Pleasure of Picket Duty

Pleasure of Picket Duty

Picket Duty

Story about picket duty

The Sunbury Gazette

The Sunbury Gazette

The Sunbury Gazette

October 5, 1861

Pleasures of Picket Duty. A correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune describes the pleasures of picket duty and the excitements which attend it According to his view the Michigan troops are about the best follows at this kind of work. They lie in pits about six feet long and one deep, with the earth thrown up in front as a breastwork. The men are nervous and cautious, but twenty- four hours are enough to get them used to the business, so as to be able to estimate its risks and guard against its dangers. They prefer a corn-field for picket duty, both for its protection aad its fodder, and the denuded corn-cobs are ranged along the earthen breastworks in imitation of cannon, and make quite formidable array. Here the pickets lie watching an opportunity to try their skill upon a "secesh," occasionally varying the amusement by dancing or waving their hats upon a cornstalk, to irritate their enemies. The first species of amusement is frequently interrupted by the necessity of dropping down too soon as they see the smoke of a rifle or hear the singing of a Minie ball.,' The rage which is sometimes excited by these provoking manifestations, very amusing, and sometimes the "secesher"is incautious enough to show it in a way which brings half a dozen rifles bearing upon his person, and generally with an effect that quiets him. Describing these operations, he says: For half an hour, they say, affairs have now been rather quiet; but something is expected soon. Soon, indeed. "Down" is the word again; and this time -not one, but half a score of bullets rush by and overhead. ; ''That's the prima donna," says one. It seems they have learned to accurately distinguish the sound of one kind of ball from another. A rifle is a much more cheerful weapon than a mere musket. It sings. The musket only grumbles and buzzes. . One rifle sings so shrilly and sharply, that they call it the primadona. "Prymer donner" is their way of putting it.. But to the warm salute they make do Immediate ' response, Presently another of ' the same description comes, and now they think it needs attention. The weapons are carefully sighted, resting on the breastworks, the men kneeling. One after another they pop off in the direction of the nearest rebel hut. There is no sound thence for five or ten minutes; but, with a glass, we soon after see three men moving slowly, top the hill, one feebly and droopingly, supported by the two others. Perceiving an unusually large group upon a corner of the rebel earthwork, one of our men prepares himself for a long shot. After adjusting his piece, with the sight elevated to the full one thousand yards, he is about to fire, when a companion, who is spying through a glass, says : "Hold up, women up among them!" The rifleman lays down his piece with a sigh - he had been sure oi scattering them that time. It always happens the shot which is interrupted nipped in the barrel, as it were is just the one which would have done more damage than any other shot on record, had it only got fairly off. The rifleman will have some kind of sport for compensation. He retreats within the corn field, cuts a tall stalk trims it, and, returning, perches his cap up on the end, and bobs it above his ramparts, It instantly becomes a mark for rebel vengeance. , After a score or two of shots have been discharged straight at it, he slowly pushes it aloft eight feet or so, disclosing the full extent of the corn stock, while his companions jump erect and sing derisive choruses in a loud voice. - Thus the pickets strive to alleviate the weary rigeurs of their duty. I hope no one would blame them, What they do is always squarely within the limit of their instructions. I have looked at a good deal of picket service, an I never knew a case where, inthe daily in interchange of snots, our men were the aggressors. . They wait long before resenting the attack upon them, but, when they do reply, it is not often without effect.