The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-06-25


to cast alchor under its cliffs for the
night. On the morrow, however, we
were again steering our course; and it
soon became apparent; from the direc-
tion in which we moved, that the Pa
tnNent was again about to afford us a
temporary roadstcd. In the course of
to-days passage we passed, as we had
done before within gunshot Of Annapo-
lis, and Of the villages and hamlets in
its vicinity. Almost the same spec
taclc which had previously arrested
our attention rose to attract it now.
Again the beacons were set on fire
again signal guns were fired, horsemen
mounted, and telegraphic communica-
tions were carried on at every station;
whilst the provincial capital, with all
the inhabited places near it, again sent
forth crowds of men, women and chic
r.n, flying in manifest confusion into
the interior. must confess, that
though the course of some three years
campaigning had by this time pretty
etfectually blunted my finer feelings,
could not but pity the ill-tated deni-
zens of this devoted district, and then
| regarded our present proceedings
with no very triumphant eye, mas
much as they reminded me more ofthe
operations of the ancient Danes against
Alfred and his subjects, than anything
in the annals of modern and civilized
warfare. Yet was there a great deal
in this kind of life calculated, in an ex-
traordinary degree, to interest and
amuse. We came at last never to look
upon a town or a village, without hav-
ing at least, the wish, that we might
be allowed to pay it a hostile visit; and
though | am sure the peaceful inhabi-
tants would have suffered no wrong at
our hands, | am equally sure that there
was nothing in the shape of public
property, or public works, which We
did not regard as furnishing legiti-
mate source of plunder and outrage.
Our voyage continuing throughout
the whole of the 18th, We arrived, at
an early hour on the morning of the
18th, at our old anchorage in the Pa
tuxent river. Here every ship in the
fleet brought up; and here, as far as
We could gather, it was more than
probable that we should be condemned
to remain, in a state of useless inactiv-
ity, for some time to come. A sort of
rumor began about this time to get
abroad among us, that the ultimate OBJ
ject of our transportation to America
was not to be looked for here. A per.
manent conquest, it was whispered,
would somewhere or another be at
tempted; but when, how or in what di-
rcction, continued mystery. There
were persons, indeed, who spoke OF n
descent upon New York. There were
others who insinuated, that one of the
southern states lay more open to an
attack, and, if subdued, might more
easily be retained. All, however, con-
fessed themselves ignorant of the real
undertaking meditated, though all
seemed to agree, that il this quarter
of the United States our campaign was
at an end; that however long we might
remain here, would be in idleness and
confinement. With such rumors atloat,
the reader will not be surprised to hear
that we soon began to find that enemy
of all unemployed persons, ennui, gain
ing ground rapidly upon us; and that
we looked forward to a move with the
same impatience that a betrothed fe-
male experiences, when she is counting
the hours which intervene between the
first publication of the banns to the
day of wedding.
| will not attempt to record, in reg
ular order, the methods which were
adopted to kill time, from the 18th of
September, the day on which we cast
anchor, up to the 18th of October, when
we finally quilted the Chesapeake.
1t was, upon the whole, but dull and
uninteresting period of our existence.
We moved, indeed, from the Patuxent
| to the Potomac, and from the Potomac
back to the PatuXcnt. We landed
too, sometimes in parties, sometimes
in large, and twice in whole brigades.
But the journal, were it regularly
transcribed, with due attention to dates
and circumstances, would, fear, prove
rs little interesting to the reader to
peruse, as it would be irksome and dis
agreeable to the writer to detail it. 1t
will be better to relate only such events
as appear to myself most worthy of re-
latiOn.
In the first place, then, l rccollect
that whilst the fleet lay at anchor in
the Patuxrnt, a signal was hoistcd at
the head-mast of the Royal Oak, re-
quiring certain number of captains
and other naval officers to come on
board, for the purpose of holding a
court martial Two seamcn, captured
in some Of the late operations, had been
recognized as deserters from one of his
majesty's ships, and they were now
about to be tried. The court met, the
prisoners were convicted. and they
were sentenced to be hanged; and at
noon, on the Goth of September, the