Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-16
CHAPTER XVI.
SOME NEW NEIGHBORS.


WY8E, persplring and wild
-NSyR1A eyed. who exclaimed.
WzgSAJ "Good Lawd, boss,
dey's two strings Of
reb soiers ober yander. Dey's so long
dat you can't see neither end Of 'em."
The old woman seemed so earnest
that was half inclined to believe her,
so | asked. where are they, aunty?
How far?"
"Jes' beyan' de woods, boss. Dey's
jes' millions Of 'em."
knew the road for miles beyond the
station. 1t was so straight that man
could see long way ahead. had a
horse fast enough to get me out of
trouble should | suddenly find myself
within rifle range. and he needed ex-
ercise. so l mounted and galloped out
to reconnoiter. | passed the woods
without seeing any one. and from a
little hill could see that there was no
one In the fields beyond, so returned
to the station and rebuked the old
woman for lying.
"It's true as de Bible, boss, whut |
tole YOU" she replied earnestly. "Dey
dun tuck my two shotes long wild 'em.
You t'ink desc ole eyes cayn't see?
Yas'r. dey kin dat"
AS 1t was about time for us to be re-
lieved told her to go back home and
take another look and return.
A few hours after we reached camp
we were startled by the bugle blowing
"boots and saddles" the most per-
emptory alarm known in the cavalry
service. AS we hurried to the stables
we heard the "long rolf sounded IN
the infantry camp near us. BY the
time the assembly" sounded. the word
had gone through camp that the out
posts on every road, Oh circuit Of ten
. or more miles. had been driven in or
captured.
As we rode out at trot we could see
infantry moving into the works on ev-
cry side. light batteries taking POSI-
tions behind breastworks and men Mt
the heavy guns in the forts, while to-
ward series Of roads different from
that which we were approaching anotl.
er cavalry regiment was moving. In the
town we divided so as to reconnoiter
three roads to find out who and where
the enemy was. 1t did not take long
to get the desired information. A Con-
fedcrate gun or two on each road sent
shell or two to let US know where
they were. and dash Of skirmishers
at tue gallop yielded two or three pris-
oners. who told US that the troops who
had caused the alarm were two corps
of Lees army.
Well, we had gained the Information
for which we had gone in search, but
it didn't please us at all. 1t foreshad-
owed a change Of habit for us. Up to
that time we had been able with a sim
gle battalion to send flying back to
their camps any force that had ap-
preached the town. We could scarcely
expect to do so with the newcomers.
A single Confederate corps numbered
more than 10000 men; the entire force
at our post numbered less than 5000.
There was nothing to joke about Men
spoke to one another about the situa-
ton and reasoned about it, but in SEN
tences no longer or more sensible than
those above. Every one seemed labor
ing under a sense of personal affront-
affront which he was unable to resent.
We went to camp. and the enemy
went to fortifyng. as we soon after.
ward learned when on one reconnois-
sance oranother we stumbled upon forts
and breastworks where once had been
clear roadway and fields. Weeks aft
erward we learned from Richmond pa.
pers that Longstreet had been in our
neighborhood for forage and food for
Lees army. Had General Longstreet
explained his purpose to us when he
came. a great lot Of improbable worry
might have been spared. We might
even have complimcnted him on the
wisdom displayed in the selection of
the territory, for the country round
about us was fertile and we'll titled and
had not been laid under contribution
by soldiers, except perhaps to the en-
tent Of a few sweet potatoes, chickens
and turkeys. BY driving in our pick
cts Longstreet got possession Of two
railroad lines which gave him free com.
munication. barring the few miles with.
In our lines, between Richmond and
North Carolina.
But none Of these things did General
Longstrcet explain to us. Whatever
may have been his own intentions as
he meandercd from farm to farm for
corn and bacon. his men acted as IL
they would like to draw forage from
the commisSary department of our own
post and get anything else the town
might hold. ourselves included. If a
man doesn't want pcaccablc intentions
misconstrued, he shouldn't intrust
them to thousands Of fellows with guns
in their hands. Such men always get
things mixed.
OF one thing we felt assured-the en-
emy could not cut our line Of retreat,
which also was the route of our sup.
through the Dismal Swamp. dark,
deep. but friendly ally. which could
have swallowed an army like Long
streets without more than whettins
it's own appetite. The swamp was not
exactly mud. but almost any part OF
It could be turned to mud in few min