The National tribune., 1900-08-16
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
SCOUTING AT DEAD OF NIGHT.
Between the Fire of Two Picket Lines-A Per-
flous Expedition.

other great battles in the Southwest. the
siege of Fort Donelson, the two days
battle at Shiloh or Pittsburs Landing,
and the siege of Corinth and It's Su'Se-
ouent evacuation. one closely following nli
the other. After the evacuation of the
latter place, the 29th III. was letaled tol
OUTPOST duty quite = distance IN advance
of our fartheSt picket line. for what pUi-
nose we knew not then. and a long time
elapsed before we did find nut. We had
been there three or four days. posted III
what we considered the most exposed po-
sition imaginable aS the main line of our
forces must have been two or three miles
An our rear.
one beautiful moonlight night our
Colonel. {. Carroll Marsh. received or
ticrs from Gen. Judah, our then DIVISION
commander 10 have a detail of 20 picket
men made frnm the regiments for the
purpose OF maxim" a scouting trip about
three miles in advance of the position we
were then holding. He had reason, 1t was
rumored, TO suppose that there was quite
a large force campcd there, and 1t was
for that purpose they were TO DC dis-
patched, TO ascertain if such was the
ease and to learn their object, their num-
hers. and to find out what other facts
could he learned in regard TO their con-
1emplated movements. We We're not to
leave camp until i clock at night, and
were to start unbeknOwn to the rest Of
the regiment-in fact, perfect secrecy
was to be maintained.
Can't. Bradley was a personal friend
of Col Marsh, and happened to be at his
headquarters when the orderly arrived
with Gen. Judahs instructions. After
hearing what the orders were. Capt. brad
ley at once importuncd the Colonel to
place him in charge of the detail. to
which he complied. The Captain at once
repaired to his command, which was Go.
e :oL I n-InflI- -Snrppap
and selected 20 of his own men.
To say that We 20 men were delighted
at what we well knew was most risky
and dangerous undertaking. would not eX-
press it. We felt tlattered to think We
were the favored ones of the entire regI-
ment 10 be thus picked out for such
perilous duty. After receiving all the or
ders. instructions and cautions in regard
TO entire silence. together with all need
full ammunition, we quietly left camp at
the appointed hour and were soon on the
line of march toward the rebel lines.
1t was almost as bright and clear rs
midday for about q mile, and until We en-
tered q dense forest We could see every
thing with distinctncss about us. We
were marching by the fank-l0 files of
men.
Just after we entered the forest, IN
clump of bushes. | thought / saw three
men skulking under their cover. l did
not say word, for | was not sure, and
thought IL ! did mention it and it proved
to be a mistake, the laugh would all be
on me.
The trees of the forest were so thickly
grown that the light could hardly pene-
trate enough SO that we could see any
thing distinctly. 1t was that kind Of
lightness, or dimness, call it what you
may, that causes you to imagine and CON
5ure up in your mind most anything. Talk
about building air castles, you could see
palatial mansions, beautiful landscapes,
phantom ships ON the broad ocean, and
everything radiant and sublime on earth,
good or bad, hideous, horrible and grim.
We were now about a mile and half
from camp. We began to fully realize
the danger we were in, well knowing that
the least indiscretion or imprudence on our
part might subject us to capture or death.
should the rebels become cognizant of our
presence. We knew it would be life or
death.
We came to a halt, and after holding
short conversation together, Capt. Brad
ley gave the orders to dcploy as skirmish-
ers on each side of the road, six or eight
PAGES apart, and to advance slowly and
cautiously, and TO be on the alert for
anything that might happen.
In compliance with his orders, we
pushed ahead-cach man feeling as if he
had much rather travel the other way
t1p"NfNAf w S4Vh4s BtAHf>'- DAi Jul Nss
over the damp, wet leaves and under
brush of that dimly-lightcd forest, with
all the stiffness of death.
a short distance in front Of US we
could distinguish a dark object lying on
both sides of the road. On our nearer
approach we could see that it was a very
large tree, fully three feet in diameter,
which some heavy storm years ago had
hurled 10 the ground. 1t would have af-
forded us good brcaStwoI'ls in ease of
an attack. As we stepped up to go over
1t, what was our amaZcmcnt and sur
prise to hear the snorts and grunts and
the scrambiing and pattcring Of what ap-
peared to be wild animals in the leaves re-
treating from US. In an instant every
mans heart was in his mouth, and at the
same time Click was heard from
every musket as each man brought it to
his shoulder, while the clear but low voice
of Capt. Bradley rang out:
STEADY, boys, Stcady"'
There we stood transiixcd for the mo-
ment, in anxious suspense. The scare
was complete. We did not care to inves-
tigate.. any further-we wanted Ito go
home"
The cause of our discontinue was the
fact that very large drove of hogs were
asleep in the leaves under the cover of
the old tree, and it was our approach
that so suddenly awakened and startled
them. 1t will always remain with us an
open question as to which was the most
frightened, the hogs or ourselves.
Under the circumstances, advancing
any further was thing not TO be con-
sidered for moment, and we made
ready 20 retrace our steps for camp. But
short distance from US we could discern
the dying eniIers of what appeared to be
recent campfire.
One Of our number, more reckless than
the rest, crept cautiously toward the fire,
and there found every indication of the
camping there, the night before. of quite
a force Of rebel cavalry. More than that
we could not learn, and not having the
inclination to investigate any further, we
started on our hOmewaTd trip.
We had proceeded but a few yards
when the sharp report Of the picket guns
struck our cars. and we knew they were
from our own lines, for we could hear the
bullets crash through the trcctops over
our heads, and also hear the rebels reply
ing to them. 1t was at once evident that
when We first came into the woods that
we had not only passed our own picket
line, but had also got inside the rebel
pickets.
Here was more canse for our being on
the alert. | made the remark to the Cap
tain that when we first entered the woods
1 thought i saw three men in n clump Of
bushes on the right hand side Of the road.
Said he, $50 did |; why did you not speak
Of itf'
=, "Well, Captain" said /, Il can rroba-
IN