The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-04-15

sued scene nv pen cannot describe.
The poor beasts were driven out for
slaughter, but owing to the darkness the
death blow was often not well aimed,
when he would break away and run into
the woods, pursued by the butchers, who
looked. by the lurid light of the burning
pitch pine rails like devils at their orgies
The result was, however, that we were
called up at three in the morning TO roast
some very good beef for our breakfasts
Our object seemed now accomplished
namely: to make reconnaissance 10
force, as far as Trenton and Jacksonville,
find out the condition of the country and
enemy, whip him if we could fnd him,
and be back to Newberu ID ten days
Three days had elapsed, and nothing re-
manned but to 90 home. This We now
prepared to do. We found cut By our
prisoners that they supposed our force to
be only cavalry, and that by retreating
they could come around in their rear and
capture the whole of them. This they
had attempted to do, but found they had
caught tartar, and now they were in our
rear and likely to fall prey to us. They
estimated our force at $4,000. The night
before a couple of the cavalry boys came
along with forid, fat faced, jolly fellow,
on poor sorrel horse, who was evidently
prisoner, "Gallo boys" / said, "been re-
crulting p "Yes, we've got oue," "I'm
just thrown in for wedge wood, says ruby
Of the straw hat. This morning niger
rebel soldier was taken and brought ip.
The prisoners were all down at the Gen
erals quarters in the woods when he was
fetced up. "What Mr.. Collins !" says
darkie, "you wedge wood too 2" "Stop
your talk" says the Gen. don't let me
hear another word out of you" recog
nized one of the cavalry prisoners as a
fisherman [ lad seen drawing net in
the river by our camp. Hundreds of
others also recognized him. That is the
way information of our numbers and do
ings gets to the enemy.
The folks at the house appeared very
poor, and the old lady said her son had
been taken the day before a Rebel con
script. 1t was suspected that the old
fellow in the straw hat was the husband
of the other. Nothing in or about auy
house was disturbed by our troops, but
excess of caution frequently proved dam.
aging and ludicrous in its results. For
instance. This morning some of the
boys of the l71st, roaming about
the woods, found box covered with
brush. Its contents was, among 9th
ers things, a quantity of cotton cloth,
both home made and factory, cloth for
pants and coat one pair new pants; a
dozen pounds of cotton yarn paper of
red oc!ire; silk handkerchief; some to-
bacco several ladies dresses and shirts,
ana other women's ware, &c. &c. The
boys appropriated the pants and the cloth
for towels and small sugar and coffee
sacks, and of course the tobacco, but the
balance, not being useful to them, they
took to the house. The old lady said. if
their soldiers had come there so, they
would not have used them so we'll as we
did, Pity was in the heart of every one
for them. [ could not help contrasting
their condition, and theirs is like all the
rest this way, with ouls up home, bad as
it Is. Friends at home, you are iu para
disc compared with residents here The
country desolate, farms ruined, families
ali broken up; not horse or uule left
or man 70 work them houses burned
or deserted. fields abandoned and grown
up to weeds, and nothing in the granary;
what can be more pitIaGie? +? When the
prisoners were tod that we were about
making another draft for three years, they
replied, at is useless, we can barely live
now, we shall raise nothing this year, we
have nothing to fall back upon, and What
can we do? Still they declared it their
Intention to Gght TO the last man Nor
is this all talk and braVodo. Their con-
duct proves the truth and strength of
their determination. Who but Rebels
would carry on so hopeless a contest so
long. a united trent ut the North would
do more towards victory in full fruition,
than half million can do in arms Then
why not end it now and not leave so poor
a legacy to our children as a patched up
peace civil itch, that will sooner or later
break out in the ulcer of war?
The order was given to fail in and in
a moment every man was harnessed and
at his post. We lay bivouaced in divis
ions Dad Biererrode into ourcenter with
an order to read to US, the tenor of which
was this, tbat the 17lst Pa. M. Col. f.
Bierer, by their good conduct, cheerful
ness and good nature in the arduous
march they had gone through with, mer-
tied and received the commendation of
the Gen. commanding; and as a mark of
honor to them, they were directed to take
charge of the prisoners and conduct them
70 NonharD