The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-01-08

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take place, and if it did, he was equal
ly satisfied that the pnrsuers would
gain nothing by their eNertions. Thus
regarding matters, he resolved to rest
his army during the 2Sth, and, at the
same time, to secure as much of the
property of which it had taken posses
sion, as was contained in the barns and
| storchouses of Nottingham. Nor was
there any difficulty in etlecting the
last of these purposes. The river was
now crowded with gun-boats, barges,
and other small vessels, into which the
-four and tobacco were removed: and
the wounded beng disposed of in the
same way, there remained neither i'm
pediment to retarl our future move
ments, nor sources Of anxiety to dis
tract our plans.
In this manner the whole of the 2Sth
was passed: the soldiers, for the most
part, keeping quiet, whilst the crews
of the boats removed the plnnder
1t fell, however, to my lot, to be
placed, towards evening, in charge of
one of the out-posts. There always is,
and indeed must be, some anxiety at
tending this duty, because the very
consciousness of responsibility can
hardly fail to create it: but OH no occa-
sion have | kept watch so peacefully,
and so much at my ease, as tonight.
Not so much as once was an alarm
given. The sky was clear, the air mild,
and the position commanding; in a
word, all passed off rs if had been on
duty in some military station at home,
instead of in the heart of an enemy's
country.
Having spent the night thus COM
forta3ly, we were in good condition for
he march that was before us, and it
was trying one. \ push was to be
made for st. Bcnedict's at once. For
merly we had divided the distance, now
we were to compass it in one day; nor
did we fail in performing our task
though many a good soldier found him.
self sore pressed to keep his station.
1t was a journey of seven long leagues;
and came not to close till after dark
ness had set in. But like the march
ing yesterday, it was productive of no
interesting event. and it led to the very
same arrangements and dispositions in
which that had ended. We bivouacked
under the ridge of the hill, in the iden-
tical spot which We had occupied on
the 18th, and slept rs soundly, and as
uninterruptedly, as we had done on
the night of our landing.
The first campaign of General Ross
in America, if sudden incursion like
! that above described. deserves to be so
| styled, was thus brought to a conclu-
sion. With mere handful of troops,
not exceeding four thousand fighting
men at the utmost, he penetrated up
wards of sixty miles into an enemy's
country, defeated him in Il pitched bat
tie, insulted his capital, and returned
in safety to the shore. 1t remained
now only to re-embark the army, and
then his triumph would be completed.
Nor was the shadow Of difficulty eX-
perienced in cfecting this last, and not
least perilous enterprise. inundated
by his overthrow, the American lead
er dreamed not ut any moment of har-
assing his conquerer, or impeding his
progress; as we afterwards learned. in
deed. two full days elapsed, ere he ven
tured to ascertain that Washington
was abandoned. Though, therefore,
the most judicious precautions were
taken, to cover the re-shipment against
danger, no opportunity was afforded
of proving them: for the troops betook
themselves corps after corps to the
boats, and were corps after corps car
ried to their respective ships. The
only tumult to which they listened
was produced by the shouts of the sail
ors, who welcomed them back with re-
iterated cheers, and who received them
with as much cordiality rs if they had
been-not soldiers, but brother-scamen.
cannot pretend to portray the ma
ture of my own feelings, when | find
myself once more treading the quarter
deck of a transport, and relieved, as it
were, at once, from all military occu-
patton and responsibility: that | Ell
joyed the change heartily, for the mo-
ment, cannot be denied. Our fatigue
had been excessive; and the prospect
of Il few DAYS Of unhroNcn rest was Ger
tainly more pleasing than almost any
other which could have been, under
existing circumstances, held out to me.
Yet there was a consciousness along
with it, that perfect repose is not a
state of existence for which soldier is
adapted, whilst the suddcnncss of the
change was of itself sufficient to take
away much of what would have been
otherwise highly agreeable to it. 1t
was not now with us, as it is with
troops who at the close OF 4 serious
campaign retire into winter-quarters.
In the latter case, men are gradually
prepared for it, a series of bad weather,
for the most part, keeps them inactive
in the field, before they quit it. At
present, we were hurried, in the very