The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-12-04


peared in bivouac, and the troops were
ordered to fall in. The scruples which
had for time, affected him, were now
overcome, and a push. it was under
stood. was about to be made against
the city of Washington. From vari-
Gus quarters we had learned Of the eN-
cesses committed by the American
army upon the frontier towns of Cana
da, and the General and Admiral de
termined, by insulting the capital it.
self, to convince the Government OF
the United States that such proceed
ings were not more barbarOuS than i'm.
polite. This, at least, was the rumol
causes of their movements, the inferior
officers and soldiers of an army seldom
trouble themselves by inquiring 1t
was sufficient for us to know that an
enterprise was before us, worthy of our
leaders and our own reputation; we
cared not from what motive it sprung
our only thought was to effect it.
In less than quarter Of an hour
from the first alarm, the column was
in motion. Charlton's company had
again the good fortune to form the adj
vance; and it was not long before my
young friend Williams was again en-.
abled to exhibit his GOODNESS and cour-
age under fire. We had proceeded
about four miles, sweeping and scour-
ing the country as before, when, on ar
irving ut the base of low green hill
we were saluted by Il volley musketry
from body of troops which filled a
wood upon it's summit. 1t happened
| that the General was at this moment
among us. He had seen the rising
ground from distance, and, anxious
to take a survey of the surrounding
country, had ridden forward, with the
intention of ascending it. 1t will be
easily imagined, that the presence of
our leader acted as no clog upon our
courage or resolution. We rushed up
the height at double quick time, and,
receiving one other volley just as we
gained the ridge, dashed into the
thicket. Three Of our men were wound
ed, and as yet we saw not the hands
| which struck the blow; but now they
| were visible enough. 1t was the rear
guard CT Il corps of observation which
had bivouacked last night within gun
shot of our pickets, and which, finding
that we were in full march towards
them were retreating. We drove their
skirmishers through the wood in gal
liant style, scarcely allowing them time
to load as they retreated; till at last
they fairly took to their heels and es-
capped.
Ill llic lllttIl" illit GilC IcSU VI Out
vanced guard pushing steadily along
the road, caused the section which was
meant to support the skirmishers with
whom we were engaged, to disperse
and fly in all directions. To the fngi-
tives, it is true, the country was famil-
lar; they therefore easily escaped; but
by their flight they enabled us to OBJ
tain a view of the column, which it was
their business to have masked, and we
were consequently made aware that
about twelve or fifteen hundred infan-
try, with several pieces of cannon,
were in full retreat before us. The
enemy observed us. probably at the
same moment that we beheld them, for
on our approach they halted, and drew
up upon some heights about mile dis
tant OF this matt.r the General was
soon informed, and one hundred and
fifty additional men arriving to our as
sistance, we made ready, about two
hundred in all, to dislodge them.
With this design one company ex-
tended itself in skirmishing array,
whilst the rest advanced i'm column;
| but Jonathan was too timorous, or too
wary, to abide this shock. Their ar
tillery, indeed, opened as soon as we
| arrived within point-blank range and
| to say the truth, the shots were well
directcd; but we were yet a great way
off from the bottom ofthe rising ground
which they occupied, when the infan-
| try broke once more into marching or
der, and retired Notwithstanding this,
| we continued to press on, till we had
| crowned the heights, when Ma jor
| Brown, who directed the movement, in
| formed us, that it was not intended
| that we should advance any further in
| this direction.
4 halt being accordingly command
ed, we lay down upon the grass and
looked about, for the purpose of ascer-
tanning how far we had outstripped the
column, and in what manner the col
umn was occupied. Our surprise may
be guessed at. when not Il soldier ap-
peared in view. \ cloud of dust ris-
ing at the back of Il corpse, which ran
parallel with the heights above, served
to point ont the direction which the
army had taken: and even this was 50
wavering and unc artain in its aspect, as
to create some doubts in our minds.
whether retreat were not begun. A
short time, however, sutficed to set our
minds at rest on this important sub
ject. We had kept our ground per-
haps something less than an hour, when