Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-05-10


NY Dc, Sir:---"All is quiet on the Rap.
pahannock" l know this, because | have
ust returned from a reconnaissance exton.
ding from lsappahannock Station to Fred
aricksburg. A party of us consisting of
Capt. Mathews, Lieut. Conover of Gen.
Abercombries staff, and 90 cavalry left
his place about 10 o'clock on Monday
asst, and proceeded along the Railroad to
he river for the purpose Of reconnoiter-
ng. We found ;ho village Of Rappahan.
mock entirely deserted, and from some
contrabands learned thai the day after our
former reconnaissance, the enemy left their
fortifcatons and had not been in them
since. We also learned that the object Of
their moving so many guns to the right
during the cannonading, was to protest a
bridge they had just constructed, and over
which thcy feared we would cross During
the night they burned it,
After brief consultation we concluded
to seek adventures further down the river.
We proceeded few miles, when feeling
the Inconvenience of hunger, stopped at
the old Stone Mansion for tie purpose Of
recruiting our inner selves, and feeding
the orses. The proprietor evidently con-
sidered US unwolcomo visitors; but dared,
not refuse us. Hot corn, bread milk,
e5 eens, and boiled ham constituted the
bulk of the meal 1 may hear mention
that this "sacred soil is unusually pro.
life in garlic, which inprcgnates the M k
and butter to such an extent that none
but old campaigncrs can relish them The
host was somewhat astonishcd at our prof
fer of pay, and bis eyes cleaned brightly
as they caught the lustrc of U. S. gold, to
which, for some time, he has been stran
ger.
The first ford is at Kelloyvil,e, small
village on the opposite side, but the river
was too high to enable us to cross in safety
Near this place series of lccks hare been
built to enable the boats to get around the
rapids. We had lost the main road some
miles back, and therefore were obliged tc
pick our way among unircquented paths
which, in several instances, were obatEuc
ted with gates and FENCES. We were alsC
in arcgion never before travorsed by oul
soldiers, and did not know what m2ment
a body Of the enemy might attack US
The country is thinly inhabited On see
ing us the children would scamper away
in mortal terror, aud even staid womcI
became frightened. At Que place we in
qaircd Of partially dcaf old woman i
any soldiers were in the vicinity. "Sol
diers!' exclaimed she, 81 never saw any
uulcss you are such We reached til
main road twenty miles from Ercdericks
burg. IT was in miserable condition
aud is nearly imFas,ablo for artillery
Our small force Of cavalry could scarcel
avoid the numerous "chuck holes TIL
Soils mostly quicksand. At enc point
noticed that those bei2re me sank som
distance in the mud, and in order to nyol
it / turned to what appeared to be frme
ground. My horse Immediately sank
his neck in ths slopgh, and it was wit
difficulty that ! di,mountcd ard got hil
out. Had it been ordinary mud | woul
not have cared Sc mpch, Lut it was greasy
Shiny, aud had all the alhcsiyeness {
Aunt Jemimas world renowned plaste
Irwculd not even dry; bat stick to n
like the little old man did to Sin6ad.
other s'sacred' things would only stick
me as did that "sac.ed SOIL" would hay
been a Bishop long ago.
Darkness overlook us at tie usual hot
for its appearance, but in nowse betrien'
cd US except in hiding our mpdGiod col
dition from behoIdcrs, and plUnging |
into new (or rather old) mudholes. Abo
10 o'clock we cane in sight Of the pick
fires of our advanced guard. Here it WI
necessary to proceed with much cautic
or some ovor.jcalous picket might intr
ducc an improved method of ventilatic
into our dccaying bodies By means Of
bullet. Capt. Matthews and myself We
in advance Of the main body, and we
halted by a picket. We we're making Il
proper explanations when we discoyofC
that they were the rcdoubtablc "Buc
tails p with whom we had so much to {
in old Camp Curtin. At this moment O.
cavalry came jingling along, and the M
jumped up and graspcd their rifles expe(
ing it ODE ruso. We assured them tn
all was right, and they sent us under qua
& down to Gen. Reynolds Head Quarter
To him we made the propcr explanatioI