The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-04-16
CHAPTER NH.
PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACKING THE
AMERICAN ENTRENCHMENTS--
SUDDEN RETREAT,-AND
RE-EMBARKAT'ON.


SUDDEN RETREAT,-AND
RE-EMBARKAT'oN.
We had hardly taken possession of
the post allotted to us, when the rain.
which during the whole Of the day had
ceased, began again to fall with re-
newed violence: it unfortunately hap
pcned, too, that there was nothing
within our reach which we could op-
pose to it. Our station was at the
edge of belt of oaks, that cut off one
portion of large field from another,
and our advance sentinels were planted
about halfmusket- shot in front of us.
But the branches of the trees were not
sufficiently close to afford the slightest
shelter nor was there hovel or shed
of any kind, under which we could re-
tire To add to our miseries, both the
officers cloaks and the men S blankets,
having been kept behind, we were de-
MED the means of keeping ourselves
ordinarily warm; whilst it was not
without much difficulty that we sue
ceeded in getting fire to blaze. The
wood within our reach was all green:
the rain of last night had completely
soaked it and it more than once oc-
CURED that the sheets of water which
poured down from the clouds, eXtin-
guished in moment the spark which
we had wasted a full quarter of an
hour in coaXing into life. At last,
however, our patience received its re-
ward, and couple of fires, roaring and
cracking beneath the green wood, had
the double effect of increasing our bod
lily ease, and elevating our spirits.
About couple of hundred yards in
front of our videttes, stood a mansion
Of considerable size and genteel cxte-
rior, upon which we cast many a long
ing look, without venturing for some
time to approach it. That place so
neat in all its arrangements, and so
well supplied with out-buildings of
ev>ry description, could be wholly de-
void of the nccessaries and comforts of
life, was matter which we were un-
willing to believe. Without doubt, the
pens that stood at the western gable
contained their due quantity ofpigs,-
the hen-rOOsts could not be ali tenant
lcss,-and the flights of pigeons, which
went and came, gave decisive proof
that the dove-cot had not been built
for purposes of empty show. Neither
was it probable that the lardcr would
be absolutely cleared out, or the Gel
lars totally empty. Our very mouths
watered as these reflections occurred
to us; and at last it was determined
that, at all hazards, the mansion in
uucSliOH Slloultt Dc cNstlillilctl.
The charge of conducting the search
fell, as it was proper it should fall,
upon me, rs the junior; and | set off,
attended by four men, to affect it.
Being assured by the scntries that no
Americans had shown themselves there
since they assumed their posts, we
pushed on without much apprehension,
and our satisfaction was far from being
slight when we found that the house
was empty. But the satisfaction
arising from that source, suffered a
very considerable diminution when. on
proceeding to look around for the
viands, in quest of which we had come.
nothing of the kind could be found.
There was not a pig, fowl, or other
living creature about the place. The
pigeons alone, of all the stock upon the
farm, remained, and they were great
d al too wary not to battle every effort
which was made to surprise them.
Disappointed and chagrined at an event
SO little anticipated, we were prcpar-
ing to quit the inhospitable domicile,
when a whole crowd of stragglers, az
tillerymcn, sappcrs, sailors and soldiers
Of the line, rushed into the hall. In a
moment the walls of the building re-
echoed with oaths and eNclamations.
and tables, chairs, windows and even
doors, were dashed to pieces. in re-
venge for the absence of food By and
by, however, a shout of JOY was heard.
Like those about us, we ran in the d.
rection of the sound, and beheld.
through chasm in a brick wall under
ground the interior of wine cellar.
set around in magnificent array, with
bottles of all shapes and dimensions
The willy Yankee to whom this house
belonged, unable or unwilling to re-
move his wine, had adopted the COM
mon precaution of blocking up the en-
trance to his vaults with brickwork.
But the absence of all uniformity be-
tween the old and the new masonry
failed not to strike one of our soldiers