The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-13

or animal, capture him. Rather than
nave this occur, the coon gnaws off
his own foot and drags himself away
manned. 1t was a coon's foot thus
bitten off that saw one day on the
oyster beds. 1t takes a good deal of
nerve to do that. I heard once of a
man in this State, who when bitten
by rabid dog sat down on the side
of the road and with his pocket
knife cut out a portion Of the calf
of his left leg with his own hand and
cauterized it with a coal of fire from
a nearby house.
Our battalion did picket duty while
in this camp, half the men going on
every night. We slept in the bomb
proof of the battery at which we did
duty. In this were immense rock
cts intended to be used as signals in
the event of an attack, and the boys,
fnding these and having nothing else
for kindling wood. broke off parts of
the sticks of several of them for this
purpose. and carried the rockets back
to camp.a, One night two of them
were set off, but being unbalanced,
their flight was most peculiar and &C.
centric--one of them just missing
the officers as they sat around their
fire. The long-roll beat and we fell
in. The major was very angry. He
gave us terrific lecture and assur-
ed us that if the two rockets had
gone up straight instead of zigzag-
ging as they had done, every soldier
on the island would have been under
arms-two rockets being the signal
for an attack. He then asked who
were the guilty parties, and two ca
diets stepped out, acknowledging the
offence. They were ordered under ar
rest at once, and the corps was dis
missed with strict injunctions to let
rockets alone.
Another night we were on duty at
large earthwork on the side of
James Island facing Morris Island
This battery was armed with very
heavy guns, had furnace for heat
ing shot, and a large bombproof
magazine. The earth had been dug
from the interior of the battery to
make the walls, bombproof and bas-
tions. At intervals the big guns were
placed on platforms with embasures
| in
large and formidable. 1t was raining
heavily when we set out from camp.
BY the time we reached the fort the
rain came down in torrents and the
whole picket took refuge in the
boombproof, except those who were
on post l was put on at D. M, to
remain on four hours, the night be-
ing divided into three watches. Soon
after 1 went on post the night shut
down black and stormy, the wind
rendered locomotion difficult and
hearing next to impossible. 1 leaned
my back against an angle of the
parapet and remained still as long
|
soaked me to the skin and a little
rivulet began to trickle down my
spine. 1t was fortunately not bitterly
cold, but very disagreeable all the
same. l could see nothing and hear
nothing. 1 was afraid to move much
for. fear Of walking off the parapet,
and yet 1 could not keep quiet for
four hours on a stretch. At last I
forgot the risH I ran and undertook
to walk my post, with the result that
L pitched headlong into an embrasure
which was about maist deep in water.
My rifle fell from my hands and 1
began to feel about for it on the gun
platform. I found it at last and also
ascertained that my head had nor
missed the muzzle of the big gun
more than a foot. After recovering
my rifle I stood where I was until my
relief came. I could hear him wad-
ing before he came up to me, while
every few yards he would shout out
my name. l touched him in the inky
darkness before he knew he was any,
where near me. I startled him con-
siderably. / gave him the counter
sign, related my recent experience
and advised him to stand where he
was, as he would be partially shelf
cred there. I then groped my way
somehow to the bombproof, built a
fire, took off and dried my clothing,
and went to sleep. That night I
saw for the first time a Jack-o the
lantern. At first 1 believed it was a
signal on Morris Island, but after
watching it for quite a while I con-
cluded it was the ignis fatus of which