O'lE DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOWANDA: Thursday Morning, August 21, IB£2. jihltttcb BEAUTirUL AND STERLING. [The following beautiful and sterling lines fmm OLIVER \VKNKKLL OLMKS, appeals to every heart in this hour of our country's ueed.and should be read and published ev b, v where r] Listen, young heroes! your country is calling! " T j mc rn ! Never or now ! roars the hoarse-throated canlnJu Through the black canopy blotting the -kits ; Kiveror now ! Ilaps the shell blasted pennon O'er the deep oofb wliele the LT.uiLului.d lies! j-'ivm the foul dens where our brother-are d\ big, Aliens and foes in the land of their birth, l'roin the rank swamps where our martyrs are lying Pleading in vain lor a litUitilut earth! From the hot plains where they perl-ll outnumbered ; Furrowed and ridged by the battle-lield - plough. Comes the loud summons ; too long J on have -lumbered, llc ir the last Angel-trumpet—Never or now ! Uliscc llaittßiis. GENERAL M'LELLA.VS SCJIT. BY WESLEY BK.vnsUATf. There is not, perhaps, one of onr numerous readers who lias not forgotten the anxiety, 'he doubts and fears, which possessed the public: mild immediately after the Full Et.uu battle. Nor is there one peril-p-, who forgets the j thrill of joy which took the place of all other I emotions in the people's heart, when in the I I hrnbie hour or uatioual suspee-e; the slir o! I 'Jsurge J> McCh-Uin foe promisingly from I ihu 111 'iiiitaiiis of Western \ irgitiiu. 'L h<- I Veteran Scott, laving aside ail motives but his | I country's welfare, said to the nation, " here is 1 jour future guiding star ; follow ilitil and you w i:J he saved " Amidst the darkness and teiflpest, lire ' j hation's eye has ever since been bent confid | iagly on the guiding star, and they have been led by it to glory and success. Whoii the gallant young eotfimandcf, who, j In sp te of the machinations of his enemies, is I still " first iu the hearts of his countrymen," I first arrived in Washington, lib found a single I h-Uer wailing for liuu. Breaking the seal, iie I learned thai it was from an old lneiid.u strong I uuvocal" of' Southern lights, asking an early I interview on " business of ibe highest impor I lance to the Governments For a vvnile McClcllun mused Uputi the tone I '.if this ini-sive. Treachery was rampant iii I the Capital ; it l-.u iu every department, I l'i.i scarcely any cue cJuld be trusted by j those WHO had been selected to guide public I iiffnrs. McClellan's decision was, however, I speeddy made, ai d as speedily put ill eiecu I lion, for the same evening the writer ot llie I tmsterious letter was closeted with the uew I Commander for nearly an hour and a half. During the interview the latter elicited I from his visitor information of the utmost iin I portunce, provided it proved true. But here I was the difficulty. Tne statements made by I tbe gentleman wiTc all given in a candid, I straight foi ward manner,aud uo cross question- I could shake it iu th; least McClellau fixed I his eyes upau the face of his old friend, and I scrutinized every lineament thereof, but tailed I to discover the least expression that might I awaken distrust. At lust at let' remaining a minute or so in I profound thought, lie turned a quick, penetrat ing gluuce upon his visitor, aud asked with peculiar emphasis : " Mr- F , you say that you have the cause of the Union at heart, that you cherish it more than aught else ; would you be willing to run any risk lor its sake V " 1 would, General," was the immediate aud Unhesitating reply. Would you be Willing to give up your fam ily for the -ake ol your eotiuirv ?" ' The answer to >bn interrogatory was delayed iuii half a minute, during which delaj McClellan's look seemed to pierce to the very •hjnlis ;if the other's soul. A Hush came to 'lie cheeks of Mr F and Ins hand, which Urust carelessly b u utn tne bre >st ef his c a', LLIUICII. it something once or twice. The flash lett Ilis cheek, however, and the conceal ed bund became still, as he replied iu a voice S'inost as firm as belore : '* That, General, is the hardest part, but I a n willing even to give up uiy family for my country." 