Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE COUNTRYMAN. 15 camped in Frederick County, some 4 days, after which a forward move was made to wards Hagerstown, with Gen. D. H. Hill’s division in the rear. We had advanced but a short distance into Washington Co., before information came, chat the enemy was pursuing us with a large force. We faced about, and met ln'm bet ween Boones- boro’ and Middleton, at Blue Ridge Pass, or Patrick's Gap, early Sunday morning, 14th inst. Cannonading was kept up, regular ly through the day, with musketry at dif ferent points, until late in the evening, when the engagement became general, Gen. Longstreet having arrived with heavy re inforcements. In the engagement, Gen. Ripley’s brigade occupied the extreme right wing, and the 44th Ga., the right of the brigade, Col. Doles’s regiment being on some detached service, at the time. In this fight, our position was a good one (I mean that of the 44th.) Though under fire nearly the Avhole time, we had only one or two in the regiment wounded. Af ter fighting until about.9 o’clock, p. m., we repulsed the enemy, and fell back, on sun- day night, in the direction of the Potomac, to Sharpsburg, where we made a stand, and awaited the coming of the enemy, who soon made his appearance, and com menced shelling us. This was kept up from monday until Wednesday, when the most bloody battle of the war commenced. The battle continued the whole day, without the least cessation. . We were ordered into it early in the morning, and had to fight most desperately. At one time, I thought all hopes of success were gone. Our boys fell as regularly and as fast as counting one, two, three. This I observed in my own company. The first person whom I saw shot, Avas Capt. Pearson. He was shot immediately in the head—our position be ing that, of lying down. The Captain’s loss is irreparable, and his place cannot be filled so well. He died endeared to his company by ties of mutual friendship and kindness. The men knew nothing but to love and obey him. We can only hope that our loss is the eternal gain of our friend, whose course was that of a man of integrity, chaiily, and Christianity . While we know friends weep at home, Ave too sor row, abroad, for one who was so kind, and ever ready to confer a favor. Besides him, six others of our brave boys fell in this bloody struggle. They fought until the last. Men were falling all around, but still our boys held their ground, and fired. Without going farther, I will give you a list of the casualties, as correctly as I can. Killed : Capt. Pearson, John Brewing- ton, Jndson M. Lawrence, John Barnett, John Cole, J. J. Cockrmn, and Thomas White. Wounded : Lt. J. B. Reese, in the arm, slightly; Sergt. A. H. Wright, through right arm, severely; Corp. T. J. Moore, on chin, slightly ; Private J. C. Alfoid, ball entered back of the neck, and came out just beloAV the arm-pit—badly, not se riously; C. S. Mooneyham, shot tlnougk left arm, just above the elbow—ball enter ed lower part of the right thigh—severe ly; Richard BroAvn, in right arm, slightly ; Green J. Spivey, through right arm, near the shoulder, severely; 0. S. Wynn, in the head, slightly ; J. M. Sanders, in the head, slightly ; W. H. Fuller, in left arm, slightly ; John Maddox, in the back, with shell. Sergt. Howard was knocked down by a bomb. John West, I learn, Avas wounded, but how much, I am not able to say. I have given you as correct a list as I know. Some of this I give upoirthe evi dence of others.— Of the Putnam Light Infantry, John Moore and Hetland were killed—several of the boys slightly Avound- ed. Lt. Reid, of the Brown Rifles, was severely wounded, through the right thigh ; Lt. O’Brien through hand, or fingers. It is said that Capt. Nisbet was killed. - I hope this is untrue. It is said that Jackson had another fight on Saturday last. Who were engaged and hurt in it, I am unable to say. After the Sharpsburg battle, our army fell back on the Virginia side of the Poto mac. The enemy crossed, but was beaten back with considerable loss, on Saturday and Sunday. Jackson has re-crossed the Potomac. j. b. r. The Child’s Index. This is the title of a very neat, well- pvinted, Avell-edited child’s paper, publish ed by Rev. S. Boykin of The Christian Index, Macon, Ga., at 50 cents per annum. It is a monthly publication.—I wish The Child’s Index abundant success, except in its unamiable attempt at unchurching all other denominations (embracing some of the editor’s nearest, and best friends) ex cept its own. In this ((hank God) it will tail, as it ought to fail. John Adams. “John Adams, a distinguished patriot of the American revolution, was born in 1735, at Braintree, Massachusetts. He was edu cated at the university of Cambridge, and received the degree of master of arts in 175S. At this time he entered the office of Jeremiah Gridley, a lawyer of the highest eminence, to complete his legal studies; and in the next year he was admitted to the bar of Suffolk. Mr. Adams at an ear ly age espoused the cause of his country, and received numerous marks of the pub lic confidence and respect. He took a prom inent part in every leading measure, and served on several committees which report ed some of the most important State pa pers of the time. He was elected a mem ber of the Congress, and was among the foremost in recommending the adoption of an independent government. It has been affirmed by Mr. Jefferson himself, ‘that the great pillar of support to the declara tion of independence, and its ablest advo cate and champion on the floor of the house, was John Adams.’ In 1777, he was cho sen commissioner to the court of Versailles, in the place of Mr. Dean, Avho was recall ed. On his return, about ayear afterwards, he was elected a member of the convention to prepare a form of government for the state of Massachusetts, and placed on the sub-committee chosen to draught the project of a constitution. . Three months alter his return, congress sent him abroad with two commissions, one as minister plenipotentia ry to negotiate a peace ; the other to form a commercial treaty with Great Britain. In June 1780, he was appointed in the place of Mr. Laurens, ambassador to Hol land, and in 1782 he repaired ,to Paris to commence the negotiation for peace, hav ing previously obtained assurance that Great Britain would recognize the indepen dence of the United States. At the close of the war, Mr. A. was appointed the first minister to London. In 1789 he was elec ted vice-president of the Uunited States, and, on the resignatioi^f Washington, suc- ceded to the presidency, 1797. After his term of four years had expired, it was found, on the nevv election, that his adversary, Mr. Jefferson, had succeeded by the majority of "one vote. On retiring to his*farm in Quincy, Mr. A. occupied himself with ag riculture, obtaining amusement from the literature and politics of the day. The remaining years of his life were passed in almost uninterrupted tranquility. He died on the 4th of July, 1826, with the same words on his lips, which fifty years before, on that glorious day, he had uttered on the floor of Congress : ‘ Independence forever.’ Mr. Adams is the author of an Essay on Cauon and Feudal Law ; a series of letters published under the signature of Novan- glus ; and discourses on Davila.” “Weak people are incapable of sincerity.”