The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-02-15

1
taw children built their nutter mills,
and toyed with frogs and tadpoles,
while these majestik streams were but
little spring branches, q babblin along
their sandy beds. For 3 days and
nights our valyunt tsoops had beat bak
the fowl invader, anil saved our pullets
from their deyourin jaws. For 3 days
and nights We bade hrewcll TO every
fear, luxuriatin upon he triumph OF our
arms, and the sweet ices OF our straw.
berries and cream. For } days and
nights fresh troops from the south
poured into our stree with shouts that
made the welkin Ians. and the turkey
bumps rise all over ths flesh Of our pco.
pie. We felt that Rome was safc--sc.
kurc against the assaults Of the world,
the flesh and the dcx which last indi-
vidual are supposed t'.bc that horde oi
fowl invaders, who arc seekiugto phlank
us out Of both bread md existence.
But alas for human hopesl Man
that is born Of women (and there are
no other sort that kaow of has but
few days that amt fuli Of trouble. Al
tho the troops did shout, altho their
brass band musk swcllcd upon the
gale, altho the turkey bumps rose as the
welkin rung, altbo the commanding
General assured us .hat Rome was 10
be held at every hszaril, aud that on To-
morrow the big battuT Aas to be fought
and the fowl Invaders hurled all bleed
in and howllug 10 ;he shores Of the
Ohio, yet it did transI ,fc somehow that
on Tuesday nigh, the military cyakua.
tion ofour silty were pcremptorily or
dcrcd. No note Of wasniu--no whisper
Of alarm--no hint Of thc morrow came
from the nuzzlcd lips oi him who had
lifted our hopes 70 high, Calmly and
coolly VIC smoked our hlly sinick, aud
surveyed the ombarkation of troops,
konstruin IL 10 be some grand manoover
Of military strategy About 10 O'Clock
We retired 20 rest 70 dream Of tO.mor.
rows yik,ory Sleep soon oyerpowcrcd
us like the fox that kivcrcd the earth
but nary bright dream had kun, nary
vision Of freedom and glory. On the
kouirary, our rest were aneasy---atraw-
berries aud cream seemed TO be- holdin
secession meetins within cur corporate
limits, when suddenly ia tho twlnklin
Of an eye a friend aroused US from our
slumbeT aud put nov faEe upou the
situation. Gen. johnston was ro.
trcatin, and the blucnesod Yankees were
TO polluie our sakrcd u the next morn
in. Then came the j'sg Of var With
hot and fcvcrish hast we started out
in search of tsansp. jon but nary
transportation eoulefA h-l Tune
honOfcd ifiesdsaip, - TSVoFs show,
cycrlasiin gratltooi humorous small
aud luycly children, knutcicrto kur.
rcncy, ncw isshocs, bank bills black
bottles, all influences we're urged and
used TO sekurc koTHcr ~ kar but
nary korucr--t0o late-t0O latcv--the
pressure for time was fearful aud ire.
mcuginus--the steady clock moved on
no Joshua about to lcngthen out tho
night, no rollin stock, no steer, no mule
With reluctant aud hasly steps We pre-
pared 10 make good our exit by that
overland line which Rail Roads do not
control, nor 4 Q Ms impress.
With our families and little clothing
We crossed the E,owah bridge about the
broke Of day on Wednesday, the l7th
Of May, 1864, pfczakly year aod two
weeks from the time when General For
est marched in triumph through our
streets. BY and By the bright rays Of
the morning sun dispersed the heavy
fog which like a pail Of deth had over.
spread all nuinr Then we're exhibited
10 our afflicted gaze a highway crowded
with wagins and teams Katie aud hogs.
niggers and dogs, women and children,
all moyin in dishcycllcd haste 20 places
and parts unknown Mules we're bray
in, cattle we're lowin, hogs were squccl-
in, sheep were blatin, children were
cryin, wagginers eussin, whips were
p0ppin, and horses stallin, but still the
grand kayan moved on Everybody was
kentinually lookin behind, aud driyin
bciore--cverybody wanted to know eve
rythin, and nobody knew nothin. Ten
thousand wild rumors filed the sirkum.
ambient air, Tho cyerlastin kavalry
was there, aud ns they dashed 20 aud
fro gave false alarms Of the enemy bein
in hot pursuit
About this most kritikul juncturc Of
affairs, some philanthropik friend passed
by with the welkum news that the
bridge wer burnt, aud the danger over
Then ceased the pnnik then came the
peaceful calms of heroes after the strife
Of war is over; then exclaimed Frank
Rails, my demoralizcd friend, "thank
the Lord for that, Bill, let's return
thanks, and stop and rest. Boys, let
me git out and lie down, I'm as humble
as dead nigger. | tell you the truth.
sunk the long meter doxology as
crossed the Etowah bridge, and expck-
ted to be ded man in fifteen minutes.
BE thankful fellers--let's all be thank
full the bridge is burnt, and the river
is three miles deep. Good sakes! do
you reken them Yankees kan swim p
Git up, boys-let's drive ahead and
keep movin. tell you, there's no ak.
kountin for anything with blue clothes
on these days. Dinged, If | amt afeerd
of blue tailed fly"
With most distressin flow Of language
he kontinued his rapsody Of random re.
marks.
Then there was that trump of good
fellows, Big John--as clever as he is
fat, and as fat as old Falstaff.-with indie
fat igable diligence, he had sekured, as