The National tribune., 1901-01-31

embrasures were filled up with sandbags
and never was a cannon fired again from
that fort during the siege. So much for
Notwithstanding "Hoosiers," aided by the
Suckers and Buckeyes"
During the day sharpshooter inside
the rebel works had been doing some fine
work, picking a man from our regiment
every now and then with his almost-un-
erring rifle, and for a long time we could
not locate him. Finally he was seen in q
tall pine, few feet inside the rebel fort
some 90 feet high. He had nailed eleats 10
the tree, on the opposite side from us, and
had climbed up on them until he stood
with his eyes on line with the forks OF
the tree, out of sight of us, but enabled to
see us perfectly.
How to get him out of the tree was a
question not easily answered. We tried
volleying him, as we had served the bat
terry, but unsuccessfuly, while ne was get
ting in his work in l, =, ) order. Things
We're serious, as no one knew who this de-
stroyer would select for his next victim.
Go. L had quite character in the com
Ipany, named Blackburn. He was a man
without fear and wonderful shot with
the Enfield rifle, which weapon we then
carried. At last Ike jumped to his feet,
teNclnlminS, with an oath, that he would
get him.
Hardly had he gained an upright posi-
ton than zip! came ball, barely missing
his head. lie threw his gun to his shout
der, and almost instantly the piece crack
ed, and Immediately the sharpshooter
came tumbling from his high perch, no
doubt shot through the head, as that was
The only part OF his anatomy exposed.
blackburn, as he saw the effect of his
shot, brandished his gun and yelled like a
Sioux Indian, and exclaimed:
Look at him coming down all spraddcd
out. He's as big as hOss"' This ended
tree sharpshooting.
| Daring the day several Indians, belong
ing, think, to a Wisconsin regiment, who
were i'll the rear, not having been in the
charge, came crawling out through the
grass to the front, to sharpshoot on their
own hook, and to observe their cunning re-
minded one of the border warfare tales
that we had read in our boyhood days.
Each redskin tied a string around his head,
and at intervals about his body, under
which he stuck green canes, almost con
| cealing his body from view. Lying flat,
| they crawled along the ground, and if the
eyes were not kept constantly on them,
| they would be lost and it would be almost
impossible to find them again. Each
would select stump or log in the front,
and as soon as it was reached, one could
soon see curling up little wreaths of white
| smoke as the wary redskins caught sight
of rebels. When they crawled back at
night, they boasted greatly Of the number
they had shot.
AS the shades of night settled down over
us, the advance lines were withdrawn and
| lines of works thrown up. Thus we lay
during the long siege An attempt was
again made on May DO, as described by
Comrade Loop, but unsuccessfully.
We were now placed on adjacent hills,
running parallel to the enemys works.
Batteries were planted, riHepits and
breastworks thrown up, and daily strength
ened. \ close watch was kept on the
enemy, that no scouts got out to report to
| Gen. Joe Johnston, who was said to be
near Black River, nor that any from him
passed in to carry news to the beleaguered
garrison. Many were. caught attempt
ing it.
We arranged hunks on the hillsides, 0p-
pOsite to the enemy, and were out of
danger when asleep from direct fire. Each
company would go on duty alternately,
about every third day, sharpshooting all
day and standing picket at night, to be re-
lieved the next morning by another com
pany. My regiment was moved to the
| right OF the stockade spoken of when we
| charged, on range of hills, nearly as
high as the one on which was situated the
rebel works, between which lay deep hol-
low. The rebels had picket post on the
outside of their works, near the brow of
| the hills on which their works were
situated and overlooking the deep hollow.
we cOtliu see LueIu uISully cOIHe Jul anu
place their picket at a large tree. We
seldom moested them, as we had made an
agreement with them not to fire at each
other at night unless an advance was
made.
At last our officers concluded to put n
picket at this rebel tree, before the rebels
got to it. So they slid two companies
down into the hollow, and when there they
were out of sight of the rebels in their
works. Then, climbing the hill to the tree,
they were in pcaceable possession and
within about 10 yards of the works, pretty
close to be to an alert enemy.
When they found us in there, after an
unsuccessful fusilade of small arms, they
dessted and left us in pcaccable posses
sion.
An incident occurred that night which
may be worth relating and which illus
tratcS one of the phases of q soldiers life.
After everything had quoted down at the
post, two comrades of Co. ID were ordered
to crawl through the grass to about half
way to the rebel works, to keep a close
watch, that the enemy did not slip over
the works and attempt n sortie to capture
our picket post. The two comrades were
brothers, named Hageman, | think, great
big fellows, and as brave as lions. These
videts crawled to their position, unknown
to the rebels, and kept close watch to
their front. Being lower than the top of
I0t TtDtl MOIhS, tlldDltu Win hht
sky for q background, to readily see any
one rising above the works.
Near the time for their relief, head
was seen to appear above the works,
quickly followed by the entire body of a
man, which was soon decided to be that of
IL rebel officer He climbed down from the
works and advanced straight towards our
Yankee videts. What did it mean! Was
this a SPY or a deSerterI each mentally
asked of himself. Each took n tighter
grip on his trusty gun barrel and awaited
with feverish impotence the denOuement.
Cautiously approaching, the rebel finally
reached the boys, when, arising like a
ghost from the ground, both placed the
points of their bayonets ct the rebels
breast and exclaimed:
Halt Who goes thereV
The rebel, taken by surprise at being
halted between the outpost and the fortiti-
cations for it TRANSFERRED that he had
awakened from deep sleep and had start
ed out to visit the outpost, being an 'of-
ficer of the guard" and had forgotten all
about the post being in possession of the
Yankees), halted at the command, and,
still thinking it his own men, said:
"Oficer of the guard with the counter
sign"
The guards then said:
Advance, officer of the guard, and give
the cOuntersign."
The officer, yet all unsuspicious, ad
vanced to give the cOuntersign, which
,nust no done in such cases in both armies