'ike gallant McClellan's generous feelings fil| d impulses welled up withiu his breast, and ' J e was about to grasp the hand of i)is friend, * h'fi the position in which lie stood toward bis counti j re-entered his mind with fill! force, UI) il lie cum iniicil his qtieslious. " Mr. F would you be willing to give 70ur hie lur the Union ?" " I would.', Ikere was even lees hesitancy abotft this titiswcr than the most prompt of the others. " Would you," couinißed McCielbu, "bo *iliitig to go iu uny portion of the rebellions o'ates utni obtain inlormatiou such as would 6 Us tful to the Government iu the prosecu •!Ju qf its plans for the war;' " I would."' " Then come here at this time to morrow evening, and i will give yon instructions iu regard to a nertuin matter which I wish you i to ihVestigale. If you successfully accomplish , the o' j'Ct a u.ed at you wibjn n ler you? coun ty a most important benefit ." Willi a cordial shake of the hand, Gen. Mc- Clelland and Mr. F. parted, the former to ad dress himself to the tremendous labors before him, and ihe latter to prepare for one of the most Lazeidous enterprises that has been un dertaken since the beginning of the war, an en terpriee which we would not, c-veu at this time make public. During the cOursj of the following dav, Mc- Clelland sent for a private in the ~Otiio regiment who had served under liuu in Wes tern Virginia as a scout. Iu this line the Onio soldier, who was nick named " Weasel Bull," on account of his petiuliar abilities, had no equal. Having traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, and from Oregon to Flo rida, ho was thoroughly acq tainted with the country, and the various modes aud lines of traveling therein. Weasel Bob adored his commander, and in return itie latter placed iu tne eccentric sol dier the lullest confidence. Upon entering the presence of McClellau, Bob glanced about him as though from mePe habit, while the General, smiling at hiui, bade iiiiu be seated, and imme diately opened the conversation with, Hubert, I have one of the most difficult and dangerous affairs to place iu your buud that >on (late }et had.'' Weasel Bob at tins hung his cap on his broad knee, and placing his long boudy hands thereon, he leaned forward and looked intent ly into the face of his G neral, iu order to tuiss nothing the latter might hare to say. " I here will be a man lure tonight," con tinued McCiellau, " who has oil -red his ser vice to make a tour of observation through \ irgii.ia. He is a Southern mail; both by birth and principles, and yet he professes a strong attachment to tbe Union. " Now, it is ray iiileuiiou to send hiin into \ irginia, Upon an errand of high importance, which could hardly be accomplished by any other m ill, lie st-cnis to tie true, mid worthy of being trusted ; tint, yt't, 1 have a suspicion tliut he imtV pos-ioly be 111 league with the reb; ♦-i-, and only u ing an apparent loyally to tub Union as a cloak to hide his fealty and friend ship to the Confederate Government. " He will, as I have said, be.,here this even ing at 10 o'clock, to receive from me certain instructions, after w Inch he will immediately naft South. \ou will also he here, and when he takes his departure, you wiil follow him and never lose sight of him until he returns, when you will report instantly to no body but myself. Do you understand ?" " 1 think I do, General," answered Weasel Bob, with a peculiar twinkle ot his Calm, blu eyes, " 1 think 1 do ; but with your peruiis sia, I will ask a question. " Well, goon." " It I catch him doiug anything wroug am I to shoot him " No ! Above ail things,should you diseov er him at any treachery lie sure to follow only still more closely than ever, until his return to Washington,and note Well those with whom he has intercourse." " Ali ugh', General, I understand exactly now,ami I'll do my best to fix everything just as ttin w-Hflt it. With these words Weasel Bob rose to his feet and left the room with the use ' military sa lut''. The next night, true Io his appointmeht, j .Mr. F , was at Genni M'Oiellan's head ! quartets, and having received the instructions us to Bis; Uoui'sc before mentioned, set forth on h;s mission. Like Ins own shadow, a tall lank figure fol lowt'd liuu, and that living shadow never left him until the following tragic incident took place. Mr. F r- had got as far as Harrisonburg without any difficulty, ami as Weasel Bob thoujht at the time,with much more eu.ae than a gooil Union uia i should be able to do.