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

minutes after we were both fast asleep.
For the first half of the night, our
repose continued to be as sound and
unbrokcn as we could possibly desire.
The air was serene and mild; and the
intervention of the boughs overhead,
screened US pretty successfully from
the dews; but towards midnight we
were awakened 10y a visitation, to guard
against which, even the dense foliage
of our bower proved wholly insuffi-
cient. The rain fell in torrents. There
was no thunder, it is true; but the
fountains of the great deep seemed for
the second time to he broken up, so
tremendous was the rush of water upon
our airs. We rose, as may be imag-
ined, not in the best humor possible;
vet we soon found out that to rcpine
would be useless; so drawing our cloaks
more closely around us. we crept a lit
tie nearer to the fire, and sat for half
an hour listening to the storm. BY
and by, however, drowsiness began
again to exert Its influence. The Wa
ter fell as profusely as ever; our gar
ments were not proof against it; we
were thoroughly saturated, but even
in that state sleep was precious. We
heaped on an additional quantity of
fuel, and laying ourselves as close to
the blaze as a regard to our personal
safety would allow. we were very soon
as ignorant of passing events as We
had been before the storm awoke us.
If any judgment may be formed from
the condition of our persons when the
orderly roused us, the rain must have
continued to fall, without any inter-
mission, from midnight up to the mo-
mcnt of the general muster. For my
self, can only aver, that | got up alb
soutely heavy with the load of mois-
ture which hung about me. 70 say
that | was wet to the skin, would be
to convey very feeble picture of my
predicament. My very skin was per-
forated Il was wet to the bones and
marrow. Yet | arose in the highest
possible spirits, and took post beside
my men, every one of whom was as
completely drenchcd as |, and, | firmly
believe, as merry and light-hearted.
We stood in column upon the ground
of our encampment, till daylight began
to appear; after which we moved down
and took our stations on the high road ,
at the head of the column. There we
found the other corps and bri gades as
semblins; and | perfectly recollect, to
this moment, the degree of mirth which
was excited among us soldiers, when
our gallant allies, the blue Jackets, pro-
ceeded to take up their ground. Even
the unmilitary reader will probably
understand, that when column forms,
the different companies of the battalion
or brigade drawn ~, as nearly as may
be, at regular distances from each 9th
er. No men ever set this technical ar
rangement SO completed y at defiance
as the sailors. To them it appeared to
be the matter of the most perfect in
difference how or where they stood
whilst their garrulity exceeded all
conceivable bounds, and their laughter
made the very woods ring. Jack is
certainly not in his element, when
brought to act with a regular land
force. In storming battery, or max
ing sudden dash for any purpose, he
is, perhaps, the most efficient animal
you could employ; but in a series of
operations, where patience no less than
courage, and regularity no less than
daring, are required. he is certainly
not the being whom we would select
as most efficient. He had done his
duty, however, in the affair OF ycster-
day, and done it nobly; and, if we did
smile Il little ut his 9norance Of tac-
tics, there was not, in the feeling which
produced it, the most remote assimila-
tion to dsrespect, or the most distant
disposition to deny to him the full need
of praise which his gallantry had al
ready meritcd, and we were aware
would merit again.
| know not whence it came about
but the company to which | was at.
tached, had again the good fortune tc
be employed as a flank patrol. The
column having formed in marching or.
der, We, who stood at its head, were
ordered to cast off our blankets, and
dash into the woods; ard we had hard
~ done 50, when a bugle from the rear
| SD'iH'iiii7 IIlc ittN tlHCt'. "uIIlct us 10 &c
on. We delayed not one moment in
obeying the signal. The rain had
ceased, but the branches of the trees
the underwood, and long grass were
all loaded with water. These, how
ever. were circumstances which we
never dreamed of taking into consider
ation-we pushed on. Wet enough
we were already-evcry step that We
took made us more so; for the grass
reaching to our middles, had all the in
fluence of a mire equally deep; yet we
contrived to keep our arms dry, and
doing that we cared for little besides
a brush of a few minutes put our blood
| in circulation; no leisure was granted