New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-26
FROM MARYLAND.
Notes Historical and Anecdofai' heoei aho
NasiopnI-The sfr"its, Devices, ana Ell
pIoii. Of n Begiment-The Finy-fo"r'n
pennsylvania voIunteers-e'"nrdinS '"e
baltimore and Chic Railroad
-. nnr snaoisl Corresp 7ndent.

HAGERsTowN, Nd. Dec. 49, 1867
Inronose 10 relate the adventures OF regiment,
,he i;gh, of whose fidelity, activity and courage has
,asn hidden under bushel Of Rebel raids and
.N.~--..,oa communications Cut off from the East
~, hrrred bridges up-torn rails, and cut wires, and
- only remote and irregular intercourse with
49, w., this regiment has been lost to the sight,
.na fear. not to the memory dear, Of the War
Dsnartmenr. II is with the hand Of fair play there
fore. that your correspondent ventures to lift by
6oure of speech, its bushel of disadvantages, and
illuminate your columns with the light OF it's pluck.
On the 10Th day of. March, 1862, the 54th Regi-
ment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by
Col. Jacob NJ. Campbell, left Washington under or
ders to report to COL Miles at Hspeis Ferry, where
they arrived, by way Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, on the morning of the 3lst. At Sandy
Hook they found further orders awaiting them, to
proceed forthwith TO Martins5urg where Col. Miles
then was; and finally, in accordance with Miles .
Instructions Col. Campbell distributed his ten COM
panies at the different points along the line OF the
railroad, in the following order, from east 10 west
Company G, Capt. F. b. Long, at Back Creek
bridge miles west of Martinsburg; Company +.
FAM. G.. w Z. Davis, at Sleepy Creek bridge, 9
miles further west Company ID, Capt. Thomas II.
Lspsiey, at Apiue Station tHaDeockl, mica. be-
yond the Sleepy Creek post; Company j, Capt. VIM.
g. Bonaoker, at Sir Johns Run. miles further
west: Co. G, Capt. L. ID. Yuizv, at Great Cacapon
bridge FIVE uiles west OF Sir Johns Rum Company
II. Capt. John o. Billheimer, al RoehYells Run,
six miles bevond Company L, Capt. Patrick Git
bsm. at No. II Water Station, nine miles west of
Rockwers run; Company b Capt j Ohm Hite, at
Pew Paw, ,hIse q Iouf miles further on; Company
* Capl Edia6nd K Newhard, at Little Cacapon
BTidre. eight uies beyond No. II Water Station;
and Company 4, Capt. John Z. Suier, at South
Branch Bridge about SIX miles beyond Little Caca.
non Bridge, sixteen miles east Of CunbeI land ana
six,y-:wo miles west Of Mar'iasbGrg. Thus the
Yeriinent was required 10 guard the railroad and
nieket the country from North Mountain Station 10
The South Branch Bridge, distance OF hity'iiye
mics The be quaTters OF the regiment were al
brsi al Great Cacapon but at the expiration o.
fortnight Col. Campbell removed them 10 SiI JcAh
Run.
The colonel soon discovered that his position was
Of kind TO call into Law the experience and tact OF
al administrative and Judicial olhccr, rather ta9n
TIE brusQneg abilities OF military COMMANDER. II
two of tie counties through which his command eA-
fenced lMorgan and Hampsbire, there was no
recoguized civil authority Of aoy knd-all tie OH
GERS o. both counties, civil well AS military, pay
ing espOused the Southern Cause. AS Tor re cIeLs
who remained al home, not only were they oiNIceu
In their political adherence but personal Tancor ran
high among them. Nearly al had grievances lteai
or imaginary 10 urge, and all alike sought redress
from the only power at hand. Many OF the farms
along he lire OF the road were des0late, tue fences
PROSTATE, and the buildings telling 10 wrecA-tne
owners being N tile 81 utEern army. fllny TespecI
able lOgsebOlGers who remained were without
cecent shelter Cor their families theii homes having
been laid waste by OF the other Of the contend
ing factions. ,,-, - r.,
Csmrbcl after he lad concl lded a military explo-
ration OF the country, with the view Of guarding
against surprise was TO hear and determine many Of
these cases. As law was out OF the question ne
rs,olyed 20 decide al cases brousht before liza, IN
equity 60 far as !, might be within Lis jurisdiction
g. 90 70. Many of the deserted ieIms elons the Inc
Of the ad whose owners were in tie Confederate
army, he gave ont 10 responsible persoas " unui
ouch lime IS it sho9ld be otherwise ordered by con-.
