The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-10-19

in which it could again become stag
nant; and It was speedily apparent
enough, that our minds would receive
to the full as much enjoyment in this
excursion as our bodies. We had not
proceeded quarter of q mile before
we fell in with about twenty armed
men. They were stragglers from yes
ter,lay's battle, and submitted imme-
diately; but they informed us that the
whole of the wood was filled with rife
men; and that our progress. if we made
any progress at all, would be effected
by dint of hard fighting.
1t will be readily imagined, that,
with such prospect before us, we
pushed on eagerly and rapidly, but
with extreme caution. The face of the
country was even more wild than any
which, on the present excursion at
least, we had yet passed. The high
road wound for many miles through
the centre of dark forest; and the
course of the fankers was rarely, indeed,
diversified with any other prospect, be-
sides that of an apparently intermina-
BILE wilderness of trees. At last, how
ever, a few np~n AM cultivated spots
burst upon us. Sweeping along, at the
distance of not less than a quarter OF 4
mile from the column, the section which
| commanded arrived suddenly at a
hamlet; completely embosomed in the
woods, and to all appearances cut off
from intercourse with every other part
of the world. 1t consisted, as far as
my memory may be trusted, of five
houses, each of which stood a stones
throw apart from the rest, and was sur
rounded by little enclosure, in the
highest state Of cultivation, and even
of beauty.
But the circumstances which delight
ed us most of all, was to find that not
one cottage out of the whole cluster
was deserted by its inhabitants. There
they were, males and females, young
men and maidens, old men and chill.
dren; and they scrupled not to assure
us, that our own proclamations had
kept them there, because they believed
that British soldiers were incapable of
violating their promises. | need
scarcely add that both their persons
and property were treated with the
same respect as would have been shown
to the persons and property ofan Eng
lish village The milk, bread, cheese
and whiskey, which they were good
enough to offer, We, of course, made no
scruples to accept; but not one among
them had occasion to complain of a sol
itary act of violence committed. Our
stay among them, indeed, exceeded not
five minutes; and we left them as we
found them.
We had quilted the village about
quarter Of an hour, when, pushing my
way through the middle of copse,
more than ordinarily close, | suddenly
found myself opposite to two Ameri-
can soldiers | was alone; that is to
say, my men, though following the
same tract, had diverged to the right
and left of this thicket, whilst | forced
myself, with some difficulty, though
its centre Whether l felt in any de-
gree alarmed by the vision, is prob
lem which, at this distance of time, l
cannot undertake to solve; all that l
remember is that holding cooked pis-
tol in my hand, ran towards them,
and commanded them, on pain of death,
to surrender. When | first caught
sight of them, the one was lying at
length upon the grass,-the other, in
a kneeling position, was hanging over
him; but the latter, as soon as he Oh
served my approach, sprung upon his
| feet, and leveling a short rifle at me,
demanded parley. could not under
such circumstances grant his request;
| but rushing forward, knocked up the
muzzle of the piece. which he, not
through any deficiency in courage,
| clearly enough, but from motives Of
| proper prudence, abstalned from dis
charging; and then required that both
he and his companion, who still remain
ed motionless, should regard themselves
as prisoners of war. The reader will
guess my surprise when | bcheld the
individual, to whom l was addressing
myself, burst into tears. do with me"
said he, "what you will; my life is Of
little value; you may take it now If
you choose; but | beseech you, by all
the ties of kindred, if such you ac-
knowledge, have mercy upon my faith
er. He was wounded in the battle yes
terday; bore him so far on my back, 3,
but my strength failed me, and | could
bear him no farther" | was much af-
fected by this appeal; and, STOPPING
down, looked anxiously to ascertain in
| L.. Al !
was perfectly motionless; Not mus
Gle quivered-not a breath heaved his
chest; he was dead; and the state of
his skin, which was warm and clammy
indicated that life must have gone out
only few minutes ago. My poor
fellow" said |, your piety has, | fear,
been of little avail; but God forbid that
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