— But) did not recognize the fact that his own presence in the saim- place proved the fallaey of liis reasoning. Mr F .as we have in timated, met with his first difficulty in Ilairi sonburg,where he was recogized by a man who had been iu Washington, and who, hi.nselt a rabid secessionist aud traitor, was fully ac quainted wall the character and sentiments ot Mr. F .• As the latter was walking oue evening in one of the principal street of the town, he was met by Ins enemy who stopped him and began to tpiest".' u him as to tbe cause of his presence in ttie place. A crowd instantly begun to collect about the two men, and as the conversation proceed ed. a cry was raised. " A q>y 1 a traitor ! hang him ! kill hiui !" In a moment a rush was made upon Mr I*' ,acd he was knocked down,and would tdoubt less have iu.-Uuiilly have been trampled io death, had not our friend, Weasel 13ob, rushed forward, and scattering his assailants right ami left, stooped down and raised him to his feet, with the words : " I don't believe lie's a Union man ; he is just as good a secesher as 1 *im myself." " Who are you ? who are you?" shouted several of the crowd, who closed up uroud Mr. F-* -, and his rescuer. " Who am 1?" quickly answered Weasel Bob,\ia indignant !une9. " 1 am a South Gurulina man ; i am " " That other man's a Union spy," yelled one of the lioters. " Mr. Williams here says be is,''.. " Well, it he is, let's atlfi'ird to hiin ; but il he can prove that he isn't, wliy don't go to minder uu inuoceut man. Ttidl's what I BSJ." This addrt scattered in convincing tones by Bob, restrained the feelings of the mot), ami a genera! nsiUmt ttu* given to his opinion The intended kindness, however proved ol lit tfe benefit to the poor vietun.for being search ed ou the spot, a pass given Mr. I by Gen. M'Chdlan himself was discovered. This was sufficient evidence, and it it was. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. 0. GOODRICH. immediately decided by his captors that he should be taken outside of the town aud bung in tile woods. The first impulse cf Weasel Bob was to fight for the death of Mr. F , whom he felt now tully convinced was a staunch Union man; but his orders we~e positive to return to Washing ton, and therefore, he was obliged io restraiu his noble feelings, aud witness the execution of Mr. F . When he went back to Washington aud made his report, his voice lost somewhat of its firmness, s lie narrated to General McClellau the end of the tragedy. Said he i " Oh, General, it was just the hardest thing I ever saw done, and made me feel kind of bad ever since, but you know I had to obey Orders. The blood thirsty hounds took hitn out to the woods, with a rope round his neck. When they came to the tree on which they were going to hung him they gave him five minutes to pray. And such a prayer he made; it would haVe moved a heart of stone. lie prayed for our country, and the success of our armies, and lie prayed for the South that she might tie brought back into the Union ; and he prayed beautiful for you and lie prayed for his wife and children. When he Came to these lat, his voice trembled like a leaf, and do you think, them infernal brutes jerked him up to the tree j .st us he spoke his wife's uurne, Ma ry, 1 think it was." Canada Thistles. [1 Wo weeks ago we briefly alluded to the Act passed by the la t l.egisia.ure, in reiereuee to the destruction of Canada thistles. As a matter of public interest, we give below the entire law, approved the 22D March, ISG2 :"j Be it enacted, (.)•€., That from and after the passage of tliic act, it shall be the duty of ev ery person or persons, and of every corpora tion holding lauds in this commonwealth, eith er by lease or otherwise, on which any Canada thistles, or weed commonly known as Canada thistle, may be growing, to cut the same, so as u prevent such weeds or thistles from going to seed, and the seed 01 the same from ripening ; and any person or persons, or corporation as aforesaid, who shall off 111.1} have land as afore said, in the said counties, and who shall ne glect or refuse to comply with the provisions uf this act, shall forfeit and pay a fine of fif teen dollars, one half to the county treasuer, and the other halt' to tiie us - of