The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-01-18
From the Homo Journal
LOOkings-1n at the War.

~. ~ WILLIS.
The picturesque bit of Virginia, just beyond
Balls Cross Roads," was occupied, a short
time ago, by the rebel army and, at present,
has all the signs of departed chivalry--old
boots and tobacco pipcs, ash heap, and feIlcd
woods, broken crocke-y and beef BONES
Soldiers, sad to say, however splendid while
they Enger, DO not beautify as they 60! W.
drove over this Geso!atcd track In the noon
OF brilliant December day. on our way to
the encafnpmcnt of General P3rter's Division,
where there was to be a rev lew drill OF the
Bntcrheld Brigade. In an untunced wood
we saw three new graves; and death, looked
at flom above-ground, is always pocticul;
but there was nothing else upon our route
that 10 oked any way imaginative.
Or course, with such vast army near by,
every road is thronged with equestrians and,
by the way, there is one feature Of the Seat
of War and its neighborhood, just now, which
will be remembered by all visitors. 1t is tho
worlds greatest mob and myrmidonium of
poor horses-rery poor horses, Government
contract assembled, that are being made to
perform (entirely against their will and com
prehension) like very good ones The pitt.
less dragon bit and tho terrible spur, work
wonders! The riders are all young and
ostentatious, besides the amount of action
which resides in the fact of neither owning
the horse nor being responsible for his wear
and tear and the luxury of having looked
well, once before they died, is granted to
many poor qnadrupcd that the crows had
spoken for! Is there to be any judgment.
day for cruelty to horses
The afternoon show WAS to be sham bat.
tie; and, as we entered upon the parade.
ground-an undulatory plain Of about mile
square, worn smooth us u threshng- floor with
the constant drillings--thc regiments were
coming in, each to its own music, from tho
outside camps. Five thousand well-dressed
soldiers, converging at quick step to n com.
mon centre, with their flags flying and bands
playing, and their white tents cleaning in the
background in all directions, form a lively
picture. The French Prince, De Charities,
| rode up on foaming stced as General But
terheld and his staff made their upptarance--
having evidently ridden very hard and arriving
just in time to take part in the performance.
His horse was beautiful brown bay-ths
best one saw, with the exception, perhaps,
of a black charger, ridden by young MI.
Aston. This latter gentleman, by the way,
looks very well in his new uniform as 4
Coonel-black horse included.
With Judge DAILY ana Professor Gillespie,
my two companions from the city, got
point of vantage on the rise of hlll-ths
family of the Russian NJ mister being almost
the only other spectators. The battle began
Immediately. The forces were Of all four
kinds, cavalry, infantry, artillery and sharp
shooters. They went at it, as if it were a
familiar game! One or two Of the young
officers rode very calamity, as they dash
about, directing the variuus eyolutiuns-cun-
splcoGs marks, however, if the enemy wcre
there The gold lice is worn on horseback
at some peril, should think, in battle!
was rather sorry that 1t was not part of tn.
show to drop" here and there horsenar,
as If With fatal shot; but, of the infantry,
there fell quite a number. The object was 10
give practice to the tters, (or stretchcrs -
as they are technically callcd,) the pMtont
frames which double up and are attended by
two men, and upon which the wounded are
carried to the rear. 1t would have been a
pathetic sight, but that the fallen heroes
thought 1t necessary to initiate what pain
might be natural undcr tho circumstances,
and one or two Of them cxrr-squirrncd ii d
ittle-drawing roar Of laughter iru,u along
the reg'fiental lhe. Dying for ones country.
II appears, should be moderate perf,rmatce!
effect OF the charge with a yell. The men did
the movement with spirit, and screamed their
best but, either outdoors is too open a
place for the human voice to be effective OF
the yclls were smothcrcd with this loudcr
powder and the stamping of horses houfs.
am inclined to think, too, that women would
do this martial deed (Screaning) better than
our sex. The treble is more combativc and
reaches farther than bass and tenor. Would
it rot he tettet to reserve the :. Jcll-charge;''
us mhs!c for our American Boadicca, when
she takes the fed with her pctticoated l.'gioni
We were told that there would lie inst az
much firing as in a real battle, aud; with five
thousand men to do their best at it, l had
anticipated some trouble to Our quiet cars /;
but, save now and then more pungcht twang
from gun unexpectedly near, there WAS
nothing beyond an exciting ltcness in tho
Nominations of platoon and artillery. 1t il
good lighting music, it seems to the; and
noticed that it merely put 'sgo' into tho
cavalry horses, like the crack Of whip-the
very londest of the thunder not frightening
them apparently at all. The dropping of the
louavcs upon their faces, to be fired over,
was a startling nantAhtre; and the move
ments OF the Ellsworth Avengers" alto
gcther. were admirably wcl-trained and
prompt. This last is Il picked corps. Oh, the
beauty of their fiat backs and square shout
ders-whatevcr might have been said, by this
girls, Of their side-curls and mnstachss -
Some good judge Of thews and sincws mast
have had the sorting of them and, il we do
not hear from those fine fellows in any engaEc-.
ment that shall give them a chance, men
judged by the mansandard are deceitful.
. Nothing could be prcttcr than the tents of
the Gcne.ai and his staff. They were IN
ui'ckct upon u nlll-SlQc overlooking the plRlH
and its encampmenls, and ornamented by
evergreen shrubs, with wonderful ingenuity.
Large camp.fres burned out OF doors. and
smaller ones within. On the small military
table, lay, of course. every officers sweetheart
in photograph; engravings and maps were
pinned around upon the canvas; pictorial
papers and new books covered the camp stools
and trunks; the paths were grAvclled and
edged with sods, and the foo-s carpnted with
pin4-tasse!s and cedar twigs. large plato
OF window-glass was framed and set into the
side OF The Generals tent, just over the pic
ture of his beautiful wife and he sat and
looked out upon the Virginia landscape az
comfortably as an 6 +. +. W peaceably at
home. should not wonder If kind of pas
sion Tor gypsying and bivouacing we're thus
engendered. Our countrymen viii! have
varieties of new tastes and habits when tho
war is over; and, to live move primtively, or
more like tho Arab in tho desert, will be one
Of them.
D-Tho following recipe for colds
was printed in THE Wig in November
I. =