The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-11-09

to cast anchor under its cliffs Tor the
night. On the morrow, however, we
were again steering our course; and it
soon became apparent, from the dlrec-
lion in which we moved, that the Pa
tuxrnt was again about to afford us a
temporary roadstcan. In the course OF
to-day's 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 bcacons were set on fire
again signal guns were fired, horsemen
mounted, and teleoraphic 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 chill
| dren ying in manitc.t confusion into
the interior. must confess. that
though the course of some three years
campaigning had by this time pretty
et1cctualy blunted my finer feelings, |
could not but pity the ill-fated deni
zens of this devoted district, and then
| regarded our present proceedings
with no very triumphant eye, mas
much as they reminded me more of the
operatio ions Of the ancient Danes against
A Alfrcd 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 eN-
traordinary degree, to interest and
amuse. We came at last never to look
upon town or a village without hav-
ing at least the wish that we might
be allowed to pay it a hostile visit; and
thou2h am sure the peaccful inhai,i-
tants would have suffered no wrong ut
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 a legi,i-
mate source of plumber 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
jec, OF our transportation to America
was not to bc looked for here. A per-
mancnt conquest, it was whispered,
tempted; but when, how or in what di-
rection, continued mystery. There
were persons, indeed, who spoke of a
descent upon New Y ork 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 in this quarter
of the United States our campaign was
at an end; that however long we might
remain here, would be in idlencss and
confinement. With such rumors alioat,
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 move with the
same impatience that betrothed fe-
male experiences wien she is counting
| the hours which intervene between the
first publication of the hanns to the
day Of wedding.
will not attempt to record, in reg
ular order, The methods which were
adopted to kill time, from the 10Th 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 companies, and twice in whole
brgades. But the journal, were it reg
nlarly transcribed, with due attention
to dates and circumstance, would, |
fear, prove as little interesting to the
reader to peruse as it would he irksome
and disagrccahc to the writer to detail
i. 1t Will he better to relate only such
events as appear to myself to be worthy.
Of relation.
In the first place. then, | recollect
that whilst the feet lay ut anchor in
the Patuxent, a signal WAS hoisted at
the head-mast of the Royal Oak, re-
quIing q certain number Of captains
and other naval officers to come on
board, for the purpose of holding a
court martial. Two scamen, captured
in some of he late operations, had been
recognized as deserters from one of his
majestys 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