The National tribune., 1901-07-11

come in. We moved to our new position
| late in the evening, and as soon as the
regiment had gone into camp heavy
detail was made for picket duty, and as
was my usual luck in drawings OF thls
kind, | got prize.
The detail under the command of
Lieutenant, moved about a half mile down
the pike to large white house belonging
| to a doctor; halting at i small house sit
uated flush with the road, and in front
| of the residence, which stood 300 or 400
| feet back of large yard. This small
house was used as the Doctors office, and
in it the Lieutenant made his headGuar-
tiers.
Three men were selected from the
picket detail for videt duty. l was one
of them We were placed still farther
down the pike, beside u picket fence, with
Instructions to keep a strict watch for the
coming OF the enemy, who, we were told,
was expected to be on hand early in the
morning flushed with their victory of two
days before, and still covered with gore,
which they had not had time to wash
from their garments.
This was pleasant news, and it made US
feel good to think that TO us had been
delegated the honor of being the very
first to meet John Morgan, and there die
at our post, that our friends might be
saved. / had the last trick i'll the morn
ing from 4 to 6 o'clock, which was just
at daybreak, and the very time when Nor
gan would swoOp down upon u.s.
| took my station-after renewing the
other man, who Immediately rolled him
self in his blanket and went TO sleep
beside the picket fence-and L waited the
coming of the rebels.
l had not been ON post more than half
an hour when my acute hearing caught
the sound of horses hOofS gathering on
the hard pike. | Immediately pricked up
my ears, so to speak, afresh, and cooking
my gun bent forward to listen. / now
discovered that the eayairymen were COM
ing nearer, and strained my eyes to make
out how many there were; but owing to
dense fog which had settled down
could not see the length of my gun from
me- | even got down on the ground and
| tried to look under the fog, but it was
no use, | was unable to see anything; but
whiia my eyes were unable to serve me,
my two ears did double duty.
Louder and louder grew the clatter Of
! horses feet, as nearer they came to my
position beside the fence, and, finally, so
| close were they that | could hear the
clank and jingle of the spurs and sabers
Of the men as they fearlessly rode on,
seemingly unmindful of the great danger
! they were running into, not knowing that
| | was there to dispute with my life their
| further progress.
About this time l felt the cool air
blowing on my head and when | felt for
my cap, which l suppose had fallen off,
found it perched on top of the hair, which
now stood on end. / said to myself: I'm
not q bit scared" OF course l wasn't
On came the enemy, until they arrived
within a hundred yards of where l stood
beside the paling fence, and / was about
to cry Halt! Who goes thereT when
the cavaicade stopped, then filed to theiI
right into i barnyard. | heard them dis
mount and walk around the yard. but
could see neither man nor horse, and il
the men spoke at all it was in tones sc
low that | could not hear. But from the
noise they made tramping over the ground
| could swear that there was at least q
regiment.
l now changed the range of my one
gunned battery, placing the muZzle be
tween a couple of palings, so as to sweeI
the point whence the sound came, anG
with the hammer pulled back, | stood
! rigidly beside the fence, anxiously wait
ing the dawning of day, when knew tn,
battle would begin.
! 1t lacked an hour to daylight, and / car
truthfully say it was the longest 60 min
J utes of my life, and there was as muci
thought crowded into that hour as woulc
: go to make up a lifetime.
= Finally the fog began TO lift under tn,
influence of the reflected rays of the ris
! ing sun, and slowly the darkness begaI
to give way, and the blessed orb of da!
: appeared.
1t now occurred to ME for the first tim,
to wake the other boys, and / explained
TO them that l had treed a regiment o
John Morgans cavalry, and wanted then
to assist in bagging them, as l did no
want one to get away.
When the fog had lifted sufficiently t.
: make surrounding objects discernible, W
saw, not over 200 feet from US, not Nor
! gan's cavalry. but large flock Of sheel