The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-09-07

| GaNiy, and rapidly.
But it was not alone because We be-
| held houses and barns abundantly
around us, that our spirits returned to
us on the present occasion. There
were other objects dsccrnible, not less
capable than these of putting soldiers
upon their mettlc The road by which
we Travelled was deeply indented With
the track of mems feet and horses
hoofs, and by Il few green fields on
each side presented manifestations Of a
recent enrampment The ashes of fires
not long eNtinguished were still smok-
ing. Morsels Of provisions, bits of
clothing, a tirelock, here and there, and
numerous bundles of straw, all told a
tale of troops having spent the night
here; whilst palings, torn down in large
quantities, seemed to imply that of the
force whose route we were following,
no inconsiderable portion was composed
of cavalry. The expectation of being
momentarily charged, could not, under
these circumstances, fail to arise in the
minds of all; and as we had no horses
of our own competent to protect the
infantry even from the attack of sim
gle squadron, the infantry made ready
to form into squares at a moment s
notice, and protect themselves.
1t was at this juncture that the
mounted drivers proved Of the most
essential service to the expedition.
Being attached to the advance guard,
they were placed, like us, under the
general orders OF Major Brown, and,
directed by their own officer, Captain
Lempricrc of the artillery,) they were
most active, and most daring, in their
efforts to hinder surprisal. They
rode, sometimes as far as muskct-shot
ahead of the light infantry; and posted
themselves. in sections Of three or four,
at the corners of every grove, round
which they found it either unsafe or
impracticable to attempt 4 circuit.
The infantry Of the advance, too, was
particularly active; not a single hiding
place was left uneXplored, by which
means, though prudently on the alert,
the main body was enabled to move on,
under the full assurance that no enemy
could reach them without time enough
being allowed for the assumption of
any order which might be necessary.
Things continued thus, no enemy
making his appearance, till about ten
o'clock. when the worn out condition
Of h;s troops compelled the general to
halt We had traverscd distance of
not less than twelve miles, and had
journcyed for the last hour under sun,
than which it were hard to conceive
any more scorching There was not a
breath of air to fan Our cheeks and the
dust and fine sand were not |, SIS annoy
inc to our eyesight and respiration.
than they had been on the afternoon
when our nroad began. Numbers of
our best men had already fallen 10y the
way-sle, and numbers more were
prepared to initiate their example 1t
was. therefore, with Il degree of salts
faction, Of which the very memory has
doubtless departed from those who eX-
pericnccd it. that we listened to the
notes which directed us to rest. We
threw ourselves down upon the grass,
and in five minutes the mass Of the
army was asleep. For myself the ex-
eri:ons Of to-day, Superadded to the
toll and anxiety Of last night, com
pleteiv ovcrpowvred me Though the
loss OF life had been the consequence, |
question whether should have been
able to resist tic drowsincss which
overwhelmed me. My eyes were closed
before my head reached the ground,
and | continued perfectly ignorant of
all that was passing. for a tull hour
and half
It was not without some difficulty,
as he himself informed me. that at the
close Of that period my young friend
Williams contrived to shake me into
state OF renewed consciousness. At
length, however, by dlnt of violent ex-
ertions on his part, was enabled to
open my eyes, and to see that the corps
to which | was attached had already
begun its march, and that the others
were preparing to follow. IIurrying
after it, we soon overlook our division;
and the same routine of securing the
fields, sclmpcring through thickets,
hollowS, was repeated with the same
results as before.
We had proceeded about a coaple of
niles from the halting-placc, and the
hour oi noon was past, when our atten-
tion was suddenly drawn to the left, by
several heavy clouds Of dust which
rose in that direction. Though we
could not doubt from what source the
dust proceeded, the intervention OF a
considerable copsr between us and it,
hindrred us from saying with certain
ty that the enemy was in the position.
The screen thus intcrposcd was, how
ever, speedily withdrawn \ farther
advance Of some hundred and fifty
yards brought us clear OF the planta-
ton, and the American army became
visible. Williams and were walking
I1,, l,1<