On Picket Duty.          By H. V. Hoagland.

 

            It was in Missouri, General Prentis' division had made a forced march, supposedly for the purpse of intercepting a movement by the rebel General Price.

 

            We went into camp late at night, a guard was placed around the camp and sentinels were placed on outposts on the roads leading into camp.

 

            I was posted on one of the outposts, about one half mile from camp, and went on duty at one o'clock in the morning. The night was dark and I could form no idea of the lay of the land or of what was in my immediate vicinity, as I could scarsely see across the road.

 

            The Officer of the Day visited me shortly after I had been posted. I halted him properly and he advanced and gave the countersign, then after making himself known, cautioned me to be very careful, for on me depended the safety of the camp, as the enemy were camped only about a mile out on that road and would undoubtedly attempt to capture this outpost, without causing an alarm, so as to surprise the camp while the boys were still in their beds.

 

            He said that they would send scouts to knife or bayonet me or capture me if possible, before I could fire my gun and that I must be watchful and not let anybody or anything approach me. Well as I was raw and green I believed all he told me and promised that I would sacrifice my life if necessary, in order to warn the camp of approaching danger if they should come.

 

            After the Officer of the Day had left I began to think and to think hard. Oh how I wished I knew whether there was a ravine across the road in front of me, or whether it would be possible for anyone to creep up on me through what appeared to be woods and underbrush on either side of the road, without making any noise, or whether they could get behind me. The longer and harder I tried to study out the situation the more intricate and dangerous it appeared and I began to get nervous, the falling of a leaf startled me, the snapping of a twig on the right and I was certain the stealthy foe was cautiously but surely slipping upon me, then a sound on my left like the careful pushing aside of the bushes convinced me that I had another sculking foe to deal with. I stood in the middle of the road, with my rifle full cocked, ready to shoot.

 

            I strained my eyes first in one direction and then in the other, expecting every second to catch sight of one or the other of them in the act of pouncing upon me as a wild beast would pounce upon its prey. Every nerve was strung to its utmost tension, my knees became weak and knocked together. I could hear the loud throbbing of my heart. I dared not seek the shelter of the bushes on either side of me, and I knew that my position was an exposed one, but I was helpless. I could not move out of my tracks and an agony of fear and suspense gained possession of me.

 

            Suddenly I heard a noise in front of me, like a careful footfall, slowly approaching. I peered out through the darkness and presently saw a form of something I knew not what, but it was surely and gradually though slowly approaching, as it came closer it began to assume the shape of a man in a stooping position. I gazed intently and earnestly at the object, and the longer I looked the more certain I became that I was face to face in the darkness with an assassin, who was about to strike me down. How many others were around me, I could only guess but I felt certain that I was surrounded.

 

            The thought occurred to me that this fellow was trying to attract my attention while the real danger was behind me or on either side of me. The man in front was getting closer, I could see his arm outstretched as though about to strike, I thought I could hear him breathe. Just then I heard what I was certain was a footfall behind me, I could wait no longer, I raised my gun and called out in a husky, trembling voice Halt—and the same instant pulled the trigger and fired, then dropping my gun plunged into the bushes and fell flat on the ground surprised that I was not stabbed or knocked down before I reached there.

 

            The report of the gun sounded to me like the report of a ten pound cannon then the long roll sounded from every part of the camp and the tramp tramp of the reserve guard coming on the double quick, reached my ears. I then recovered my nerve sufficiently to crawl back into the middle of the road and recover my gun in time to challenge them. The Officer of the Guard advanced, gave the countersign and asked what's the / matter, I told him as best I could that I was surrounded and when one of them advanced upon me, after halting him I shot him, and turning to indicate to him where the body of the dead rebel could be found, I saw, by the light of the stars, which were shining through a rift in the clouds, that what I had taken for a man was a dead stump, and I was struck dumb from chagrin and embarrassment.

 

            The Officer went out and

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