We remained on railroad guard all day again. Nothing of
importance happened, but we had quite an exciting time for a while last night.
When George Cush of Company E was on vedette, he thought he heard someone ahead
of him in the brush, and gave the usual command to halt, but without response.
Then as the noise continued he let fire, and although he hit nothing, yet that
shot was enough to arouse the whole reserve post, and we remained in line the
rest of the night, thinking that the rebels would make a charge on us before
daylight. In the morning, upon investigation, we concluded that the noise must
have been made by a hog or a calf, for there was not the least sign of the
rebels. But the boys of the company began teasing George about his scare, and
it is not likely that they will let him know the last of it for some time.
Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B.,
Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 64
