Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-09-16

Con Friday we once more took up our
line of march and are now iu the moun.
tains. Our camp is located in valley on
the east branch Of Fishing Creek, 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 | am not aware Of the infor-
nation possessed at headquarters, but
from all can learn, the insurgents arc
encamped in gorge in the mountains,
whore they have intrenchments mounting
two field pieces. They are said to bo from
three to Eve hundred strong and from
their location it will be extremely difficult
to approach them with sufficient numbers
to overcome their extremely strong posi-
ton. 1t is the prayer of every soldier in
the command that they remain and give
US fight. We hardly have hopes of
this, from the cowardly course they have
pursued up to this time, Still they are
hcmmod in and may be brought to bay"
Cadwaladcr aud his thousand men are
spelling for fight Qaughter) but if they
were really as anxious as they seem to be,
they would be down at the front, where
Grant and his brave fellows, begrimmcd
by the smoke and stunned by the roar Of
battle, are doing service against the enc
my; instead of listening to the quiet
murmurs of the Fishing Greek, the crow
ing of the cocks (Which were speedily
captured y the gruuting of the pigs (Which
were quickly slaughtered,) aud the re-
ycille of the thousand men. But the Gen.
eral aud his men doubtless preferred Col
umbia County as the scene Of their ez-
ploits. 1t was a safe placo--there was no
danger Qaughtsr) aud he marched his
men up to the head waters of the Creek
and encampod them there in a beautiful
valley, with magnificent mountains all
around, and quiet and peace reiguing SUI
premc.
Gen'l Cadwalader is man OF consider.
able military experience. lie mato him
self very excellent reputation as an OIL
GER, in tho war with Mexico but that was
before he permitted himself to be used by
men who bad no respect Tor constitutions
or for laws.
| wish could fairly describe to you
Gen'l Cadwalader's hunt after that fort
mounting two field pieces what trouble
be had to get guides and scouts There
were no intelligent contrabands in that
country how he sent squad of men al
ter my old friend james IIcss-how after
q midnight ride he captured boy who
knew some other boy who knew where the
Fort was--how that boy didn't know but
could tell them where there was q boy
who dld-and how at last some body was
found who undertook to fix the spot. Then
the Major Generals scientific knowledge
OF military matters came into full exercise,
his stragetic ability had a locman worthy
Of his fame and his thousand men were
divided and located and timed with the
utmost military skill and precision. The
grand "army of the Fishing Creek" in
three divisions, advanced against that lone.
ly Fort. (Laughter) After clamberipg
for half a-day over rocks and stones,
through briars and huckleberry bushes,
finding three or four cid bear traps which
my friend John McHenry had set up there
to catch bears, they began to find signs ol
a p ace whero somebody had been and
then, Look to your arms boys, and keep
your powder dry" (Laughter) And so
this valiant army progressed diyi-
sion coming in order and at proper time
suddenly surrounding the top Of the noun
tain, and captured--@ pIace solere some 9t
yoel'' bays Gnd gifiG hud Jeen haUmg a
huckle6erry Ptcaic-and that was all
they ever did fnd. (Great laughter) No
Fort, no entrenchments, no rifle pits, no
field pieces, no five hundred men, no re-
bclion, no nothing. That was the end Of
the expedition, and Cadwalader, like that
ancient being Of Spain.
With twenty thousand men,
Marched up the hill and then marched down again
laughter
He was thoroughly disgusted-He came
to Bloomsburg and upon his military
5 knowledge and experience as a military
I officer, he pronounced, l use his OWL
} words, THE whole thing farce"
S What then should he have done He
q had arrested about one hundred of our
G citizens, he had incarcerated Forty four o
, them in the bomb.proofs of Fort Milfln
r he had satisfied himself, after thorough
:. search in all directions that the Fort wa
e moonshino and the rebellion a "farce !;
D and as an honest man, as au officer, de-
Y serving the name, he should have made
0 a personal matter to procure their release
t but he had not the manlness to risk hi
= commission,