Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1884 — A Reckless Army Adventure. [ARTICLE]

A Reckless Army Adventure.

While we were camped at Brashear City, with our lines on the east side of the river, and the enemy in possession of the country on the vest side, a little band of five boys belonging to our brigrade had an adventure that at the time attracted much attention. The five Union soldiers got possession of a skiff and passed over to the enemy’s side of the river. The object of this raid, it must be confessed, was to forage some chickens and pigs, everything in that line being very scarce on our side. Of course they had no right to thus venture into the enemy’s country. Considerable time had passed without success, and the prospect of leaving the rebel land as hungry as they came began staring them in the face. At last they discovered the smoke curling up from a fire in the woods near at hand. As they approached they were surprised to see that they had run upon a camp of some thirty Confederate cavalrymen. The rebels were evidently on a scouting expedition, and at the time when discovered by our boys were busily engaged in cooking their dinner. The discovery brought the Union boys to a halt. "What to do was the question. Should they retreat? No. The boys of the Thirteenth Army Corps never retreat. Ab for fighting that was equally out of the question. They only had one gun among them, and besides the odds were six to one against them. In this dilemma they decided that the only thing tb do was to frighten the Confederates out of their position. It must be remembered that the little band was composed of five of the most reckless and daring men of our brigade. If they had not been so, they would not have thus ventured so far, merely for the chances of finding some fat chickens. The plan was no sooner suggested than acted upon. With a whoop and a yell like wild savages they dashed through the thick brush and right into the midst of the astonished rebels. The alarmed Confederates thought that Old Nick himself had come, and ran for dear life, leaving guns and sabers and even part of their horses in the possession of the wild Yankee boys. The reckless Union soldiers grabbed up the abandoned guns and fired rapidly, thus completing the Confederates’ delusion that they were being attacked by a large force, and they continued their rapid retreat without once looking back, glad to escape with their lives. The dinner, consisting of some fat chickens and plump pigs about ready for eating, was also left by the departing rebels. With cool impudence the five reckless boys eat down and ate the dinner. After the dinner was disposed of, they gathered up the things they had captured and returned to camp. The large amount of plunder they brought in was conclusive evidence that their report of the adventure had not been exaggerated. But for the fact that in ci*ossing the river in the first instance they had violated positive military orders, they would no doubt have been highly commended and rewarded for their brilliant action. —“ Army Life," by A. 0. Marshall,