The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-08-03

by r.. r. Glcg. The author was young
officer in the invading army, but after
wards studied for the ministry and became
the Chaplain General of the British forces
Ed.
CHAPTER |.
LANDING ON TIE BANKS OF THE CHESA-
PEAKE.
IT. is not without considerable re-
luctancr, my dear North, that l sit
down to comply with your frequently
repeated request The details of the
late war in the Southern States of
North America have been so vividly
and correctly given by your friend the
Suhaltern, that he who ventures to
tread upon the same ground must
make up his mind to endue the re-
proach of rashncss, if not of prcsump-
ton. Nevertheless, as my journal pro-
fesscs not to enter in any degree into
the plans Of the different campaigns,
farther than as these plans affected my
own individual person: and as, in point
OF fact, | cannot pretend to give any
thing more than a relation OF the accl-
dents and occurrences which befell my
self, from the commcnceme of our
military operations in the Bay of Chesa-
peake, down to the period of their final
close in the Dauphne Islands; l am
willing to be guided by your wishes;
not in the spirit Of a rival or adversary
toward my brother Subaltern, heaven
knows, but as an humble imitator,
whose lighter sketches and more private
narration may, perhaps, give an addi-
tional interest to those grave and scien-
tific details with which he has already
favored the public.
In the narrative OF tie campaign of
the British Army at Washington and
New Orleans" you will find a sufficient
ly elaborate account of the embarka-
ton of the troops in the Garonne, and
the passage from thence to the mouth
of the Patuxent. OF that account |
shall say no more than that to the
minutest title, Gas far at least as | am
a judge) it is correctly given. All
went on as the Subaltern has told us:
ST. Michael's and Bermuda were botl.
visited, the Chesapeake was entered
on tile l4th of August, 1914, and on
the 18th the feet began to ascend the
Patuxent 1t was my fortune, during
the progress of the voyage, to be en-
barkcd on board ola light, though very
comfortable transport The conse-
qucnce was, that when the ships of war,
and other heavy vessels took the ground
we continued to hold our course, till,
having approached within eight miles
of ST. Benedict's, our master deemed it
prudent to cast anchor We had, how
ever, got so far ahead of the rest, that
very short space of time elapsed, ere
boat after boat, loaded with troops,
drew up along side of us; and in a cou-
pie of hours our deck, cabin, and hold,
were literally iammed with men and
officers, making a sort of halfway
house of number 375 between their own
vessels and the shore.
Day had barely dawncd on the 18th,
when The report of a cannon from one
of the frigates lower down, gave notice
that all the boats should he hoisted out,
and the troops conveyed to land. How
it came about know not, but in my
elyrrness tn reach f'rr" f'mi, sprang.
| with IKE .l,Z N men, and one brother
officer. ii.lo Il br,,ad-buwrd punk, which
being supplied with no more than a
coul le ofoai 5. moved against the :trram
at the rate of half Il mile per hour.
| The point # rendezvous had. however,
| been named: it was st. Ben diets, Il
village distant rs have already stated
/ eight long miles from our place Of an
choragc. We had. therefore. gloomy
| prospect before us-that of sixteen
hours voyage under broilng sun,
ami the prospect, at one period, seemed
not unlikely to hc realized Boat after
boat, and barge after barge, passed us
by, without bestowing upon us any
other notice than vollcy of jokes, or
repeated peals of laue htcr; till at last
a worthy midshipman took pity upon
us, and threw us a line. Under his
towage we made way at tolerahiy
rapid rate; and having quilted the shir
at six o'clock, found ourselves snugll
on shore, and in full march towards the
bivouac, about halfan hour before noon.
St Benedcts, like most of the vii
lagos on the banks of the Chesapeake
rivers, is small struggling place; the
houses of which stand far apart from
each other, and are surrounded by neat
gardens. and apparently productive or
chartls. When we landed it was total
ly deserted 10y its inhabitants. The
furniture, however, had not been re-
movcd,-at least not wholly-frOm any
of the houses, and not few of the
dairies were garnished with dishes OF
exquisite milk and delicate new cheeses
| state this fact because ] perfectly
recollcct the degree ofhesitation which