Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-03-13
Civil War Stories


se'V" UoSs VI company u, or which
Dwight r. Scott, quartermaster of
Camp S3, U. V. L., of Worcester. Mass.
was one, were detailed to 90 out about
three miles and do guard duty at a
rebel house and act as pickets. On
arriving at the place assigned 1t was
found that woman, the wife OF a col
onel in the Confederate service. and
small boy seemed to be the only occu-
pants.
The men Were stationed in front and
rear of the house. to intercept any one
who might be proving around. The
lady of the house was pronounced
rebel yet she, at times would come
out upon the front veranda of the
house and while endeavoring to per
suade the guard that 1t was not II
necessary thing to do--to guard her
nremises-yet she had NO objection TO
have them camp in front of the house
and would talk quite facetiously at
times upon the stirring events Of his
torical interest. always chewing the
agreeable and social end of snuff
sWab and ON ceaSing Der delightful
recreation would lift her dress up to
the height of her stockings. then would
thrust the end of her snuff stick firmly
into the band or garter that enclrcled
her hose and pass into the house to
other duties. The labors of the first
day were not onerous-everyth
passed off quietly and no incident dis
turbed the leisure hours till near the
posting of the midnight guard. when a
man In the distant fields was seen slow
~ advancing toward the house in the
rear. Comrade Scott was on guard at
this point, and. waiting till the person
reached the back door. he crept stealth
lily up to within hearing distance and
discovered that the man was none 9th
er than the woman's husband SCOTS
first impulse was to arrest him, as he
was an officer n the rebel army, but
the curiosity of the soldier is much like
that of a womans. he deferred the ar
rest and listened breathlessly. and lis
tening he heard the woman of the
house tell her husband that when he
came again great care should be taken,
as there was a picket guard of seven
men in front OF the house. In reply the
man said Tomorrow night about II
O'Clock we shall come for the things. rs
we are in need of rations.' He then
carefully departed.
When the morning dawned. early, be-
fore the slumbers of the household had
been disturbed, an investigation proved
Successful. In smoke house near By
was suspended pig of 100 pounds
weight and thirty chickens, all dressed
and ready for use. The incident of the
night was talked over by the little
squad of men and the night was looked
forward TO with interest-no sleep OF
that post that night The hour of /
was drawing near at hand. They saw
that their powder was dry and every.
thing In shape. Then the sergeant In
command ordered the men 10 crawl
along singly without any noise what
ever and lay fiat behind fence some
five rods IN the rear of the house. de
ployed at q distance of twenty feet or
more. Comrade Scott, who had discov-
cred the situation and was foremost In
laying the plot. was 10 act In this
drama independently and so placed
himself further to the right and far In
advance of the men at the line of the
fence. The moon was invisible, yet the
stars made the night light and some
distance could be observed. There was
to be a light placed in window If the
coast was clear, but our wary soldiers.
thinking she might mistrust what was
up, hung a lantern they found on the
corner of the house out of sight of the
folks within.
Patiently the party In ambush wait
ed An hour passed by and nearly an
other, when across the plain and down
by the woods a quarter Of a mile away
near an old cart path. was heard the
unIniStakable sound Of the hoof of
horses and the clicking like that OF a
stirrup against the scabbard of a sabre.
Ten minutes more of suspenSe-it
seemed an hour. Hearts beat quickly
and hands grasped more firmly the rifle
as they saw four men advancing across
the field toward the house Comrade
Scott, being in the shadow Of some
friendly trees. was quick to discern the
men as they alighted from their horses
and as they advanced. he. making a
further detour. got in the rear Of the
unsuspeeting enemy. When the fence,
behind which the squad Of Yankee sol
diers was posted had nearly been
reached, Sergeant Potter, in command,
cried out. HIATT" hearing which. Scott
ran for the horses so there would be no
escape. The man left with the horses
thinking that the approaching soldier
was one of his own party, was more
than astonished when Comrade Scott
took command and ordered him TO