Esq. J.Q. BELLVILLE sat in his office, last Friday, receiving the congratulations of his friends on the entrance that day, upon his second term as Magistrate of upper township, when the Register man drew near and offered his friendly wishes, at the same time taking occasion to ask the “Squire” if he objected, on so felicitous an event, reverting to the days of the war and furnishing us with a little reminiscence.

“Not at all,” answered Squire Bellville, “but the trouble is, I don’t remember anything worth relating just now, but probably will at another time. But there was a little affair,” said he hesitating and reflecting a moment, “that to me is decidedly interesting. Besides, it is quite a different bit of experience from what you have been relating, and though brief, may serve to furnish a variety to your interesting sketches.”

“It was 1861, early in the year.  That was an exciting time up in Wheeling. That city was pretty evenly split up on the question of secession., but the union men were brave and numerous and, at last got an upper hand and boldly pushed the project to slice off the state of West Virginia from the old Dominion. It was during this agitation that an independent company of 150 men was formed and well armed. Although a local organization, it was in the general service and was paid by the Union government. The company was known as the Pierpoint Guards. The officers were Capt. RATLIFF; 1st Lieut. Ad OREY, now living in Ironton; 2nd Lieut. Jos. REESE. I was a Sergeant in the company. This organization was kept pretty busy protecting loyal people and rooting out little rebel nests that began to build around through the state. We wore no uniforms then.

One time we were out in the Rider settlement, 70 or 80 miles from Wheeling, on the lookout for a rebel force that were intimidating the Union people in that region. While on the excursion, I was sent out on a little scout with ten men, and then met with the exciting experience which I am to relate. Marching along the road, one morning, we passed a nice looking farmhouse, off the road some distance, probably 200 yards, and some of the men under my command asked leave to break ranks and go to the house to get some milk. I consented and they all wanted to go. It being only a short distance and the men tired and hungry, I told them to stack their arms, that they all could go, and I would stay and watch the guns. So, they all jumped the fence and started to the house, while I sat down on a big log to await their return. It was across a clear field to the house, but in the other direction was a heavy thicket, the edge of which was only about 100 feet from where I sat.

As I sat there musing and waiting, a man suddenly stepped from the thicket and leveled his gun right at me. My blood fairly froze in my veins at the sight of him. But there was no use-I couldn’t get away. I looked in the mouth of that gun, for I saw that it had a fine bead on me. There was nothing to do but face the danger, so I looked full at the man, not knowing how soon a ball would enter my brain. Then the man, still keeping his aim on me, demanded:

‘Who are you?’

‘ a soldier- the rest of us are over at that house,’ I answered.

‘What regiment do you belong to?’ he asked without changing the aim of his gun.

This question was getting dangerously near to an issue, and I felt that my salvation depended on how I answered it, but I soon blurted out:

‘The first Virginia’

‘There are two regiments of that name, which is it?’ he demanded.

Then I was paralyzed more than ever. If I had known whether that man was Union or Secesh, I would have known how to answer, but I didn’t. I had half made up my mind he belonged to that reb force we were out there after, and I that had captured him unawares.

Still I thought he might be one of our scouts. In the dilemma I could see no advantage to misleading the man so I answered:

‘The Union first, the one that is forming at Wheeling.’ At this he stepped forward a little, and there appeared another man with him, who was also armed and aimed for an emergency. By this time, the men at the house, alarmed by the conversation, came running toward their guns. Before they got there, however, the two men who emerged from the thicket became assured that we were ‘Union,’ and so they came up and joined our party and told their story.

They were Union scouts on the watch for the rebel recruiting force, and having run up against us early in the morning, had been following us all day; thinking we were the secesh squad. When they caught me alone with the guns, they concluded it was their time. And as for.......thought my time had come too. No one call? ..... the feelings that bewildered me, when that fellow sought to enforce his little catechism on me under the impulse of the fine bead of that rifle. I had one chance in two of saving my life, and luckily I hit the right one; else I wouldn’t be ‘Squire of Upper township’ today.”