u.''1
for differences. With Information balh,u
fror, citizens. prisoners and personal OBJ
servation. We could gTye something hke
q foir guess at the designs Of General
Meade.
while resting for a Snort time, AMI
making our plans 10 enter an ehcaihp-
rent inst ahead of us. we heard what We
tool, ia be about a dozen men, rapldiy
odvancino~. From the lively conversation
goioe. on. we focnd that the mon certainly
were MOI ON duty, ana possibly were not
armed. Your speaker sat upon the fence
iusf where the path crossed put ms men
| bebini the fence. and awaited further
| DEVELOPMENTS. As the leader started TO
climb the fence, my hand was laii upon
| his shoulder. and ne was ordered 10 sur
rendef " lie sprang back. ana started 10
make a good retreat. but the thought cyl
IDENTITY occurred to him that IL might no
/ one of his own men getting OF JOKE anu
! inat if DE ran he would not near the emu
/ Of IL. as a distinguished Confederate gene
ral used 20 Ky. ''in during OF the war
/ Ho therefore. gathered up the remnant
/ of his fast-failing courage. and advanced
/ the second time. Taking my coat-siceNe
. between his fingers. he raised my arm
I close TO his eyes. as If near-slshted. ana
examined the color of my uniform. flnd-
| ing IL regulation gray he eased him-
| self back on the foot which had already
started for camp ahead Of the owner ana
| in "a stage whisper said: Boys he Us d
/ Rob." no order was given 20 'iail pach'
DO was not necessary. Tn the Wild race
| for camp The path through the 'old-held
/ pines was lost but that seemed 10 matter
I very little. so time was lost In joining
! the "grandest army on the globe. Every
/ snap Of "a dried pine limb was magninei
! into a p.stol-shot. in the stampede we
| heard one man after another bit the body
of a pine. Then the cry came. Don
/ leave me BOYS. and. finding no response
/ the gallant order came. Orally boys -
an order often given ia fights 90 let the
| last man have an equal chance or
| escape. our prisoner had fed, but We
enjoyed tho affair very much.
INTO THE ENEMYS MAIN CAMP.
Having failed to secure prisoners. we
decided 20 go into the main camp of the
| enemy, 20 ascertain by observation the
real extent OF the movement. Being well
| supplied with guides We resolved 10 80
| mo camp on the.oastcm and out ON the
| western side. The night was mt times
! very dark, but when the clouds lifted the
| moon would struggle through. and now
| and then enable as to secure a. pretty
| accurate idea Of our bearings We had
| consented 20 go 20 Robert i-lush house.
| as this would carry us entirely through
the enemy and give AS section 10 ope-
| rate with which our guides We're familiar.
! We had just crossed the "urauee and
! Alexandra railroad" Ohe present South
| orn railway al point ebtwecn Mitcheus
| Station and Cuipeper Courthouse. near
| Winston Station. The clouds seemed 20
| touch the earth. and soon steady rain
storm set in. ia our wauderrgs we
| crossed the same log twice. This led to
conviction That tne guides were lost.
! Then came the confession that they did
not know north from south We had been
halted several times. aud knew our dane
or but ala not know how TO escape.
There was but one thing 20 do. ANA that
was TO lie down until light cnocgh 90
make our way between the picncts. and
reach more secure place t0 spend tlo
next day. The men Were warned Of Tho
danger OF sleeping on post. and the speak
err was sound asleep in o. few moments.
| The plan was that VIC were 90 Doe astll
with the first indications OF light but IN,
fact was that 10 was O'Clock before any
OF Us opened our eyes. Our situa40n Wa.
q very critical one. Any moment W,
might be discovered. The proximity OF
the enemy. the very open nature of thD
woods. our large number Of men -four
instead OF one. male IL almost imDOssibl,
10 escape without the loss OF life. Ihi,
was also impressed on the men as a warn
Ing not 10 sleep again, but TO take turns
| I'm keeping watch. ana 10 call me If any
| special danger threatened MS. ordcrs
being given. inside OF one minute. per
! I.s,1 the leader of The SCOUTING marty MA.