The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-07-01
A Duel With the BayOnet
BY Henry Van 0elder.
THE morning of June 2. 1862, is in my

THE morning OF June Z, loo<, is III my
memory distinct as the quiet after
a tornado. 1t was the morning after the
two days fight at Fair Oaks,where Sum-
ner's artillery saved the relics of Casey's
division and completed hollow victory
for the union.
As our main army could not, for lack
of bridges, cross the Chickahominy
river, our shattered brigades were I'M
able to rout utterly and pursue the torn
regiments of Johnston; so the two COM
batants lay loosely camped not far
apart, with the woodland battlefield
mainly in the possession of the national
forces. Yesterday, from those trees,
countless enemies had issued incessant-
ly against the continual blaze of our
bullets, and now the dead in their in
conceivable attitudes lay under the
CLEANS of early sunshine amid crazy
confusion of all the things on which
they had relied for safety and sub
sistence.
Haversacks and canteens; hundreds
of muskets, butts up and held by their
bayonets at all angles; thousands more
thrown away as if useless sticks; field
pieces, gun carriages, broken swords,
coats, blankets, underclothing, KNAPP
sacks-everything trampled and all
over mud. 1t was through this wood
land that went with Willis and Brad
ley, for we had obtained early leave
to look over the field, and incidentally
were ordered to report anything we
might see of the enemy.
When we reached the famous Worm
Fence, where the slain were most nu-
merous, we debated little as to wheth-
er we should follow its course this way
or that, as all we knew of the locality
was that Richmond was scarcely five
miles away, and we presumed that the
gray army lay between us and the city.
Here Willis, a Maine man who seemed
quite at home in the woods, took the
lead. Soon we had stepped over and
beyond the close-lying slain, though
now and then we came upon the body
of some southern soldier who, wounded
on the fighting line, had sunk down to
die in moving toward the rear.
Accommodating the ground carefully,
we had gone forward probably more
than q mile when we saw ourselves on
the edge of road that crossed the
woods at right angles 70 our course.
There Willis, telling us to halt, went
forward, peered in both directions, mo-
toned us to stoop down and then came
cautiously back to us. There was, he
said, some smoke rising beyond turn
in the road-a camp fire might be there;
he would go toward it, and we were to
follow him at so feet distance, taking
care to make no noise.
In two or three minutes he stopped
and beckoned us to his side. There,
looking through the underbrush, we
could see three "johnnies" beside a
small fire, eating a stew from a camp
kettle. Their guns leaned against a
neighboring tree. We were so near
tinctly, which was about one EN- Sim
gleton" and a recent letter in which she
had stated that she had already 'eat
watermelon" The surprise of the three
when we stepped into the conversation,
with guns leteled, and ordered them to
surrender was laughable, but none of
them lost their wits.
"Don't fire, Yanks! We cave" called
one.
'Sit still, or you're goners," said Will
lis, as one of them attempted to rise.
Then we secured their guns, and after
smashing them, stock and lock, ate up
their stew, which they seemed to regret
quite as much as their captivity.
(which way does this road run?"
asked Willis.
''Runs to the river that way; runs into
our lines that way" one prisoner an
swered. am not sure that he knew he
made two false statements.
swell, we must be off. Come along,
johnnies; right = forward march,"
Willis went ahead, Bradley and I
brought up the rear.
Thus we had marched for half mile
or thereabouts, when, hearing voices
and laughter ahead, beyond one of the
numerous short turns of the road, we
put our best feet forward to reach our
comrades, and came plump out upon a
company of fully 100 confederates.
"Hello, Yanks!" cried one of our pris-
oners, in great apparent surprise,
"who's on top now?"
"Just SO. See you later, Johnny"
said Willis, and instantly lodged into
the woods. He was followed by Brad
ley. /, who had been rather in the
rear, and partly sheltered from view,
leaped into the bush on the other side
of the road. How it happened that
completely escaped notice do not I'M
derstand, but while many of the con-
federates, shouting and shooting, ran
after Willis and Bradley, got away
without any pursuit.
Az soon as I was convinced Of this
caufious1v worked hack N within e;rh<