The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1864-09-23
Pennsylvania Insurgents.

Correspondence of the Philadelphia Inquirer
CAMP CADwALADER, COLUMBIA County,
Pa, Sept. 6, 1S64.-It is not generally
known that certain drafted men from this
and other counties in this State, and some
OF the lower ones of New York, have been
in the mountains in the northern part of
Columbia county, on the headwaters of
Fishing. Creek, where they have openly
defied both the civil and military authori-
ties of our country. They have been led
to greater lengths by the citizens of this
section giving them aid and encourage
ment.
Matters had reached such point that
few weeks ago party of drafted men
fired upon and severely wounded Lieut..
Robinson, upon his attempting to arrest
them. Our government could not over
look this outrage upon one of it's officers,
and General Couch ordered force of
about 1000 men to the vicinity.
On the 2Sth of August Gen. Cadwala-
der arrived and assumed command. Mat
ters remained quiet until the morning of
tho 31st. During the night of the 3Oth
the forces we're posted in different portions
of the county, and upon the breaking of
day, which was the time appointed, about
one hundred of the citizens who were i'm
plicated in the troubles were quietly ar
rested and brought into camp. You can
imagine this created an immense excite
ment. Crowds flocked to see their friends.
Previous to this, the insurgents had
threatened that they would visit condign
punishment upon Us if we made any ar
rests. This seemed to be now forgotten.
At all events, everything passed off quiz
city, and by one O'Clock the prisoners were
on the march for Bloomsburg. should
state that previous to the march from
Bloomsbury, Major Gen. Couch had issued
a proclamation to the insul gents, giving
them several days to lay down their arms
and return to their allegiance. These
terms were not complied with, and Or
ders to proceed to extreme measures were
issued.
1t is almost to be regretted that we
were not allowed to march against these
Northern traitors Immediately upon our
arrival, for at this time they were located
near Benton, at place called Saltwater,
and were throwing up riae-pits to resist
our advance up the valley. Had we ad-
vanced at this time we might have had a
chance to administer some of the same
kind OF Union arguments to these scOun-
drelS as their friends in the south have
been receiving at the hands of our soldiers.
But dislOyalists are towards, and so soon
as the excitement of bad whisky had pass
ed away the mass of their forces lost fseart,
and those men who had property to lose,
who were in the ranks, suddenly became
intensely loyal.
At a preliminary examination held upon
the prisoners, about one-half were allowed
to return to their homes, some giving Sc
curity for their future good behavior. This
left about fifty, care being taken to retain
! none against whom there was not suffi-
cient evidence to convict, as will appear
on their trial.
On Friday we once more took up our
line of march, and ale now in the noun
! tains. Our camp is located III a valley on
the east branch of Fishing Greek. Noun
tains are all around Us. The valley is
barely wide enough for our camp, the
mountains on each side rising up almost
perpendicular for over seven hundred feet.
Of course I am not aware of the intOr-
nation possessed at headquarters, but
from all can learn the insurgents are en-
camped in gorge in the mountains, where
| they have intrenched, mounting two field
| pieces They are said to be from three to
five hundred strong, and from their loca-
ton it will be extremely difficult to ap-
| prOach them with sufficient numbers to
overcome their extremely strong position.
1t is the prayer of every soldier in the
command that they may remain and give
US fight. We hardly have hopes of this
from the cowardly course they have pur-
sued up to this time. Still they are
hemmed in and may be brought to bay.
This resistance to the laws, taken in
connection with the recent developments
in the West, possess serious Importance,
and it is fortunate the authorities have
taken such prompt and decisive measures
to suppress it before time had elapsed for
it to assume larger proportions.
AS to our future movements I cannot
speak. will try and keep you informed.