Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-03-18
Two Soldiers

Il
snee with a ane-looking gentlemen of
the old Virginia school. Gentlemaniy
aud courteou--a typical southerner-
who told ne one Os the prcttiest seorses
have heard In = long time. Here -
the story;
When I ~as young nan served |
during The war In a Virginia regiment
in the sonfe,ierate army. and Sirrvn-
dered with Gen lee at AppomattoS-
enlisted ln the valley Of Virginia dur
ing the hr~t month OF the war and
served IA the SSonewan brigade and DR.
vlsio, 20 lts end. One night after the
second days dght IN the seven days
battles wac on picket dutvin hollow
between two heavily wooded hills
"As The opposing lines Of videttes
were very close together, was careful
20 keep quiet until I learned the cause
of the noise. didn't have TO wait long.
as footsteps came nearer and nearer
lnutn only the width of The broken 70
lHags o. the tree bchlnd which stood
.eparate-i me from the maker % the
racket. then quietly I erePt arouui
with hayonet hsCcd and gun On cock in
B the direction OF the sound. Proceeding
half = dozen steps, came fnce 90 face
with a union soldier lie wa walking
along carclessly with his gun on his
, shoulder. and I never saw a fellow more
astoniShed than he was when I. With
Z bayonet pressed almost against has
;. BREAST commanded him 20 halt. Drop
r. that guni Hands Up. NaDkr I com
- mRnded.
by thunderi' ~ exclaime0 after he
had dropped h.s Enheld- 'loa're q
Johnny. amt your
!, "'I am a confederate soldier said l.
y and you are my prisoner
q ~'Prisoneri Right here inside OF our
own hneai What does this meanT he
. queried.
2 You're outAide. and noa inside. OF
!. your lines. Yank. and you're inside ouI
- picket line. What were you trying q
!, do. anyway. trsmping arounohere like
,t a horse in a brzlHh heapT Evers bosc
~ within 100 yards could hear you thrssh
ing about. You're not a picket. an
al your
Is NO said he. I stole about camp o'
W a foraginF expedition havenr had
- bite since yesterday morn1ng You fe
y, lows scooPed our grub you know, an
nd am nearly starved
ny "'Starved7 said l. I've got = httl
le- eornbrend IA my grub sack. and I'll q
en- vide throwing on my haverssek. y
is' down and Try reb's short rRtion'
~ My Invitation was accepted with avi'
!, ity. and my prisoner dived into that o
h, grub bag ravenouEly.
.rd by this time had become Interests
me- In my prisoner. and after putting
es- stop 20 has apologies We struck up
mt conversation He told me his name. ar
said that his people lived near CoiuI
bus. o.. where before the war had be-
'Hs somewha acquainted. In short Tin
-. we were on the best OF termA so mu'
a 30 that leaned my gun against
Of broken branch and sat down eesi
en-. him I determined. II possible. 20 &
der him back safe within bis own lines. ,
BY before could do so the officer Of {
eff guard came up With the relief.
ny -%here did you ges Jour YAns
said he.
IN Captured him back there said I
.ny Take him With you and turn h
II over said he, and passed on after Po
ag- ing my relief.
for johnnie said my prisoner. ss
walked toward camp. VIII tney @eoc
"a 70 libby. do you thinkT
',sa Z Keep quiet I replied. and foil
a. me. Don't open your lip~ 90 anybc
the you may meet I'll do the best {
ith- for YOU
, Of I'VE got inside The Inca ~ishe
ntii Question past sentry who knew Z
snd then through the camp Of q No
,o,. Carolina regiment TO my own eompa
ths Quietly and without disturbing anyS
lete I got my prisoner into into my 4
re- tent and told him 70 lie down End vi
rins then took his black hat and blou
full slipped up 20 another tent where
art occupants were asleep and quietly
am changed them Tor an old gray sioI
ss and a gray jacket. With these I
,ns, back without discovery and Att<d I
rees my prisoner. I knew IL would De
possible 70 dodge the sentries with al
Gre body clad in blue. although there W
re- many Of our own soldiers ct that u
&c who were By necessity eonpellsd
cow wear any color they could get. {
dirty gray waS 60 near the color of
=. dead leaves and the ground thai
would es almost inponts,s se sss q
,,,., ere who we're then srssping bus Q
,sss. yards away. whsn returned I \
. ssl ny Tsnkss fris1d 90 xst ap snd 60
late sissg ~ quietly ~ posslslsA Ssspp'
. ~ thr2gxA "a snNR- astAn &1eA q