Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-28

Bull Run aad Balls Bluff was now, with de-
cmated rauks aud dsheartened spirits, about
to retrace It's steps aud return without having
accomplished its purpose. 1t was true that
the army had fought well and stood by their
General through good report and evil report
they had at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair
| Oaks, Hanover Court House, Gaines Mills,
WLite Oak Swamp and Malvern Hill enshrin
| ed thelE names with halo of glory by their
daunttss courage ard gallant bravery SO fear.
iessly displayed, often against superior aDd
sometimes overwhelming numbers and now,
that all was 10 be abandoned aud IL retrograde
movement was TO be made, they utterly re-
fused 10 credit Soon all was hustle and eX
citement III the camps; the tents We're struck
| and The wagons packed very rapidly. So per-
| fectly had everything been prepared that it
took but comparatively short Time to have
everything III readiness. BY niue o'clock most
OF the regiments were all ready aud waiting
for maj ching orders, and by ten all the prepar-
atlons were made. The division of Gene al
Sykes, which was to lead the advance, col8-
meuced It's march at about ;bat hour THIS
was followed by Gen. HorelPs aud Gen. Nc.
| Calls divisions
1t was nearly three o'clock on Friday morn
ing before all were fairly started ou the march,
| The sight vas romantic aud Interesting as the
long files OF soldiers moved out of the utreucb.
ments at the trout and into the Charles City
road, their bay0uets glItteriug in the moon
! llght as they mOVed SilentIy along. SuppreS-
sed congratulations were exchanged that we
We're at leuyth actually leaving the contracted
lines within which Tor more than SIX weeks the
army had lived aud suffered discomforts which
| must ever RENTER The rtrnt rtfIru of the riocp
nythms but pleasant or satisfactory We
plocttdeu slowly along ana soon The Signs 0i
approaching dag streaked the horIzDn, aud
tle light OF early dawn We bId II last farewell
to the scene oi our rectnt uncomfortable TX
| tlltnceS lie air Was cooi ana heallDiul, anu
| The men geueruliy checiui and good nalured.
! The Incidents aud description OF the scenes
connected with the beginning of marches and
movements Of large armies have become so
| familiar TO the public that will not annoy the
reuGerS OF The He'ad 9Th repetition of the
more than thrice lold tale. 1t is sufficient to
| lay that at last We were fairly started on our
| Journey and prepared TO meet whatever for,
! tune or adventures were ia store for US We
reached Charles City Court House at about
! eight \. NJ. TnlS Is about five miles from
| narri>on's Lordug, aud from it road leads
J.
uear where it emplieS n;o The james To
| this point our days march was intended to
reach, and II WAS said to he twelve miles dis.
tant; but my subsequent experience would seem
| TO Indicate that it WAS bearer fifteen.
! The Charles City Conrt House. which is the
| seat OF government of Charles Civ county, is
| a very ancient aud venerable lUoklHg Que story
| brick building, with two wings. The maiu
! b,iiJ
| Wigs contain he jury rooms g. Adjoining
! the Court House Is another smaller building
which contalued the various county Offices, and
where were kept the public records Of the
| county. These buildings have for 20 c time
| past been USED as u sort of headuuarterS Tor
ne of our cavalry regiments OF duty in that
| vicinity Tie records and public documents
inch were kept in these buildings extended
back for nearly two hundred years, aud must
have been Of very great Importance to the in
| hahilantS and property owners Of the county
These had been pulled to pieces aud scattered
ali about the buildings aud the adjoining
grounds. Great confusion must arise from
this wantou destruction of valuable papers
and litigation in the future he largely increaS
ed thereby. BY such conduct friends and foes
| are l"lnr' lndIscrimlnately and without any
accompanying advantage 10 compensate for
the injury lnlIcted. Here also is the county
Jail, which had not time to examine and
these, with Two or three other buildings, APP
pear to constitute the city. 1t don't take
much to make city in the South The dwelling
houses appeared to have been generally desert
ed hy their inh"hltaniS.
Leaving this place we moved forward still
slowly and cautiously, as 1t was thought that
beyond bere We might possibly meet with
Some trouble irom the enemy. Previous
cavalry reconnaissance had shown no rebel
lofce between US and the ChckahCminy river;
out yet mere was possibility That they might