The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-02-16
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies Whiled
Away Life In COMPROMISING Ex-
periences, Tiresone Marches-Thril'
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.

JapS have any fun on picket NOW
| in the old days there was always
something doing in the First heh-
lucky, and it was more exciting III
i the early days of the war to go on
picket than to go scouting. On one
occasion while we were in camp at
Kanawha Falls, l was detailed for
picket with Bob Murphy, Donald
| Brick, and John Banister, of my own
| company, and five or six men from
other companies. We We're sent down
the river road and posted at the lower
| end of the narrows. There was only
one post and the reserve held the road
..The picket post was natural fort,
\ formed by detached rocks that had
broken loose from the mountain ana
| fallen so as to make rock inclosed
| bastion large enough to hold comfort
able five or six men. On the side next
| the mountain was large rock, nearly
Aat on top, this top sloping downward
toward the inside of the fort. rms
rock was seven or eight feet high,
| with n fat face and step. or shelf,
about two feet high, which was
standing invitation to man of aver
age parts to sit down.
81 was on first relief and was posted
| in the fort, the officer in charge say
ing: If you hear any one coming
| down from the direction of the noun
tain fire and fall back on the reserve
Soon I heard some one coming-com-
ing boldly and making good deal of
noise. 1 brought my gun into posi-
ton, and the old muzzle loader seemed,
in all It's anxiety to get into action, to
describe all sorts of curves and cir
cles. 1t gyrated like a searchlight
striving to locate the enemy, ana the
inclination to pull the trigger was al
most irresistible, and finally l pull
ed 1t.
"There was a tremendous explosion
in my immediate vicinity and a noise
in front like the scurry Of 4 cavalry
company. Then there was humping
against the big rock and in three mill
utes l was REINFORCED by the entire
picket outfit. There was still thump-
ing noise in front and some Of the
bows went forward to see how many
cavalrymen 1 had put out of action.
Snug up against my little fort lay
fine, 2-year-old steer, with a short
piece of chain around his neck, and.
mark you, shot in the head. That
meant fresh beef in camp.
81 went ON duty again at 2 a. m.
The boys had guyed me about my first
adventure, and I was on the lookout
for some of Aurphy's practical jokes.
He made full hand ut that, and
Brick was not slow, so I was ex-
pecting to be harrassed from the rear
as it were. l was sitting with In
back to the big rock. still as mouse,
listening intently, that / might not
be taken by surprise. l heard some
one stealthily approaching my strong
hold from the rear, but l was salts
fed that the fellow creeping up was
no 'secesh,' but my friend Murphy,
and 1 planned a surprise for him, NO
matter what his scheme might be.
presently ]. felt my cap
from aboTaaTzNew- boTa
so that s,-.o,.l q. - ss---.assr- ,ds of
wanted my cap he would -n,nd
reach further and give me my oil
Pretty soon l received quite s-.e-o..
on my forehead, and my cap was
fiirted off. I concluded Murphy, with
stick. was trying to capture my cap,
and l waited quietly for the next
move, when 1 proposed TO grab his
stick or arm and yank him off the
rock. / did not have long to wait.
saw the shadow of the arm project
over my head, l seized it with decis.
ion and energy, and, throwing all my
strength into the effort, brought the
owner of the arm off the rock and to
my feet.
but it wasn't Murphy. Great
Scott. No. There was a surprise foI
two-a young black bear and myself
The bear had been having game
with my hat, and here he was. / stood
looking down at him, when he Went
into action, giving my knee hug. but
not attempting TO bite. | had 4 piece
of fresh beef in my haversack, and
offered it to him. He ate il greedily
After that we were friends, and had
lots of fun playing with him while
was sitting out my trick.
when 1 was relieved / took hin
I'D in my arms and carried him unit
he became too much of load The1
1 put him down. and much to my sur
prise he kept right at my heels. and
we went uncOncernedly to the reserve
After square meal he slept until We
were ready to return to camp, ant
then followed us in. \ man from
Cincinnati named Hemingway took 6
fancy to young bruin, and gave m,
$50 for him. Hemingway enlarged
on the adventure at the time. but
had forgotten it until reference Il
the old camp the other day brought il
to mind"
Talk of bringing things to mind,
said the Major. Il saw a striking cas-,
when we We're in Boston at the en-
campment. There were good many
Of the Chicago bays there, and anon.
them one who had served i'm the Nine
teenth Massachusetts regiment On,
| day a one-legged man came into ou
range. and Jim. my Chicago friend
said: That brings to mind an Incl
dent that occurred on the slopes o.
McArye's heights at Fredericksburg
in 1862.
awe had just crossed the river ant
. | were forming for the cnarge when IN!
Captain said: 'J;Ii. We are going t,
take those heights or lose leg" Th'
Captain went down early i'll the charg'
and lost his leg, all right. l wen
down nearer the enemys works, wa
sent to different hospital, got well
rejoined my regiment, and served un
I til mustered out. The Captain had hi
leg amputated and was invalidet
home, and l have not seen him sine,
until to-day
.Whereupon Jim went up to his oil,