the person su ing for the same, who shall be a competent witness to prove the facts, to be recovered as other debts of the like amount before any jus tice of the peace, or iu any court of raeord iu said county. SEC. 2 That if any person or persons, so holding laud as aforesaid, on which Canada thistles, or the Weed commonly known as siicll, shall be growing and likeiy to ripen send theieon, sluili neglect or refuse to cut and destroy the same, so as to prevent the seed thereof lioiu ripening, it shall and may be law ful for any person or persons, who may consid er themselves aggrieved, or about to be injur ed by such neglect or refusal, to give five days notice in writing to such person or persons, or corporation, to cut and destroy such weeds or thistles ; and on their neglect or refusal to cut and destroy the same at Lie end of five days, it shall and may be lawful for any per son or persons so aggrieved, or believing them selves about to be injured thereby, to enter up on, or hire other persons to enter upon such premises, and cut down and destroy such Can ada thistles ; aud the person or persons ecem ployed, shall be entitled to recover from such person or persons, or corporation, owning or holding such land, compensation at the rate of two dollars per day, to be sued for aud recov ered as debts of like atuCii.it, before any jusl tiee or court iu saiu counties. fiisy* At the feceut exchange of fI.UUO pris oners ut Aiken's Landing the difference of treatment was strikingly man fested. The rebel exchanges were transported iu confuta ble vessels, were well fed and in cleanly trrni; our Union men were matched thirteen miles ou foot, had no food the entire day beyond two small biscuits each, and had suffered tor ture indescribable for want of water. At the urgent entreaty - f Robert (Juld, the Rebel commissioner iu charge of tliem, thev were graciously permitted to drink from a Yi.ginia well. Food was supplied to them by our own men. The gentlemau who furnishes this in formation says that the exchange of private soldiers is now completed, and names several officers, who bare ulso been exchanged. He says that Col. CORCORAN will be given for the Rebel Col. HANSON. We trust there will be no further hesitation, and that we may soon have the pleasure of greeting the brave Colo nel of the gallant Six'yninth. But we doubt; Jeff. Davis is a treacherous vidian j he has lied and deceived many times before in this case, and the story now ; s that he has si ddenly stopped the exchange of prisoners iu conse quence of General POPE'S orders about guer rillas. CURIOSITY OF NATURE —Among the papers published iu a cosily sttle by the bmithsonian Institute at. Washington, is one on the micro scopic plants and animals which live on and in the human body H describes quite a nuin ner of insects. Tne animal, which produce the disease called itch, is illustrated by an engrav ing half an inch iu diameter, which shows not only the Ugly little iellow's body and legs, but bis very toes, although the aniiflat himself is entirely invisible to the caked eye. When Lieut. Berryman was sounding the ocean, prep aratory to laving the Atlantic telegraph, the quit at the end ol the sounding line biought up mud, which, on being dried,became a puw ler so tine tliut on rubbing it between the thumb and finger, it disappeared in the crevi ces uf the skiu. On placing this dust under the micro Scop, it was discovered to consist of millions of perfect shells each of which had a living utiiuiul. Busf' A Northern editor predicts that "wool will be king." Pr.ntiee wants to know wheth er he means wool on the back of u sheep or wool on tbe head of u uegry. "REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER." THE SOUTH CAROLINA SEVEN. BY WESLEY BKAOSUAW, ESIJ. During the struggle for independence the American patriots were as much harassed by the Tories as by the hired mercenaries sent by despotic royalty to conquor and force them in to submission to a power which they hated. Soon after the Southern forces were placed under the command of General Greene, the latter sent out General Morgan with one thou sand men to cut off those Tories infesting the western portion of South Carolina. Scarcely had Morgan mid his brave band taken their march, ere Coruwallis, the British commander became aware of the movement, aud instantly dispatched the blood thirsty Colonel Tartleton in pursuit. The indefatiga ble Morgan soon learned of this and he ac cordingly halted and prepared for battle.