The National tribune., 1902-12-18
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.
THE ROBERTS RRoTnERs.

Of whom served in the civil war. These
brothers are Samuel l.. Roberts, of
Wilmington, Del; Albert Roberts, of
Bellefonte, Pa; William A. Roberts, of
Langdon, D. c., and Edward Roberts,
Of Cincinnati.
When the war began the Roberts family
consisted of father, mother, four sons and
two daughters, residing in Columbia, Pa.
Two of the boys, Samuel and Albert,
aged, respectively. IL and Is years, caught
the war spirit, and, securing snare-drums
went around the town drumming up re-
cruits for. the war, and succeeded in in
ducing great many to enlist. In April,
1861, they both enlisted, with the con-
sent of their parents, and served over four
years, or until the close of the war.
Samuel served as drummer of Co. A,
SD Pa, having been assigned to that
regiment at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg. He
participated in all the battles on the Pen
insrIia under Gen. Mcclellan.
An incident connected with his service
occurred while the 52d Pa. was stationed
on Morris Island, s. c. about July a.
1864. Torpedoes had been placed in
Charleston Harbor by the Confederates,
and one of them being located by
our men between Forts Moultrie and Sum-
ter, volunteers were asked for to swim
out and fasten cable for its removal. A
sharks had been seen in the bay, and it
was reported that several men had gone
in swimming and never came out.
Yet, in the face Of these dangers, young
Roberts, being an expert swimmer, vol
unteered, and boldly plunged into the sea
and with the rope or cable struck out for
the torpedo, which was about a mile away.
He accomplished his task without diff
Guilty, and returned to the boat, after hay-
ing been in the water nearly two hours.
The other three brothers, William, Al
and all saw hard service. Albert. known
as "Rolley," was considered the best
drummer in the Ninth Corps, and was
highly complimented by a war CORE
spondent of the New York Herald as being
the greatest drummer Of the time. Those
who have heard him on the 'long roll"
double drag" and all the old army calls,
say they never heard his equal, and that
he must have been born with the drum
sticks in his hands. He enlisted in 1861.
and weighed just Go pounds.
THE CAPTURE OF FAYETTEVILLE.
J. G. Fulton. Sergeant, Co. G. 1O1st
Ind, Button, Ind, writes: "Si KIegg's
write-up of the march to the sea and
Carolinas has been very interesting to me,
and especially the description of the cap
ture Of Fayetteville Maj. G.. w. Steel
and myself, with Is men from the 1O1st
Ind, Were regular detail of mounted
men from Atlanta to GoIdsboro, N. c., as
signed for the purpose of foraging and
capturing horses and mules for the artil-
lery and wagon trains. The evening be-
fore the capture of Fayetteville we rode
in on by-road between the rebel cavalry
and infantry to crossroads three miles
10 IL
Fourteenth Corps until we met squad
OF II men and Lieutenant, rebel pickets
at crossroads. They had knapsacks on
and guns at an order arms. We dis
mounted and claimed to be rebs, until we
got the drop on them. and then captured
them. We took them out the way we
came in, and made detour OF several
miles. and finally found our division. We
called up Gen. Baird and his Adjutant-
General. and received his compliments IA
good round cussing), and were ordered to
get little sleep Gt' was then a. m.), and
in the morning. said Gen. Baird, we
will all go over and see Fayetteville. and
you boys will lead the advance Next
morning we took the advance and when
we found the rebel pickets we were dis
mounted and put on the skirmish line,
and were among the first to enter the
city,"
THE CAPTURE OF FAYETTEVILLE.
8. L. Bibbins, Corporal, Co. B, pod
Wis, Beloit, Wis, says: "Apropos
OF the story of 81 Klegg and
Shorty, l have a very distinct
memory of the capture of Fayetteville. 1
was detailed then with the foragers of
the Third Division of the Twentieth
Corps as Assistant Quartermaster. NV
duty was to look after. the welfare of
headquarters, and to see that there was
plenty Of grub, also that the headquarters
teams had sufficient forage, and l went
out every day with detail Of comrades.
In addition to forage we took up all the
good horses and mules we could find, and
got quite number of excellent ones
When we were not on this duty, we were
building roads through the swamps, cor
durOying them with logs cut from the pine
woods. Early in March we started from
our Ncamp, about 20 miles from Fayette-
vile, l, and 10 men with me- We found
plenty Of forage. and taking the. road
leading directly to Fayetteville came to
the town about noon. Other foragers
Joined US there till we had nearly 100.
We advanced cautiously, but when near
the city line a body Of Wheeler's cav
airy charged us and drove us back mile
or two. Other Bummers from the Four
teenth and Seventeenth Corps reinforced
us, and we rushed the Johnnies back from
the town and took possession. so that
when Gen; Sherman came up in the even
ing everything was quiet"
DEATH AvERTED By PRAYER.
NJ II