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

American character and nation then,
(whatever may be the case nowD |
could not behold this peaceful scene
without experiencing sincere regret
that it should suffer proclamation from
the presence of a hostile force: and |
determined that no cNcrtiOn on my
own part should be wanting to hinder
the orders already issued against plum
der and rapine, from being neglected.
TO say the truth, however it was an
easy matter to keep our men within
the bounds of tOlcrable subordinatiOn
AID discipline. The attacks which
they from time to time made upon farm
yards and pig-sties, were to Il certain
d gree at least, allowable enough. 1t
would have been unreasonable to eX-
pect, that hungry soldiers, in an enc
my's country, would sit down to digest
their hunger, whilst tlocks of poultry
/ and herds of swine were within their
reach. But not single act Of wanton
! mischief was perpetrated: and when
we marched out on the following day.
we left Marlborough, not perhaps so
rich in live stock, but quite as pic
ttlresque and rural. as when we enter
ed it.
In this place we learned, that Com
modore Barney, aware of our desie ign,
and unable any longer to allude it. had
blown up the gun-boats of which we
were in pursuit This piece of intelli-
gence sufficiently accounted for the
many explosions which we had heard
whilst on the march: but though it
might have caused some disappoint-
ment to the heads Of departments. by
us it was treated as a very dull and
uninteresting piece of news.
The first matter about which sold
iorS interest themselves on arriving at
the ground where they are to halt for
the night, is to secure as comfortable a
sleeping place as circumstances will
allow; and then to provide materials
for their supper Leaving Charlton to
select lormitory. Williams and |, rs
soon as we had seen to the comforts of
our men. sailed forth upon the old
quest, in search of provisions. We
entered several houses. but found them
all unoccupied; and what was less salts
factory, very many of them already
lightened of their viandS. BY the help
of my Portuguese boy. however, Zone
of the ablest foragers, by the way, that
ever followed "A Campo we succeeded
ut last in making ourselves masters of
five fowls: with which, and loaf of
bread, a sack of -four. and bottle of
peach whiskey, we prepared to rejoin
our friend. We found him very snug
ly settled: not in the house, for the
of the village, but under clump of
laafy trees, which furnished tolerable
shelter against the sun, and promised
to be equally serviceable against the
d,ws There our dinner was dressed
and eaten; and, here, upon few trusses
of hay, brought from Il neighboring
barn-yard for the purpose, we slept
soundly and contentedly.
Fresh, and in excellent spirits, we
rose next morning; and having stood
the usual time with our men. began to
consider how we should most profita-
bly, and agreeably spend the day. OF
further movements, nothing was said;
the troops, indeed, had been dismissed
as soon as dawn appeared we were
therefore prepared to treat this as a
day of leisure and repose. Neverthe
less. rs we were quite ignOrant of the
situation of the enemy, we deemed it
bv no means prudent to venture far
from the camp: and contented our
selves with strolling back into the vii
lage, and instituting a renewed and
more accurate search after people, and
other living creatures.
The only inhabitant whom we found
abiding in his house WAS a Doctor
Beans, medical practitioner, and the
proprietor of Il valuable farm in the
neighborhood. The Doctor was, in
point of fact, Scotchman; that is to
say, he had migrated about twenty
years ago from some district in North
Britain, and still retained his native
dialect in all its Doric richness. H.
professed, moreover, to retain the feel
ings rs we'll rs the language of his boy
ish days. He was Il Federalist-in
other words, he was hostile to the war
with England, which he still persisted
in regarding as his mother country.
such, AT least, were the statements
with which he favored us, and we be-
lievcd him the more readily, that he
seemed really disposed to treat us as
friends. There was nothing about his
house or farm to which he made us not
heartily welcome; and the willy emf
grant was no loser by his civilitv. We
took, indeed, whatever we stood in
n ned OF, provisions. forage, and even
horses; but our commissary paid this
man of professions the full value of his
commodities. From Doctor Beans, |
however scrupled not to accept pre-
sent. He offered me all that his house
contained; | took only a little tea,
some sugar, and Il bottle of milk: and
did not insult hlm by alluding to re-