The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-10-30

looking in upon the men to see that
thev were in state Of preparation,
and at other times trudging from post
to post in order to keep the sentinels
on the alert
| was setting out. a little after mid
night. to perform the last mentioned
of these duties. when the appearance OF
Williams. who advanced through the
court with rapid strides. greatly sur
priscd me- | had heard several of the
sentincls challenge; but neither tumult
nor the report of firearms following
their challenges, | paid little heed to
either. A 5 may be imagined, | eager
ly inquired into the cause of his visit;
and my CONSERVATION may be guessed
at. when he informed me that an Amer
lean Straggler had fallen into the hands
of his picket, from whom information
was obtained that an attempt was
about to be made to cut off the party
ut the chateau. This. he alleged, was
to be done by the connivance, and I'M
der the directions of the master Of the
house; for whom. or for Il messenger
from whom, who might act as il guide,
the corps intended for the enterprise
now awaited.
The reader will easily believe, that
| listened to the preceding intelligence
in no very enviable state of mind. Our
numbers, as | we'll knew, were not
equal to 4 successful resistance. pre-
vided the assa,lants chose to do their
duty, and there was not a point on
which we might not be assailed to ad-
vantage. The house stood in a sort of
corner. between two roads; the one,
that by which our column had advan-
ced in the morning; the other cross
road, which came in upon it at right
angles. Along either of them, not in
fantry only, but cavalry, and even ar
tillery, might march; whilst the broken
nature of the ground in our rear af-
forded Il thousand facilities for the ap-
proach of troops, who might collect,
unnoticed 10y our sentinels, within a
few yards of their posts. There was
no room for hesitation as to how it be-
hooved us to act. Hurrying to the
hut where the body Of the picket was
housed, | ordered the troops under
arms without delay: and. planting SEN
tinels over the different entrances to
the house, | took with me a file of men,
and proc,e led, without any scruples,
to secure the person of our host But
the bird had already flown. How, or
when he escaped, no one could tell: but
that he had escaped was certain.
BY this time Charlton reused from
his sleep, had joined us, and learning
in what predicament we stood, pro-
ccedcd to make the best dispositions,
which circumstances would allow, to
meet threatened danger 1t was from
the two roads, principally, that we had
reason to apprehend an attack. That
which joined the road to Alexandria,
Of which | have already spoken as a
by-path, fell in between our mansion
and the camp; from it, therefore, we
concluded that the principal effort
would he made. Patrols were accord
ingly directed to proceed along the
road every quarter Of an hour, and, 10y
way of making certainly doubly sure,
he and | took it by turns to accom-
panv them But whilst we thus care
fully watched that quarter, we we've
not neglectiul of others. One-half of
the men were ordered out on sentry;
and the other half stood during the re-
mainder of the night with their arms
in their hands in the courtyard.
The house-clock had struck one; and
as vet no noise had been heard, nor
any circumstances taken place, calcu-
lated, in an extraordinary degree, to
excite alarm. We were beginning, in
deed, to persuade ourselves that the
enemy, daunted 10y the absence of the
straggler Williams had taken, or ap-
prehensive. from some other cause,
that their plans were discovered, had
laid aside their intention; when sud
denly sentry on tn" right of the court
challenged. This was not the quarter
from whence we looked for an attack
the man who gave the alarm stood
upon the -AleNandrian road. not upon
the cross road: yet an enemy might be
there also; SO. leaving me to watch be-
side the hy-path, Charlton hurried OFT
in the opposite direction. The senti-
mel challenged again: third time we
heard the cry, "Who goes there!' but
in Il more abrupt tone: and then Charl-
ton himself exclaimed. Fire. if they
will not answer" The read of many
feet was now audible, followed by the
indistinct hum of voices: but Just as
our anxiety respecting the issue had
attained its height, our attention was
called away to Other objects, by one of
our own SentrlcS, who likewise chal-
lcnged. There could not be Il doubt,
that If amy persons were moving in his
front, they must he Americans, for this
sentinel stood upon the cross road. |
, FASTENED forward. Il sergeant and three