The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-11-30

to occupy it. On the contrary, as
night closed in, numbers Of hale and
hearty persons, all Of them claiming
acquaintance with the Doctor, present
ING themselves at the door, our hospi-
table friend made no scr,.plc about re-
cciving them all. Lamps being lighted
a cask of excellent brandy was
| broached, and with the aid of pipes and
cigars, and an ample flow of good
humor, we passed several hours after
fashion which reminded us precisely
of the many agreeable evenings which
we had spent in winter-quartcrs upon
the Douro and the Nivello.
Such. was our condition from the
evening of the 18th to the morning Of
the 2lst of December On the Goth,
indeed, the whole army was reviewed,
and new disposition of tue troops so
far effected, that, instead of three, it
was divided into two brigades, and
what was termed the permanent ad-
vance. On the 2lst, there came into
camp four or five American officers,
| who had deserted from General Jack
sons army, and propose to follow our
fortunes, whilst 4 few warriors, | be-
lieve from the Cherokees and Choctaws,
likewise appeared amongst us. With
the former personages l found an op-
portunity Of holding some couversa.
ton. When asked as to their motives
for deserting, they made no hesitation
in declaring that they had come over
to the side which they believed to be
the strongest, perfectly satisfied that
| there was no force in Louisiana capa-
bic of offering to US any serious re-
sistance. They spoke of Gen. Jackson
as an able man; bu, as one so hated on
account of his tyranny and violence,
| that not an inhabitant Of the State
| would adhere to his standard, after
they behrld the British flag fairly un-
furled. They gave US, in short, every
reason to believe that our difficulties
would all cease as soon as we reached
the mainland. With such prospect
| before us, the reader will not be sur
prised to learn, that one feeling, and
one only, pervaded the whole arma-
ment We longed for the moment
which should see us fairly in the field,
and our longings were soon gratlfied.
Whilst the troops were thus anus
ing themselves in Pine Island, boats
from every ship in the fleet, transports
| as we'll rs vessels of War, were assem-
bling in large numbers along the beach.
To protect the rear against annoyance,
each launch, as well as some of the
| baryeS, was armed with iwtlvr-pound
| canonade in the bows; whilst the six
cutters lately captured from the enemy
with all the tenders and small craft
brought from the Chesapeake, prepared
to accompany them. In spite of the
most strenuous eXertions, however, it
was found that the means of transport
were extremely deficient. After every
thing, even to the Captains gigs, had
been put in requisition, it appeared
that hardly one third ofthe army could
move at 4 time; but even thus our
leaders determined upon entering i'm
mediately upon the business. They
were well aware that no delay could
| possibly bring benefit to us. whilst
every hour Of respite would have en-
abled the enemy to mature his plans
for our reception.
At nine o'clock on the morning of
| the 32nd the advance of the army, un-
der the command of Col. Thornton,
stepped into the boats. 1t consisted
| in all of about fifteen hundred infantry,
| two pieces of light cannon, and troop
of rockets, and it was accompanied by
General keane in person, the heads Of
the engineer and commlssariat depart
ments, q competent number Of medical
officers, and the Indian chiefs. Two
OF the desertcrs We're likewise put on
board, to act as guides as soon as we
should land; and a moderate supply of
ammunition, under the care Of a store
keeper, was appointed to follow. The
morning was dark and cloudy, and a
cold damp wind gave promise of a
heavy rain before many hours should
pass. Nevertheless, we pushed off in
the highest possible spirits, and only
repressed our cheering because silence
had been strictly enjoined.
| The boat in which Charlton and N.Y.
self were embarked was a man-ot-war's
barge. rowtd by six oars OF a side, and
commanded by midshipman. Be-
sides the seamcn, there were crowded
into it not less than sixty men and four
officers, So that the full complement
amounted to seventy eight souls. Un-
der these circumstances the space
granted to each individual was not, as
may be imagined, very commodious.
1t was, indeed. by no means an easy
task to shift. our posturcs after they had
once been assumed, for we were as
completely wcdged together as were
ever a child's bricks in their box, or a
bundle of logs in what is called a cord
Of wood. AS long. however, as it con-
tinucd dry overhead, the Inconvenience
thence arising was, comparatively