American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-11-09
correspondence Ct the Citizen.
CAMP At CARRIERS Mill,
October %, 1861.

FRIEND CITIZEN: After continual motion
for five days, the "Confederates" have reioin-
ed tile regiment and at last come to a halt
ana I seize the brief moment of rest to give
YOU a hurried account of events that have
lately transpired here. AS we all anticipated
long ago, affairs that tended to bloody re
suits have eliminated, the storm began to
break and Death on the rcd horse" dashed
lnadly iato our midst; and if we have not
had times that try mems souls, :" must say
that historic period viii come no more, and
the tempest clouds that lowered above our
revolutionary sires, and were thus character
lied, viii gather and burst no more till the
day when ourrace is finally swept away.
About two weeks ago, three companies
from thc 18th regiment and few others from
other regiments in the brigade were sent,
under tbe command Of Lieut.-Col. Griffin,
up to the mouth Of the Shenandoah river,
with view Of aiding Col. Ashley, of the
Virginia Cavalry, stationed near Harper's
Ferry, in capturing a body of Federais which
had crossed the Potomac at that point. They
moved Up with celebrity, and, with two pieces
Of the Richmond howitzers, opened upon the
enemy from the south bank Of the Shenan-
doah Col Ashley simultaneously attacked
them, and together they drove them into the
town of Harper's Ferry, from an entrenched
position which they occupied.
Oar boys stood in full view of the whole
affair and were crazy to dash across the
little stream and take hand, but General
Evans had positively forbidden Col. Griffin
to cross and without knowing why, they
started on their return without having ae-
complished any apparent good, and had no
fight.
Before these companies had rejoined Us, ali
communication between Evans and Beaure-
gard seemed to have been suddenly cut of f;
and the former, thinking that something was
going wrong, and most probably that the
interruption had been effected by column
Of McClellan's army penetrating the space OF
country which intervenes between the main
body of Gen. Johnston's army at Centreyille
aud this his extreme left wing, for the pur-
pose of interceptng this brigade and over
powering US by rapid movement and tre-
rnendous force OF dered us back to this point.
Things were explained, however, and we re-
turned on the second day with orders from
Beauregard " to defend Leesburg at all haz-
ards, and leave him to protect our rear"
This was glorious tidings TO the men of the
eth Brigade, who, having become closely at
taehed in feeling to the people of Leesbarg-
had left them with great reluctance and were
exultant to return with positive instructions
to their defence. even though it should be-
come necessary to light to the death.
We accordingly pitched our tents once
more upon the same agreeable spot, about a
quarter of mile to the east of the town; bat
/ on the next morning Sunday, at the ghostly
hour of two, the peculiar and well-knowr
voice of Col. Griffin was heard as he strideC
down the parade line of the encampment
stern and positively commanding. Get up
men, and strike your tents with the utmos
silence and dispatch" s'Heayens and earth 7
thought we, q are to get up and slip OF a
the dark Luck and courage forbid u Blu
mp we rose, silent aud sudden as the armed
men of Cadmus from the earth; our whit
tents fell to the ground and disappeared Xix
the " baseless fabric of vision,n and VI