— The enemy appeared in such force, however, that Morgan retreated as far as Cowpeus, a little town in the northern part of what was then Union County, where he determined to meet the foe at ali hazzards. The sun of January 10th, was going down as he entered the town, and so close was the pursuit that the dim shadows of evening had not yet deepened into the darker shades of mghr, before Tarietou came up. Of course it was too late to commence battle; but each commander spent most of the night in issuing orders to, and arranging his troops for the contest of the morrow. Tiie greater portion of Morgan's band consisted of the militia, who though brave, were comparatively undicipliu ed, and of course, uot likely to long withstand the shock of a charge of thoroughly trained troops. To the disposition of this part of his com mand, therefore, General Morgan directed his particular attention, aud endeavored, by ap propriate addresses to infuse within their breasts the same indomitable courage that possessed bis own heart. Among the militia were seven persons—a father and his six sons whom General Mor gan specially complimented. These seveu patriots soldiers were nicknamed, by their comrades, " THE LITTLE REGIMENT," for a reason which the reader will easily compre hend from the following description : John llilier, sir, then some fifty years of age, stood six feet five and a half inches, was of line proportion, and weighed over three hundred pounds ; while the youngest, John Ililiier, Jr., aged twenty tw , measured six feet tnroe inches, and weighed two hundred and fifty pounds. The five other brothers varied in size and weight between these two In addition to those gigantic proportions, the Hiliiers were possessed of enormous courage. Though often before engaged in skirmishes, this was the first time they were to take part in a regular pitched battle, and of course, the rest of the army were somewhat anxious to lifiow how they would behave. " John,"said General Morgan to the elder Ililiier, who, with his sons, was eating a hasty and frugal meal from off a fallen tree, " I suppose that you end your brave boys would rullu r light together than be separated ?" " Yes, General," replied the patriot, touch ing his rough cap respectfully, and rising to his feet, " I think we would He of much more service to you aud to our noble cause, when united than when separated. You know General tha''" What Washington's all the time telling us Americans—to stick together else we'll get heat. And I tell you what General Washington knows what's what." " Well, Johiij" rejoined General Morgao, smiling at tiie h ro's quaint expreffion of his opinion of Washington's judgment," we'd have some warm woik in the morning, and I am going to give you and your lads here the most dangerous position in the battle. To morrow you shall bear tue first standard into the light, and 1 know that the glorious banners of our country cannot be placed in better hands. "Thank you, General, thank you, for the compliment, aud I and my lads will promise you this, that while we stand and fight, or kneel arid fight, or lay down aud fight, you'll see them stars and stripes floati g. "Then, as time is pressing, move up to the front, answered General Morgan, gathering up his reins and riding slowly away. Aud remember," he continued, as his steed praueed along, impatient of the curb, "I shall keep my eyes upou " THE LITTLE REGIMENT V' Good uight." " Goad night, General," was the reply, ac companied by t'ne usual inilUary salute; and thus they parted. The still hours of the night passed slowly, solemnly on, and each patriot soldier, as he watched the twinklings of the faraway stars, and listened to llie frosty wind aS it moaned past, thought, that perhaps those self same 6hining worlds would, the next night, send dowu just such twinklings on his own bloody corpse ;or roughiy made grave. The stars, however, gradually paled away, and then,faint grey gleams in the eastern sky told that diy was coining to light the war deraou and death angel to their work. Presently, as the sun came fully above the horizon,and