The National tribune., 1901-04-25
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
LiEs.
A YoUTHFUL PATRIDT.

A YOUTHFUL PATRIOT.
II. ]. Wright, Co. X, S5th n. Y, and
Co. G, Goth n. Y, (McClelland Cavalry),
Oxford, n. Y, writes: in 1861 | was
IL years. My father and half-brother
had been gone some time and the Gov
ernment was still calling for more men.
was full of patriotism, but mother, who
was left with quite family on her hands
and only me to help her, said | could not
go. The battle of Bull Run settled
the whole thing. | told her if she did not
let me go l would run away. | enlisted
in Co. X, Both n. Y, commanded by W.
B. Lord, of Brownville, n. Y. The regi-
ment was in camp at Munson's Mill, near
Falls Church, Va. Finally it came our
turn to go on picket duty, out on the Fair
fax Court House road. / never had been
on an outpost, but was anxiously waiting
a chance to capture q Johnnie 1t was
my luck to be posted on the Fairfax Road.
1t had been raining for a day or two,
and everything was wet and muddy. We
had no moon at that time, and the night
was dark and cold. had stood an hour,
when l heard something coming through
the mud-splash, splash. 1 began to get
excited, and yelled out, Haiti Haltp The
next instant there was binding fash, a
roar, and a surprised boy. The old Har-
per's Ferry musket had spoken as loud
as young cannon. l was pushed back
about six feet, with a bruised shoulder;
then all was still for a moment. Then
voice was heard from the darkness, say
ing: "A friend, don't shoot 1 allowed
the stranger to come up and / demanded
the countersign. He turned out to be one
of our spies. He did not hear me halt
him. He said he did not want me to
shoot at him by daylight, il l could shoot
as close as l did in the dark Well, I
did not get my Johnnie that time, but
how L did get him l will tell some other
time. l saw many hard days marching
and fighting, and service, and was in the
wind-up.
FBEDERICKsBURG.
Edward NJ. Cafferty, First Sergeant.
seth N. Y, Binghamton, N. Y, writes:
I'm looking over my scrapbook, | found
Monleia Williams, Co. A, S4th n. Y. Vols,
account of Fredericksburg Recollection
published in your valuable paper some
time since. The writer being one of the
party that crossed, desires to correct
Comrade Williams statement in regard to
where we found the prisoners. We cap
tured rs of the 18th Miss, who were "
ing on the ground in rear of a house in
front of where we crossed. True, a few
were captured in the houses. Capt. HUI
ley, who had command of the boat in
which the writer was one of the number,
can verify my account of the capture"
SCATTERING.
w McKeIYey, Co. NJ, 10th Pa. Cav,
Tyrone. Pa, replying to the letter of Com
rade McWilliamS, in recent issue, says
that he well remembers the capture OF
that comrade at Catlett's Station. Com
rade McKelvey was wounded at Middle
burg, while marching to Gettysburg, so
did not participate in the latter engage
ment.
I;,-ip OF Tnffao T,oudinO fNanu II
has been a reader of The National Tribune
for IA years, and writes that he could not
do without the paper. He served from
Oct. "A, 1862, to July 26, 1865, and par
in all the battles of the 9th Tenn.
Cav.
jeremiah Sawdy. Co. D, 10Th Ill. Cav,
Murphy, Ore, replying to inquiries as to
who was the first man killed at Gettys-
burg, SAYS: ''The first man killed was
Thomas BIanset. Co. F. 18th III. Cav.
Gambrun's Brigade, Buford's Division. He
was killed on the morning of July 1, about
Q o'clock. The writer and Blanset had
been on picket the night of June 30. He
also belonged to the same squadron as my
self. 1t was called the Gray Horse Squad
ron. I would like to hear from some OF
the old brigade composed of the 18th H.,
Sth ILL.,, Sth n. Y, and Sd Ind. Cav"
Sol. r. Shrake, Corporal, Co. G, 22d
Wis, Livingston, Mont, writes:
81 would like to know where the COM
rades of the old Second Brigade, Third
Division, Twentieth Corps, have strayed
to. Col. John @. Coburn commanded the
brigade until we captured Atlanta. The
brigade comprised the following regi-
ments: odd Wis, 10Th Mich, 33d and S5th
Ind. I have lived in Montana for the
past So years. Cannot get along without
The National Tribune"
s. NJ. Swearingen, Battery d, 1st W.
Va. L. A, Mercer, w Va. was one of
the young soldiers of the rebellion. He
was born Feb. 8, 1S47. He enlisted Aug.
IL, 1862, and saw much hard service.