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


formed an obstacle to our progress,
which it required regular body o;
pioneers 10 remove and in part, be-
cause there ran up from the canal, here
and there, wide and deep bitches,
across which rude bridges required to
he thrown, before we were enabled to
pass them. OF the scenery, again, all
that can be sale, is, thot for the space
o! perhaps three or four miles, it never
varied; reeds and reeds, only were
around us, broken in upon feebly by
watees Of the canal. At length, how
ever, the face of the country under
went change. We were marching,
be i: observed, on the right bank of
creek; on the left a few miserably
stunted cyprrss trcss began to show
themselves. AS we proceeded onwards
these became more and more numer-
Gus; and at last formed a tolerably
close wood. On our side, however,
nothing of the kind occasioned, till all
at once the leading companies found
themselves in 'f,nt of some open fields,
skirted by an orange plantation, and
ornamented by two or three farm
houses. These were the first symp-
toms of cultivation which had met us
in any quarter of America; and it will
be easily credited, that in our eyes
they possessed thousand beauties,
which men more accustomed to them
would not in all probability perceive.
But they were soon passed by; and
then the entire neck of fine land on
which New Orleans is built, became
visible. Before us ran the mighty
Mississippi, not like an ordinary river
but like an inland sea, skirting on one
side the narrow isthmus, which the
marsh and lakes skirt on the other.
Between these two boundaries the
whole space could not measure above
500 or 1000 yards in width. 1t was
perfectly level; at least, the :nequali-
ties were SO slight as not to catch the
attention of a common observer. 1t
happened to be laid out everywhere in
large fields of sugar cane. There were
some half dozen houses scattered over
it, one of which being surrounded by a
sooty village of huts, conveyed the
idea that its owner must be a person
of some consequence; but the rest
seemed to belong to substantial farm
ers, men who paid more regard to COM
fort than ornament. On the whole, the
contrast between this picture of indus
try and life now around us, and the
miserable swamp which we were leav-
ing behind, proved no more striking
than it was agreeable.
But the satisfaction which every one
felt at being again introduced with an
inhabited world; suffered dimunition
from the reflection, that in case any
thing like activity or enterprise should
guide the councils of the enemy we
were exposing ourselves to danger
far more greater than any we had yet
encountered. The head of the column
no sooner showed itself in the open
country, than horsemen were seen at
their almost speed along the opposite
bank of the river, towards the town.
OF the inhabitants on this side, too,
several were known to have escaped;
and it became evident to all that in
less time than we had expended in pro-
ceeding thus far, the alarm of our lard
ing would be circulated throughout
the province. At this juncture, to the
honor of Col. Thornton be it recorded,
that he urgently pressed an immediate
advance upon New Orleans. We were
already less than ten miles distant
from it; the troops were fresh, in ex-
cellcnt spirits, and full of confidence;
it required but rapid journey to put
them in undisputcd possession. But
to plan so bold, our General stoutly
opposed himself. He feared to leave
his supplies decidedly behind him; he
was apprehensive that his little corps
might be attacked, and cut off by over
whclming numbers, before reinforce
mcnts could reach il; as if we were
not already cut of rs etfectually as
could be from our magazines, which
were established on Pine Island, full
eighty miles in our rear. Acting un-
der this impression, he would not lis
ten to the Brigadicr's suggestion; but
having led tue division about half a
mile towards the town, he ordered a
bivouac to be formed, and The troops
to refresh themselves This was done.
The mems arms were piled, lines OF fires
were lighted; and the pichets were es-
tabllshed, 50 us to protect the encamp-
mcnt on every side, the main body re-
gardcd Themselves destined to pass
the rcma nirr OF that day and night in
quiet.
Gro BE CONTINUED
I'm proud of this town. said lit
tie man. sitting before the stove with a
pipe in his mouth. "Proud of it!' re.