The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-01-13
COMMUNICATIONS.
Correspondence OF the Press
Letter from the Maine 23d.
EDWARDS FERRY, MD, Jan. 4, 1se

EDWARDS FERRY, MD, Jan. 4, 1868.
DEAR PRESS Nothing of particular inn
portance has transpred within the limits of
this command since our unceremonious leave
taking of Offutt's Cross Roads two weeks ago.
The 23d has, however, changed its headquar-
tiers from Muddy Branch to this place, about
10 miles, and Co. b now occupies the spot
made vacant by said change, at Muddy Branch:
Co. 6, Capt Lamb is at Seneca, Lock 23
Companies ID and l are at Great Falls all the
rest are here at hea dquarters
The sanitary condition of the regiment is
rapidly improving. During the last two weeks
we have lost four, viz: Barton A. Field of
Lewiston, Co. A, Dec. 23d, of Typhoid fever;
Luther p. Barnard of Bridgton, Co. b, Dec
24th, Typhoid fever; Forester Bracket of
Bridgton, Co. b, Dec. 25th, Pneumonia; and
Edwin @. Charles, of Lowell, Co. b, Jan. Sd,
Pneumonia following the measles. The three
first died in hospital at Offutt's Cross Roads,
Mr.. Charles died in hospital here.
There are various rnmors afoat in camp
which canse apprehensions Of a rebel raid in
this vicinity. Unless, however, the rebels
come in good force, they will meet with no
slight rebuff in their persistent endeavors to
WOO my Maryland" to their internal coalition.
There is here brigade of four regiments of
infantry, battalion of cavalry consisting of
three companies of "Scott's 900" and an effec-
tive, weli drilled battery of light artillery
The brigade has headquarters at Poolesvlle,
five miles distant. The 23d is only half a
mile from the river.
There is much evidence of strong seces-
sion sympathy among the residents OF Pooes-
Vile and vicinity. There are at this time ma
ny Marylanders from this section in the rebel
army. The noted cavalry chief, Capt White,
formerly lived here, aud it was a portion of his
force, which few weeks ago, made dash
over here, and captured a squad of SCOTS
cavalry, killed the brave Sergt. Stiles, and
committed sundry depredations upon prop
erty.
Our several places of encampment before
coming up here, have been in what is said to
be the poorest portion of the state, compare
lively barren and unproductive, though show
ing occasionally, signs of enterprise and at
tempts at Improvement. The general appear
ance OF things, however, gave occasion for
frequent disparaging remarks on the part of
the soldiers, and some of the officers, like this.
"WeI, l haven't seen anything round here
worth fighting very hard for" But, since
coming here, the feeling and opinion are chan
ged, and hear numerous expressions of ad-
miration of the magnificent farms" splendid
dwellings," etc, about Poolesville, and all over
this region. 1t is, indeed. one of the love-
liest scenes ever witnessed, to stand on an
elevation, and view for miles the panorama of
fields, woods, mountains and river. Even now,
uuimS tiie nist udls Oh january, season
which TO us Northerners Is suggestive only of
cold feet ffost-bitten noses and deep SHOWS,
we enjoy such fine weather, and behold so ma
ny beanties in nature that one finds il success
sion OF delights to take trip on the canal
boat along the banks of the Potomac. Com
ing from below yesterday, found it very
pleasant lying on the cabin deck in the warm
sunlight, without more than my overcoat
around me. The river is alive with wild ducks
swimming and flying in every direction, and
SO tame, that one can almost catch them with
the hand Our pickets complain sorely be-
cause they are interdcted from shooting any
game. Firing, except at targets when dis
charging the pieces at.er being on guard duty,
Is prohibited.
Looking at the country abont here as it is,
and comparing its present condition with that
of Virginia, only few miles across the river
one cannot help congratulating the people of
this State upon their rescue by the Govern
ment from the jaws of secession. But, after
all, when we feel that even yet these murder
Gus jaws are yawning to engulf Maryland, and
that the citizens are so infatuated with the
sophistries and falsehoods by which the arch
traitors attempt to justify the rebellion, that
they would. many OF them, welcome with open
arms the triumphant entrance of King Jeffs
army into their borders, it is with but little
heart that we offer our congratulations.
Secession is often considered as attributable
to the doctrines inculcated in the Southern
mind by John c. Calhoun, no farther back
than thirty years ago. But whoever reads
carefully the record of the struggle which the
advocates of free government had with the
champions of slavery in the constitutional
convention, and the numerous writings of JEFF
ferson and Madison relating to that subject
can see that the identical spirit oi
hatred oil popular freedom had then grown to
an alarming extent in the minds of the South
ern aristocrats, which is now nothing less than
tornado of madness and DESTROYING passion.
The opposition which distinguished members
from the South offered to the union of the
confederacy after the Revolution. except with
the most solemn and expressed guarantees 10
the slave power, in the Constitution. nearly
prevented any successful formation of a Union
at all.
But why do we so often bring up these long
gone by incidents, and, breaking over the
boundary of the present, search for facts of an
cient date to illustrate or explain circumstan
ces OF to-day? Because the patriot. contem
plating the deplorable state of the nation
quaking from center to circumference with
warlike and deadly passion, asks himself wheth
er the cause is to be found in events of recent
date, or OF the far past. The shareholders uni