Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

Tuesday, 26th—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.