The Washington herald., 1914-08-10


The work was begun July 4. and on
July l6 IL was ready for the engineers 10
place the guns. The work was conducted
from the first under fire OF the enemy.
much of the preliminary labor being done
at night
When, completed. early in August. the
fort mounted four guns. II was fanked
on either side by a two-gun battery.
From the top OF this fort the enemy S
line for three miles. and the spires OF
Petersburg. could be seen.
Many a veteran retained through after
years a vivid remembrance Of work or
service in Fort He'll The place was un-
der constant FIRE, and in that part of the
line the sharpshooters were never idle.
SharpshOotinE here, as in the siege OF
Vicksburg, had developed to a point OF
deadly accuracy. At intervals along the
breastwoTks were picket posts-holes in
the ground large enough to hold two
men-and on these the enemy bestowed
searching scrutiny. A head or an arm
appearing above the edge OF a pit invit-
ed a shot. Very often a cap was placed
on a ramrod or a tin can was placed on
the parapct. to determine whether the
enemy was on duty or not.
A shot through cap or can was usually
accepted as affirmative evidence
The accuracy of fire and ceaseless Wig
ilance were not all on the side Of the
enemy. The Federals were as good shots
as their opponents, as the "reminiscences
Of the Confederates show.
shot Through the Head.
A Confederate officer, Gen. John A.
Wise. in his delightful book. The End
OF an Era" tells a striking story of
Sharpshooting at Petersburg. In a Con-
federate pit were two soldiers, named
Newman and Blake. Finding constant
watching monotonous, they rigged a mir
ror to give them a view OF the enemy s
works in their front. and sat themselves
down comfortably behind their parapet
on the banquette. or firing platform, to
engage in a game Of cards, the stakes
being tobacco.
Newman having lost all his tobacco
reached for a piece Of Blake's. A friend
ly wrestling bout ensued. in which
Blake's head was raised above the edge
of the parapet. In an instant Newman
heard the spat of a bullet. II pierced
Blake's temples, and shattered the mir
ror.
Newman was obliged to sit in the pit
with the dead body OF his companion un-
til relieved at midnight.
Such deaths as this were not excep-
tional The danger made the men eau
tious. The strain told on their nerves.
They hailed with delight any release
from It. and as the summer passed. fell
into the habit. on some parts Of the line.
Of declaring informal truces.
I'VE often talked to each other" ."
writes Gen. Wise. Of the pickets. Some
times our conversation was civil and
kindly enough. Sometimes it was face
tious. At other times II was OF the
grossest and most unmentionable char
acter."
When, one bright, hot day a party OF
young women from Richmond visited the
Confederate lines. silence fell upon the
works near by. We're not fighting
women" said the Federals, and a pick
cts truce was begun.
The Northern soldiers, long away from
home and the endearing sound Of wom-
ans voice, looked with greedy eyes al
the lucky fellows who were showing the
young women along the works.
A wag in the line shouted across the
200 yards between the hostile works
Hey, Johnny; this is ladies' day. amt
It?''
When the women were gone and the
firing was resumed II was worth a mans
life to show his head above the parapet
on either side
tcOpyrish. 1914. By Associated Literary PusLl