The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-17

toned something more than quartz
of mile from camps, beginning at th
river above and extending in sem
circle to the river below. What thes
guards were for | have never been abl
10 conjecture, but it was so ordered, an,
being on third relief my time came a
midnight.
/ imagine most soldiers remembe
wildly their first experience on guard
duty; how slowly the hours dragged
along, how impatient for the relief II
come around, how sleepy and tired, anC
how the eyelids would close in spite O
the many devices adopted to keep then
open.
was SO impressed with the Importance o
this new duty that ! couldn't sleep, but sa
around the campfire waiting, and when the
shird relief was called was escorted up the
river-bottom five or six hundred yards and
placed in front of an old house which looked
like it had not had an occupant in 20 years.
The foundations had given away, one corner
dropped to the ground while the fence which
had once inciosed it had rotted until only
here and there a corner was left standing. a
grown UP in briars and bushes surrounded
the house, and dense timber, vines and under
brush were everywhere else.
1t was in this dark and desolate place that
4 was left alone after receiving instructions
as to my duty, and being particularly eau
toned not to 60 to sleep, as it was sure
death" for sentinel to be caught asleep on
post.
Here I was to stand two long hours, every
thing as still as death at the camps, not a
sound 10 be heard, except the gentle murmur
of the river and the hooting OF the big owls
In the bottom, which only added to the weird
ness OF my surroundings. ! had never been
alone in the dead hours of night SO far from
other human beings. and think | was not
more superstitious than other boys of my age,
siid not believe in ghosts, but as | paced my
heat back and forth in front Of that old house
q could not help casting glance behind me
every time / passed the open door; but no
ghostly sounds issued therefrom and no white
clad figures appeared. / continued to walk
my beat until, overcome with fatigue and
drowsiness / ventured to sit down on pro-
1ecting rail, selecting the most uncomfortable
seat / could find. But neither the discomfort
sOf sharp-edged rail nor my ghostly sur
Ioundings was sufficient to produce the in
sOmnia so much desired at that time.
A CHARGE IN THE DARK.
soon began to nod Ny hand gradually
1oosened its grip. My gun dropping to the
ground aroused me, and rubbing my eyes
open l resumed my yigils. | thought surely
at must be near day, and looked in the east
for signs of light but none were visible. The
first relief had either oversight themselves or
forgotten all about me. After another half
Id oI1 Il 80 I'D
ments' rest on the same rail, but my will
power was not strong enough to resist, and i
slept again.
In the midst of a dream of home, sweet
home" / was startled by Halt |! bang,
jbang." coming from the top of the hill far
above me. Then, rip rip ripI something
came tearing down, making racket enough
for a regiment of cavalry; but, / quickly
thought, no Yankees would be reckless
enough to charge down such a hill as that,
through thickets of vines and brush, when it
was so dark you couldn't see a foot before
your nose. 1t must be something worse than
Yankees. On it came, straight towards the
old house. Could it be the departed spirit
of the former occupant?
! In my excited state of mind it was easy
TO imagine that the woods were full of them,
or if, whatever it might be, and / felt a
weakness in my knees unbecoming a soldier
of the -Confederacy. I was wholly unpre-
pared for an encounter with ghosts or spirits,
and could not have told whether the counter
'sign was JEFF Davis or Abe Lincoln, but
determined to let the thing pass un-
challenged. Just as it reached the old house |
st uttered two or three unearthly bleats, and !
after few pitiful means all was still. 1t |
was a yearling calf perforated with double |
load of "buck and ball " from the sleeping |
sentinel on the hill.
After this / was very much awake, and /
could not have slept in a feather bed, and in /
due time my relief came around; but it was
hard for them to convince me that / had /
stood only two hours. / was on picket |
many times afterward when the enemy was |
almost in a stones throw, but never was as /
badly scared as my first night on guard.
Every day some new needs were suggested, |
and we continued making improvements on
our camps, decorating the interior of tents
and adding such rude articles Of furniture as |
we could manufacture from the boxes in |
which we had brought oEr provisions, and |
the remnants of lumber left after laying
floors, having an eye 70 strength and useful |
ness, rather than beauty and style of architec-
ture.
The boats made regular trips and We eager |
ly listened for their whistles, being sure OF |
letters from home folks and sweethearts. as |
well as boxes of good things that the Com |
misSary did not and could not furnish us
In this way we Jared sumptuously. and |
began TO think that soldiers life was not 50 |
bad as represented We still believed the |
war would be Of short duration, and felt some |
apprehension lest ii might end before we got |
a chance 10 test our mettle We wanted TO |
see at least, a little active service and par |
ticipate in one battle, so the Virginia bows |
would not have all the glory TO themselves.
THE DREAD LoNG-RoLL.
Our good times were fast approaching to
close; towards the latter part Of January |
rumors of the enemy advancing from Column |
bus were circulated in camp We could not !
trace these reports 10 any authentic source |
and did not believe there was Yankee with |
in 40 miles OF US; but it gave Us something |
10 talk about. and when we were aroused at
] O'Clock in the morning by the "long-rolP' |
we were convinced that there must be some |
foundation for the rumors, as the authorities |
certainly woald not be so cruel as TO disturb |
our slumber al such an unreasonable hour Of
the night.
We had drummer from way back" He
had beat the drum for militia "musters''
long before the war, but had never tried his
hand on the "long-roll . except during the
few weeks he had been practicing it since we
l.