streamed his glowing beams over the icy hillocks and along the snowy fields, the trumpet's shrill UOM sounded iiie enemy's advance, aud tbe pa triot baud prepared for the onset. In front, and a little from the van of Mor gan's force were John Ililiier aud his six giant sons, the father himself bearing aloft the flag, while the latter ranged themselves three on each side of him as a guard. " Well done, Little Regiment !" exclaimed the General, as he rode dowu the line encou raging his men to 6tand firm before the foe, who" were now approaching. On came Tarleton and his merciless butch ers with that steady coolness and feterau de termination, which always have such a fatal effect upou militia. Anxiously Morgan glanc ed upon his undisciplined force, which he noticed was alreudy beginning to sway from side to side, and back and forth. But even at the critical moment, he was unable to repress the thrill of joy which passed through him, as be beheld tbe Hiliiers, at a word from tbeir I ather cocliy and deliberately drawing their ' long, heavy swords. | " Would to God I had a hundred such j Little Regiments," he said between Lis closed ' teeth, " I would " The sentence was unfinished, for, at this j instant, at a given signal, Tarletou's troops j clapping spurs to tueir steeds charged with fearful fury, j For a moment or so the militia tottered, and surged, and struggled, and then break j iug, fled in wild confusion, thus leaviug the I devoted Ilillmrs wholly unsupported. Mor ! gan expected to see tbe latter swept to darth and ridden down like reeds before the tem pest ; but even he did not know the Little j Regiment. Quailing before the formidable j gianis, Tarletou's men swerved either to right or left of them, and thus threw away their own advantage, which the Spartan Americans turned to their account. In a voice that was clearly heard above the din of battle, the elder Ililiier, as he raised himself to his height, shouted : " Close up lads, close up ! Our Hag ! Oar flag forever 1" Instantly he was encircled by uis cons, whose herculean exertions actually kept the whole force of the enemy at bay. Determin ed, however, to take the rebel standard, Tarl etou's men raged wildly about their iuleuded victims, but as uselessly as the storm tossed oeeau lashes the beating cliff. Man and hor ses sank to earth, till ut last their bodies form ed a rampart, within which " The Little Ileg iuieut," wounded aud bleeding, fought like li ons. Seeing, at lust, that sabres were useless, a British dragoon now drew a pistol, and lev eling it at young John Hiiiier,skot Liu through the breast. "C'iuse up, lads ! close up ! Our flag ! our flag lorever !" again thundered the father, and the fearless circle was once more serried aud brokeu. By this time Morgan had succeed in bring ing up his regulars, and heading them himself, he rushed to the rescue of the noble Hi liters. But, aias ! too late ! A second of the " Little Regiment" fell—then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth ! " Back to back, Ned 1 Our fiig forever!" hoarsely commanded the elder Uiilicr, as ho saw his fifth son sink at his feet. For a whileJMorgan'sfierceJassault attracted the attentiou ol Tarletou's men. Like tigers did the patriot commander and his handful of men strive to cut their way to the two envir oned heroes, and save them ; but fate had or dered it otherwise, and the last sou falling,the father was left alone iu the midst of his relent less assailants. Still,however, the flag Coated proudly above the doomed hero, and stiil that gory sword swept below its folds in many a horrid circle and still, as frenzy took the place of reason, Ililiier shouted in wild, hoarse tones : " Close up, lads ! close up 1 Our flag ! out flag forever 1" For moment the giant patriot raised him self up to his full height, whirled his sword aloft, aud delivered his last vengeful stroke auioug his enemies, one of whom he clove nearly to the saddle. Such was the force cf the blow that the blade snapped assuuder, leaving only the hilt iu the hero's baud, who, casting this from him, sprang up and seized J the starry buuuer that he had so long aud bravely defended, and convulsively wrapping | it about him,sunk beueatb a shower of blows, ' exclaimed with his dyiug voice : " Ciose up, lads 1 Close up ! Ourflagl ou flag forever I" Uuuble to tear the flag from about the fal- , leu man, the British now turned their full I alteniiou upon General Morgan, who, after a desperate resistance was forced to fly. In the course of the pursuit, however, the enemy fell into irretrievable disorder, and, ever ou the alert, Morgan, taking advantage of this, ral lied his broken force, aud charging the foe totally routed them, thus re-wiuuiug the victo ry which he had so signally lost. His first thoughts, alter the defeat of the 1 enemy, turned upou the brave but fated Hil- | liet'S. aud, together with his aids,he rode back : to the spot where thespartan band had fought and lulleu. Surrounded by their victims lay the seven gigantic iitlliers, about the eldest of whom was still closely wrapped the colors which had been committed to his care in the moruing now riddled with builets, torn uuu soaked with blood of its champions. As Morgan gazed dowu upou the silent forms at his feet, tears gathered iu his eyes, aud, with the words : " Bury them side by side : and, above all uon't remove the flag Mom old Jobu ; it is a beroe's shroud, aud a beroe is iu it"—he was about to turu uway, wheu one ot his aids exclaimed ; " lie lives i he lives A groau aud a slight movement of the body proved this to be correct. A suigeou Was quickly in attendance, who after an examina tion, gave it as his epiuiou that in lees than tweuty minutes the life which was stiii linger ing in the old hero would be gone The group, therefore, continued around the dyiug man, who at the end of about ten min utes, revived so far as to raise himself ou his elbow, and exclaimed : " Close Up, lads ! close up \ Cur flag 1 our flag forever 1" This was his lust effort, aud spasmodically drawing bis spatfgied and blood stained shroud closely about him, he fell back to earth a corps. With tbe thoughts of such sires aud such dtw s as these living iu our memories, is there | to-day, Withiu the bouudariesof the laud which j our fathers have bequeathed to us,is there oue j American, who in /us heart does uot love aud venerate the starry banuer uuder which the heroes of '7O fought aud died. Is there to- j day, in the wide expause of the republic, oue American, who will uot exclaim with tnapy iug hero of Cowpons : " OUR FLAG 1 OUR FLAG FOREVER." Mrs. Fartiugion says that " nothing despises her so much as to see people who pro fess to respect salvation go to chuch without tbeir purses when a collection ip tp b& takeo " ' VOL. XXIII. —KO. 12* Letter from Virginia. YORKTOWV, VIRGINIA, \ August 2, 18ti2. ) j E. O. GOODRICH, Esq., Dear Sir t —ln the present dearth of exciting war uews, perhaps I you can find space in the REPORTER, lor a let* 1 ter from a soldier serving with the army of the Peninsula, though it should possess no real ' merits of interest. I have seen all the grand ; encampments of our army between Ship Poiut and Mechanicsviile, as well as all of the frog ! " ranches" of the Chickaboininy. Only seven | weeks ago our battery (Ist New-York Artil : cry,) and General Kearney's Jersey Brigade, i were on picket duly at Mechanicsviile, five miies from Richmond, and in sight of some of its church spires. While our boys—by turns I stood at the guns night and day, for ten days, : in the very face of the rebels, with now and then a shell whizzing by our heads, only to shak off our drowsy fears, every bos om swelled witti high hope of a successful eu couuter with the rebels, and of a triumphant : entrance into their Capital. But the fate of war has turned the tables agaiust us, and we now fiud ourselves within the enclosure of 1 Yorktown, instead of Richmond. Although this city is of Ex-volutionary renown ; yet it j is|a email dilapidated village of some twenty brick houses, built in the ltui Virginia style, J with large out door chimuejs—at either end. ! The public buildings area Court House, Clerks i Office, a Jail and an apology for a church.