The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-01-16

retreat Of the rebels Just rs his forces had commenced
their movement. also visited Halls, Upton's Hill,
Balls Gross Roads, Falls Church and other points Of
interest. The whole region is desolation and ruin,
magnificent forests cut down, houses burned, or
pulled down, or stripped of all but frames and plas-
ter, beautiful gardens and parks destroyed, and
grim visaged war displaying his wrinkled and horrid
front, wherever the eye turned. This region has
been occupied by rebels and federals by turns, and
each party have wreaked their vengeance on the
partisans of the other, till there is now hardly a house
standing l did not see u child or a female from the
time l left Washington till 1 returned to- it, but every
where the bronzed visages of stern warriors. 1 got
out of my way early in the P. VI. and having ridden
a mile or two without being stopped, or seeing pickets,
l thought it was time to consult my map, which had
been corrected up to the present time, (t least | was
assured so where l procured it) was startled at dis
covering by it that | was within the line of 'srebel
%pickets," and that q rebel fort was just behind me,
and rebel cavalry camp just before me. l began to
think that the Commercial -3irertiSer was about to
lose its humble correspondent" and that the mill
tary committee of Westboro' their valuable secretary,
and was looking forward TO an incarceration in the
Richmond prison during the war, with most unenvi-
able feelings. There were no camps in sight, but
quite near me was a party of soldiers. The question
which to me was particularly interesting, whether
they were federal or secesh, was not readily answered
by their appearance. They were loading a cart with
the boards from a house which they were pulling
down. As this had been the amusement of each
party no clue to the answer was furnished. As l
knew that they would fire at me without ceremony if
| tried TO gallop of whether they were friends or foes,
[ rode up to them, and found, to Ey relief, that they
belonged to a Jersey regiment, and that our pickets
had been extended and the rebels had retired. As |
returned towards Washington, il was the hour of
evening parade, and the regimental bands were dis
coursing most stirring music as L passed in success
sion the various camps, while cavalry, artillery and
infantry were moving through the fields and along
the roads, presenting a most imposing and brilliant
y strange one. indeed, to an American.
L could hardly realize that 1 was in Republican
witnessing scenes, which | had before only
in Europe, when l had thanked God that l was
citizen Of America, where standing armies were
unknown. Auwe /! auwe Alas for the Republic A..
grant her a safe deliverance from her deadly
peril
The completion of the Pacific Telegraph brings us
a fortnight of the sunny isles A wonderful
achievement, with the excitement and glory of which
the whole of the United States in ordinary times,
would ring. But under the absorbing pressure of
this fearful contest, hardly n thought is given to any
pacific triumph which this so emphatically is. Most
heartily do | congratulate the denizens of the peace
i'll shores of Hawaii, on this auspicous event, which
Travis still closer the cords which bind Hawaii and
England together Farewell Tomorrow L
cave Washington by the old fashioned mode of travel
ng, the stage coach, to visit the scene of the bloody
fight, or rather our troops who were en-
jagged in it. and our Westboro' boys who are station
d at Harpers Ferry, and were engaged under Col.
ieary in the fierce skirmish of Bolivar Heights. If
line permits l will send you u waif from there.
MAIKELA.