Send two companies.....

[NH Civil War Gal]

This morning, at two o'clock, I was rattled up by a sentinel, who had come to camp in hot haste to inform me that he had seen and fired upon a body of twenty-five or more men, probably the advance guard of the enemy. He desired me to send two companies to strengthen the outpost. I preferred, however, to go myself to the scene of the trouble; and, after investigation, concluded that the guard had been alarmed by a couple of cows.

The next night......

The whole camp is in an uproar. Many men, half asleep, rushed from their tents and fired off their guns in their company grounds. Others, supposing the enemy near, became excited and discharged theirs also. The tents were struck, Loomis' First Michigan Battery manned, and we awaited the attack, but none was made. It was a false alarm. Some sentinel probably halted a stump and fired, thus rousing a thousand men from their warm beds.

Memoirs of a Volunteer, 1862

 

[bankerpapaw]

Things change when it gets dark. Shadows and dark images. It gets scary.

 

[ShortSeb]

After experienced for myself now I think it's a little bit funny to write about "warm beds".

 

[diane]

Things that go bump in the night! Guys get edgy... One evening Forrest was alerted by a scout that there was a whole brigade of Union troops lined up in a nearby field. That was alarming - his last intelligence said the enemy was nowhere near. So, he rode out with the scout to see for himself. They arrived at the field and the scout anxiously pointed out the whole long line of....fence posts!

 

[ShortSeb]

If you look long enough in the pure dark, you WILL see things. That's a fact.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Several times while sitting in the dark hunting and waiting for the early light. I've seen a small flicker of white, and sat watching only to find out it was a leaf or white paper cup blown by the wind, or just my own imagination.