The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-11-29

uiy mere was tallOT Win nalI
dozen ijours, and shoemaker, washer
man, all carrying on their business, and
looking as closely at the profits of their
profession, and also charging the highest
rates that it were passiole for them to
do. Some were engaged largely in the
manufacture of gutta percha rings
One man in particular could always be
found under a tree with his half dozen
workmen around him, all carving, WIFI
ling aud filing away. Aud to their
credit be it said, they evinced a great
amount OF ingenuity in erything they
undertook.
AS a general thing, they enjoyed good
heal h and went away heartier and more
robust than when they came. Allow
me to remark that in this think that
our Government have had greatly the
disadvantage iuasmuch as our men
returned from their prisons enervated
and enfeeblcd by the diseases of the
Sou hern cline, together with INSULT
icat food whilst they BY being quar-
tered in such places as this, are improved
in health, and being rested from the tolls
of the previous campaign, are enabled to
battle more etfcctually and to bear the
hardships of camp life with more case.-
Aud in view Of this, in our exchanges
we should have demanded in the ratio
of six 10 four.
But no outstanding there we're some
who passed away to that bourne whence
no traveller returns and their remains
are resting in the place as allotted as
their cemetery just below tho prison yard
Month after month rolled away, and
still the rebels increased, until We had
over twelve hundred within the enclo-
sure, consisting of many of the best sons
of the sunny South. Whilst there were
many (wcrc we to judge by their ac-
ti' ns) as ignobleas the lowest pebian.
Many were the flu lie attempts to
escape, but the cvcr-watchful sentinels
as they paced their weary rounds, kept
their eyes ever open and thus defcate
all their projects. Two or three, per-
haps more foolhardy than the rest, tres
passed too far on eli her the good nature
of the scntincls or thinking that they
might escape detection, passed beyond
the bounds allotted to them, when the
sharp report of rife aud whizzing of the
Mime ball brought them speedily to
halt and on one occasion, the tres
passcr was carried off the ground &
bleeding corpse.
Ever thirsting for news, the sligh est
report ran like wildGrc from one end of
the yard to the other. And in times of
excl ement or during the progress Of the
great battles on the Potomac they were
like swarm of bees, gathering in squads
aud talking over the future prospects of
the Southern Confederacy. One of the
boys taking in bundle of extras con-
tanning the news of great battle he was
knocked down, run over and his extras
torn up, and few minutes after you
could sec them nearly every one with a
piece of the muilated papers striving to
decipher out of 1t what the news was. -
In selling newspapers, as a general
thing, it required three or four to keep
off the crowd, whilst the others disposed
of hem. And when the news of our
dcfca on the Potomac came such yells
as greeted our ears boggars description.
But finally the order came for their
exchange, aud the JOY and excitement
over the news was only equalled by
their joy at their departure. And as !
had been intimately connected with the
majority of them for five or six months, |
felt real sorrow at bidding them adieu,
Notwithstanding they mcre Secesh.
Prior to their departure a chance was
given for those who preferred to take
the Oath Of Allegiance to the United
States to do so. Five or six availed
themselves of the advantage of it. And
as they left the yard in company with
the officer such yell of scorn, defiance
and hatred was sent forth by the prison.
crs as would have done credit to the
demons of He'll.
Since their departure We have been
receiving weekly instailmcnts of guer-
rillas, bushwackcts, citizens, &c., and
occasionally a few representing them
selves as soldiers, and as my business
with them is purely of Il financial charac-
ter, | am sufficiently candid to ADM.
that we have had poor exchange. Of
all the wo-be- gone creatures ever as
senbled think they are the worst as
body, yet there are many nice gentlemen
among them, and some who look so well
and bear evident remarks of being gen.
tlcmen have been taken in the very un-
christian and unsoldierlke practice of
bushwacking.
Conversing with prisoner few days
since, he informed me that he had been
one of the sub contractors for mules at
Perryville and had spent several weeks
there with the very polite host of the
Perryvllle House, Mr.. James Cunning
ham. He also informed me that he had
made twenty-five thousand dollars out of
his contract l also found another
whose face looked familiar and on cues.
tioning him little, I found him to be
another one of the same Genus Homo.-
Thus it Is, that many vino are now in
the rebel ranks have been feeding off
the best contracts that were awarded,
and gaining life, strength and vitality
from the Golfers of tie Government, and
watching their opportunity to give it
vital thrust whenever they had the
| power so to do.
AS Winter approaches the mortality