I've been reading portions of a book my grandmother copied years ago about the Fifth West Virginia Cavalry. I came across this description of a deer hunt in November, 1862. Enjoy!
Surgeon Hazlett relates the following incident: On a crisp morning in November, the colonel, myself and an orderly, mounted, and armed with Spencer rifles, went to Shaffer mountain to hunt deer. Near the base of the mountain we were joined by W, an old hunter, a typical Virginia mountaineer, thoroughly familiar with the habits of the game we were after, a quiet, unobtrusive man. The colonel and orderly went along the base of the mountain, and W and I followed a bridle path to the crest of the mountain. While walking along I questioned my companion on the subject of buck-ague. Yes, he had heard of it, he missed his first deer in that way. I desired W to give me the first shot, and I would disprove the existence of buck-ague, to which he agreed. We soon reached the top, where we secreted ourselves to wait until the report of the colonel's gun should startle the herd. Soon the reports of two gun shots notified us that the colonel had found game. With eager expectation I braced myself in the stirrups, raised the lock hammer of my carbine, which was charged with an ounce ball and cartridge, and awaited the comer. 'There he comes,' said W, and looking up the crest there came a fine buck. `Don't fire until I give the bleat,' said W, who stood almost behind me. This cry, very similar to the bleat of a sheep, W uttered, when the deer was about fifty yards from us. `Shoot,' cried W, which I did, and down dropped the buck. Elated with my success, I proudly announced that I had aimed for the left foresholder. On reaching the deer, W cut its throat, and pointing to the left fore-shoulder, said there was where the bullet struck. I was in an ecstasy of delight, and I remarked that he would find that my ball had passed entirely through the deer. I rubbed my hands and declared I had ‘busted’ the buck-ague theory. The animal was examined but no trace of my bullet could be found, but a small bullet, not much larger than a buck shot was taken out. W was silent, gazing steadfastly at the bullet. He then remarked: `Mighty curious thing this buck-ague. I never knew it to fail, every fellow misses his first deer sure, and if you think you hadn't the buck-ague, just look at your gun.' I did so, and found the hammer of the lock raised and the charge not exploded. W had shot the deer and the report of his gun I mistook for my own. I besought and implored W not to expose me, humbly acknowledging that I had it bad, and he kept my secret.
