Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-06-27
Thursday Morning. June q. 1854.
The Great Excitement In Cumber-
land.

For several days previous to the 10Th inst.
the people of Cumberland had been quite
feyeriSh in consequence Of repeated rumors
that n force Of from 5000 to COCO Southern
troops were in Ron'n'y, and intended t"
burn the bridge at New Greek, and then
march upon Cumberland to attack it. On
the previous evening special messengers ar
rived in the train confirming the worst re-
ports, reporting that heavy forces were then
on their march for the bridge and would ar
rive some time in the night. The excite
ment was Immediately on the increase and
the night wore away anxiously and fearful
ly with many. at between five ard six o.
clock in the morning a train arrived from
the bridge reporting all safe and no enemy
heard Of.
Tie excitement began to subsidc. The re-
g,lar train fer Wheeling lett on time at
o'clock \. NJ. but in the course Of two hours
it returned with the dreadful news that thu
bridge was burnt aud that its guard were
all killed or taken prisoners, and that the en-
envy was marching upon our city. Tho
news spread like wildfre, and in few mo-
montS the excitement and CONSERVATION were
almost without limit, the bells wero ringing
AL over town and The people rushing into
the streets. This terrible feeling was con-
stantly minis!ered to BY the arrival OF one
message after Another in rapid succession
saying the enemy was nearer aud nenrer.-
Soon martial music was eard on Baltimore
Street Defence was tho word. The CONT
rentals aud Union Homo Guards were
promtly under arms, and in less than one
hour every vacant gun was in the hand OF
some one TO use it in Tho dclclce of the city.
Col. Wallace promptly packed up hi
baggage and sent it TO place Of safety; and
in the qternop ~ the ferried ranks and tho
terrible bayonets of the brave Zouaves APP
peared III the streets. They marched Just
beyond tie city limits, or the Bedford road
where they took up thoir position to receive
the expected enemy. The slopes, on either
side Of the road were lined with the z III
ayes and there they remained for hours wal
ting for an opportunity to test tho utility Of
their ayorite mode Of fighting.
Messengers were sent in all directions to a.
larm the people and ask fm aid. The re-
spouso was glorious and patriotic, but to the
..c j,,a tla al ot
honor aud cur mite OF gratitude. They had
been telegraphed to that the enemy ~as IL
pom us and in twenty minutes over one
hundred brave spirits were under arms, and
at noon the notes OF their brass band told us
they were with us. They promptly took the
post of danger and We had occasion to see
and look them ir the face when the enemy
was said to he or this side Of Crtsaptnwn
and cooler and moro determined set Of men
could not he fonnd among veteran soldiers
They were ready to fight and came for that
purpose as fast MS steam could hurry them to
tho place where they supposed the fight was
going on; they were under the lead Of Maj
+. A. Mason who for cooness and courage
has no superior. Next and in due time came
Col. Petrio with a company Of hardy noun
taineers from Wollershurg Pa. with their ri
:ies ready to take their part in the conflict. -
by morning other companies had arrived
from GmntsviIe, Centrev,,u aac BEDFORD.
armed mel singy and in squads poured in
rapidly from all directions and continued to
pour in until il was known positively that the
danger was over.
The excitement which had been running
50 high all the day was Gained about o'clock
in the evening, when some Of the guard
came in and reported that after burning the
bridge and moving towards Cumberland y
portion of the way, the secessionists retreat
cd.
The sequel OF this affair shows that mucl,
oft was II misapprehcnsion founded upon
rumors put out by alarmed persons coming
into town from the direction Of the enemy.
Notwithstanding what was considered by
many of our people to be mminen: danger, at.
forwards turned out to a cons derablc extent
to be groundess. it does not lesson tie obi
CATION CT gratitude to those of our neighbors
who so promptly and generously came to on
relief at time when tl.ey knew Of nothing
but impending danger to US. and when they
expected to NEE. all the responsibilities ant
casualties attended upon battle. For our
selves, therefore, and We can safely say 70
the c,izous generally, that this magnnnimou
and patriotic conduct of Our neighbors ha
laid the people Of Cumberland under deb
of gratitude, that can only be Cancelled by I
rendition of similar services under like cir
cumstarces.