Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-18

the Stone Bridge, seeing very little of the
Secession army, now well on its way by the
Guilford and Gum Spring roads to the Upper
Potomac. Ga reaching Centreve, we found
only one company of the 50th Georgia Voun-
teers present, acting as Provost Guard iu the
village. They were making themselves hap
py with the liquors and other medical stores
left in the place and were lank, lean, heard
looking set of half starved fellows, in light
flannel colored dress. Their Captain gave US
passes to the u MON lines. He looked a Gun
ming fellow enough, and had more whisky in
him than appeared at first sight still he was
decidedly in good temper with himself, his DO.
sition, his dirty gang, ,and all the world While
waiting, we had an opportunity to see the op-
Grafton of relieving guard. 1t wold have made
Northern soldier open his eyes The Ser
geant brought the relief up one at time and
would say, Brown, Jones reii ewes You now,
and is to stay here Till the Captain sends some
one else" Brown, apparently uncertain, re-
mains on post Sergeant takes his arms and
leads him off a little distance, but seeing a
man relieving another on his own hook, leaves
B. to 60 aud look into it.
We also left, and esteemed ourselves in luck
! to find some crackers thrown down and vast
! ed by the retreatiDg Union army. From these
we selected the cleaDest, and a gain went on,
the Georganplckets demanding our passes q
! short distanccef romCentrevie When about
! fur miles from Fairfax we met ColonelCaik K, of
| the 2lSt Massachusetts, aud four privateS, all
unarmGd seeking to get within the Union lines
/ It would have been easy to have added his
name to the list with the flag; but honor for
! bade the use The best that could be done
was TO direct him as nearly as could be Judged
/ in what position the Rebel force was last like
! y TO be found. His regiment had been sur
prlSed by the Georglans, who approached the
! Guards declaring tleir Intention to surrender.
/ till they were close enough for their purpose
when they suddenly attacked and dispersed
tue Massachusetts, men, making o number
prisoners and cutting up the rest badly
The Colonel, hungry, tlreI and in want of
sleep, was, as well as bis men, determined not
to give up, /. possible, and left us, making his
way southw wards previously accepting the offer
Of TWO crackers from one of the party, which
was all we haC. 1t is not yet known whether
Col. Clark hnaily escaped His chances were
certainly very doubtfu.. 1t was a sad specta.
Gle in its way to see the proud commander of
| u thousand men reduced to the society of four
poor followers without any distinction but
what habit gave and all equally hunted and
forced back at every turn by the cunning
enemy.
After this, TO our great relief, we soon fell
in with the last of the Rebel soldiers-a pick
ct OF cavalry. They seemed somewhat aston
ished at ii:st, and two of them rode ont to-
ward US. AS usual with their mounted men.
they were superior fellows, physically. much
more SO than the infantry. The passes were
examined, the men grouped about quietly with
Sharp'S carbines,i in rest-probaby taken from |
our cavalry who, en- pasSaHt, are too prone to |
throw their arms away.
The officer OF the picket declared US correct, |
and remarked that We should find our lines
about thousand yardss from US, adding that
they had been exchanging shots all dav,
With ightened hearts we pushed ahead and
III five minutes more deserted the O. s., cav
airy strongly posted in the road and fields |
alongside. The flag was displayed, and we
were halted at distance of hundred wards |
till the officer could confer with the bearer
OF the flag, who disappeared over the crest of
the hIl leaving Us waiting in the road.
This lasted about ten minutes, and then a |
couple of bullets whiZzng over US, accom-
panied by the quick reports o. the rifles, ad- |
monishlDg US that the enemy was tired of de- |
lay. We now received the order to advance |
and were soon within the lines of Gen Bay. |
ards brigade of cavalry, which Immediately |
began TO fall back upon Fairfax Court House |
Quickly through the streets of the town, now |
SO memorable III this struggle passed the troops |
the enemy'S guns occasionally sauting the |
flank OF the retreating column.
In the houses which yet boasted of residents |
there was curious air of expectation, not to !!
say preparation. Some of the males of the |
place were already hauling down sign of the |
" Union Hotel" to reinstate the old name of |
the tavern, Virginia House." The army
was retreating upon the fortified lines of |
Washington. Brigades of the rear guard filled |
the road, defended by battery of light artil- |
cry iu the rear of all. The cavalry, deployed
as skirmishers, swept the neghboring fields
On his horse, by the side of gun planted in |
the road, sat Gen. Hooker, shading his ewes
with his hand, and trying to penetrate the
spreading effuIgence of the setting sun, which
now rendered objects in the west very indis-
tiDct
On to Washington quickly bnt in good Or
der swept the divisions. No music, not even
trumpet-note, to cheer the night march !
Why is it that our Government denies the so,
lace of music to the armies OF the Republic ? |
Every one has experienced the cheering iuflu
ence of a military band, and yet one is hardly |
ever heard on the march, and with one excep-
ton, never in battle. The cavalry galloping
wildly among the footmen-and, as usual wick. |
edly abusing their tired horses-the ambulance
trains, wagons, batteries long strings of hors-
eS fastened at each side of long rope, itself
attached to the pole of a wagon stragglers
and all found themselves at daybreak bivou-
acked 10 the vicinity of the forts, the guns
peeping savagely in the misty light over the
desolated country
The little band, drawn together on an er-
rand of mercy, dispersed, each his own way,