Connecticut western news., 1911-06-22

Forts
 JQ | It Fsr was ke, palatS S by some old people VI
 with the army, and iN ny thoughtthat they were gI-nforma- tion to the Contederacy. There was al- ways light burning in one upper room nights, and it was thought that someone from the rebels visited the place at night for information. A detail from our reg iment. of sergeant and four or five men was made to go over in the woods back of this house and patrol and watch for visitors. It was my fortune one night, with three privates, to make this round, and we marched over i'll back of Fort Leon, You know the country was covered with scrub oaks about eight feet high. We struck into these brushes and after travelling about for an hour or so in the darkness we heard snapping of brush. Your sergeant sang out:
 Halt Who goes there?"
 No answer but flash, and & shot went whistling over your heads. You return ed one shot but moved on cautiously. After little time we heard foot steps and the sergeant again sung out:
 "Halt Who goes there"
 Friends with countersign r'
 Halt, friends Advance one with countersign !''
 And man advanced, cautiously, and gave your countersign oyer the front of the bayonet to which your sergeant ans wered. i...
 Advance, friends" They were friends sent out from Fort Leon on a similar mission, they had heard the shot at you, and had come to see what it was.
 You continued your scout round in rear of this house and watched till day light and were not disturbed again then returned to camp. This place was watched after this.
 You had Inspection nearly every Sun. day. Exciting events were being enacted before FIederioksburgh. which lep5:you vigilant Orders had been given for you to be ready to march at a moments warning; but you continued drilling, target practice from the forts, etc. You also had to furnish large detail to gc out on the cars on the Orange 6 Alex. andria R. R. to Burk Station to load wood to be brought in. You will re. member trains usually backed out; and team and overturned two flat cars, killed the mules and injured several of the boys. You know mules were of nc account, and you learned to, think that applied to the boy, too.
 Q You had grubbed stumps for wood to burn, but now every one of the boys would lug a stick from the cars whi ,h helped very much to do your cooking and keep you warm. You know Capt Kelly said, Don't steal, my boys. but don't go cold" And you didn't. About this time an order was given tc have five days ration oR hand and shelter tents. and be ready to move at a mo- ment's notice. And the boys began to send things home or give away all un. necessary belongings. Captain Gold gave away a whole ham which his boys enjoyed, for you stayed to eat many hams ard had no use for the extrs rations or the shelter tents for several months after. And lest you should get rusty you drilled, drilled for 8 change You remember the snow storm and the snow ball that you had, when you were divided into two battalions and faced each other for fight and it was fight, too, and some of the boys vented their spite on some of the officers by putting stones into their snowballs and hurlng them to hurt-and they did hurt judging by the appearances of black eyes, etc. But the right wing drove the left wing and were the winners.
 ITO be continued