reisoi and l.wfui authority'-on condition that
ffter The 6rst wear one-tbird 0, the ;..odnet Of
iaid laud sha &c paid over such officer may be
0esQated by The Government Of the United States,
Or other authority legally competent to receive tue
ssme." All the fences were 10 be rebuilt within
tie first wear by the parties farming the land Ihus
many families were enabled TO live in comparative
comfort who would Otherwise have been reduced
70 various suffering perhaps to actual starvation.
Col. Campbell also required number Of tlc
most hostile and miscbievous persons 10 give oouds
Tor their fature good behavior, and many, who had
angry GissensIons OF strictly personEi nature, De
peisaAded to shake hands in his presence gnd enter
upon new terms Of friendship. lhe'men under hiS
command were subject 10 the most STRINGENT oTcefs
70 resTect the private property Of every citizen, ana
in no case TO obstruct or annoy the people IN their
lawful pursuits. BY such wlse aud truly patiiotlc
measures, friendly understanding, e%pfesseu III
many instances OF amicable reciprocity, was es'ao
lished between the citizens and tue so!Iiefy, ano
even toe most obdurate Sscessionisis OF nampsine
and Morgan learned TO regard tie CUE! Colonel OF
the 5fth ss mot 80 bad for Yankee
From the southern borders Of both coun'iee, how.
ever came bands Of outlaws and parilsaus Who GA
rot cease TO commit the most haTTaesing depreda-
lions upon their more peaceful neighbOrs residing IN
the vicinity o. the railroad, ana frequent Complaints
sgsins, these rieyers we're brought to Co. Campbell
more particularly from Hampshire County, where
IN ective band OF guerriilas had been organize
uUder the command OF one james Edwards. Nd
nerous EXPEDITIONS went out from the several COM
;apv pc,ts of the re- iment, with The OBJECT OF AZ
resting Edwards bat, though many OF hiS ieioWs
captured, the guerrilla chieI always escaIg4'
On one of these hunts, led from Liltls Cnehloh' Oy
Csrt. Newl,ard of Company X, Edwards was shot
n rough the hand; on another, which started from
no. II Water Station, under command o. h'eIt
Lewis Of Company l., iis brother Wsr sno' "a ,Ae
he'd; but neither was captured. Their NINA
familiarity with the country gave them aimost CON-
pletc jnpanity ard fear Of their vengeance &C.
TERED of quiet citizens from Leading the troops On
their track Those Of their parussns VINO IRON time
10 tire were captured, were brought to hea1quar-
fers and confined in the old ccoper-shop Jus. back
Of the railroad station at Sir Johns ka1 whence
they were sent 70 Harper's Ferry, Washington, or
Baltimore, according 70 The grade OF thelr Ohebsci
but few were released on giving boDos aaa tahih1
The oath Of allegiance. The old cooteI-sAop viii
he oDg remembered by the people Of Berkeley MOI
gan and Hampshire. 800,
On sdmiay moruiDg, the 95,h OF Mds, 1862 IL
the locomotives on the railroad west Of Harper
Ferry, were hurried to Cumberlane-tLe engineers
and hremen on The trains bringing the iifsi weTnng
OF the retreat Of Gen. Bsnks, and the approach OIL
Stone wall jackson toward Marinsburg. The news
created the Widest CONSERVATION among We people
along The line Of the road. Col. Campbell who Lad
been ont on the mountains south Of Cacapon Bridge
reached the railroad just in time TO stop The last
locomotive ~ 1t wst in The act OF passing and Or
oered 1t back to Sir Johns Run, as be anticipated