Incidents of picket life.
A correspondent of the
Danville (Virginia) Appeal, in a sprightly letter to that paper, gives the following description of life on picket and in the trenches in
General Lee's army:
‘
Some time ago an order was issued by our commanding general prohibiting deserters from the enemy entering our lines, and the pickets were instructed to waive them back, and if they did not go, to fire upon them.
For a week after the promulgation of this order, many attempts were made by deserters to enter our lines, and it was amusing to see their signals and signs, that they were "all right," while our boys would not understand them.
The consequence was, that in a little while the stream of deserters ceased to flow, and we thought ourselves rid of such troublesome customers forever.
’
We hold a line in close proximity to the enemy, the rifle-pits occupied by the pickets being in some places only fifty yards apart; but an arrangement existed preventing firing by either party upon the other.
During this "armistice," frequent attempts were made by the Yanks to exchange papers and swap coffee for tobacco; but orders were strict, and officers alert, so that no opportunity was allowed, had the inclination prevailed, to trade with the enemy.
Among the tricks resorted to by the enemy to hold communication was this: They would write anything they desired to communicate upon a small piece of paper and roll it around a Minnie or a grape shot and throw it across the line.
One of these missile brought over the following:
"Johnny.--Will you trade papers with us?
We have all about the capture of the
Alabama, the raid upon
Harper's Ferry, &c. Meet me half way; you need not be afraid of our shooting you. We can have a friendly game of euchre, and wind up with whiskey."
"
Johnny Reb.--Is the Fifty-third Virginia still on this line?
I have two friends in that regiment — got acquainted with them while exchanging papers, and think they are nice fellows, from appearances.
Toss your reply over as I do this."
No notice was paid to these communications, and after the deserters were stopped for some time, our general became desirous to learn something of the enemy's motions, and issued an order offering a fifteen days furlough for a captured Yankee.
Now, as soon as this order was made known along our picket lines, everybody wanted the furlough, and all sorts of tricks were practiced to entrap a Yankee.
Our boys commenced shaking papers and beckoning, but blue bel — breast "smelt a mice" at so much fondness expressed in a moment, and failed to come out of his hole.
Some good stories are told upon some of the boys, two of which I remember just here.
A reb starts out with a paper, and a pistol concealed, to meet a Yankee who showed himself in the woods fifty yards from our pits.
Getting within five steps of
Yank, he presents his pistol and cries out, "Surrender;" but just then another
Yank, close at hand, pokes his gun around a tree and says, "Swap papers, damn you, and get you gone." Which reb did in fast time.
A good one is told on two young officers who wanted a furlough.
One goes out unarmed with a paper, and waived it for some time to entice
Yank to come over, while the other stood ready to rush to his assistance.
After a while a burly Irishman came up, and the captain at once grappled him and endeavored to lead him in. But Irishman was too stout; and shouldering our spunky little captain, was walking off with him, when up ran the lieutenant with a pistol, and Irishman "caved in" and was brought over a prisoner; but
General Pickett said he couldn't give a furlough upon any such capture as that, and sent the Irishman back, as he wasn't taken with arms in his hand.
The
Yanks tolled off one of our men, and
Butler sent him back by flag of truce; but the outlaw was not recognized, and he carried the man back.
However, he afterwards turned the man loose, and he came walking in with papers, stating how he had been "gobbled up" and snatched off.
Then came
General Order No. 65, and we tossed them over the lines.
In a day or two the order worked like a charm, and they came rolling in by the dozen.
We sometimes get fifteen deserters in one night; all claiming protection under
General Order No. 65.
We made a raid on their rifle-pits yesterday and captured sixty prisoners.
Among them was an old Dutchman, who shook at us
General Order No. 65, and tried hard to tell how he claimed "protection under dish protection," but we couldn't understand his foreign lingo, and he had to bunk with the other prisoners.
On the evening of the 24th, it was reported to
General Thomas that negroes were placed in the rifle-pits in his front, and he at once ordered his pickets to fire upon them.
This produced a stampedes among the colored brethren and much confusion in the camp of their white associates.
Reinforcements were brought up by the Yanks, and then by
General Thomas; but before hostilities began in earnest a flag came ever, asking the reason of our firing contrary to the arrangement that had existed for eight weeks.
General Thomas replied that "we did not recognize negroes as soldiers, and should fire upon them whenever and wherever they appeared in arms. "
The
Yanks then sent out white men to the pits, and all became again quiet.