— This port is commanded by General "Van Allen, and the troops here arc the Fourth Penosyl j vania Cavalry, the Bth New-York Muliiia, an independent Battailion of four hundred styled the Lost Children, autf two Batteries of Light j A rtilery, the Seventh Mass , aud First N'ew- Yorb, it is rumored here and generally be lieved that the rebels are concentrating troops at West Point, for the purpose of re-taking this piaee. Bui. they will find us ready fof ! them. Ail the heavy guns they had to de l ' fend the river, we have moved so as to eoli laue the whole country approaching the town. A few nights ago, about live hundred rebel : cavalry made a dash ou Gloweaster Point,jbut j they found the guns left there dismounted and I destroyed. They set fire to several shanties or barracks, auu attempted to fire some ship : timber laying 0:1 the beach, but the gun boat ! Chccura opening on them with shell, they left ' ou double quick, taking with tbein sotue half' 1 a dozen conscripts and ail the iiegioes they j could fiud, and threatened to come back aud hang every citizen that sold any provisions td i the Yankees, aud since then, our stoei of oth 1 ions and potatoes have been light. Last week twelve hundred Contrabands were sent from ' this place lu Harrison's Landing, to McClel ian's army. Though our army has suffered a J sad reverse—a defeat—the soldiers art, not dis heartened. We were told laet fall by our gen era's that a few months delay would secure uu eaiiy victory for our army—that delay would demoralize the rebel army, aud would be destroyed by its owu internal factious.— And, last spring, wheu it was known that the rebel army had nearly doubled its number dur ing the winter,we were told that most of them were good Luion men, and had been forced into the rebel service by conscription, aud that they would desert the first opportunity. But with aii the tender treatment ol Lite "peculiar institution,'" and all the kii dness shown to reb els, and the protection offered Jtheir property not one of them has been induced to reveal any plan of Jeff. Davis, or do any act that would injure the rebel cause. Our generals have sacrificed fifty thousand lives,rather than lay violent bands on the "sumof all viilaules." Our army has beeu placed in the category of a man fighting an enemy with his child in his arms, to shield off the blows, and the ou crying lilt iho man but spare the baby.— Down with rebellion but spare the iustituliou of slavery. Bat thank GOD aud Congress,the " kid glove" policy of dealing with traitors and their peculiar institution ol waiting on, of hemming in, of starving out, aud of coaxing back these vile traitors, has been abandoned, and henceforth we are to fight the enemy of our Government as rebels auu not us deluded brethren. The Poclamation of General Pope Inspired every soldier v. itii new life and vigor, and causes the ho; of to spring afresh in every beait. it is uot too late to save our government ii the people respond immediately and with a will to the call for troops. Old Bradford has done nobly, many of her sous covered themselves with glory at Mechanics vide and Gaues' Mill. But she can do more; bous of Bradford 1 if you love your country, prove it by lending your aid i:i this hour of her peril. Your help is needed now, —your couutry and frieuds arc in danger I Remem ber it is better and far more glorious to die on field battieing for liberty, than be ruled by fciave Oligarchy, and enemies 0! Hunan free dom. L necessary, let the patriotic ladies of the North, resolve themselves into recruiting officers, discard ail their beaux,and treat with contempt every mau that em; e.tid will not fight for his country. Let every one remember that Pennsylvania sous gathered a rich harvest of fame in our week of battles, but the ead is not yet. While lue whole soul of the rebellion clusters around Richmond, com down nnd help us to give it the death vote h&i elected a President and one soldier may save an army, aud his country. N". L. We belive it Was Kingsley who said ■ "To be miserable, think about yourself— about what you want, what you like, what re spect people ought to pay to you, what people think of you— and then to you nothing will bo pure. You will spoil everything you touch ; you will make sin nnd misery for yourself out everything which GOD sends you ; you will be as wretched as you choose ou earth, or id heaven either." - S&r An ambitous young lady was Itflkiug very loud and fast about her favorite authors, when a literary chap a.-ked her if she liked Lamb. With a look of ineffable-' disgust, she answered her interlocutor that she cared very I little what 6he ate, compared with knowledge.