July 13, 1861 – Saturday.

George W. Sears,

Tioga Rifles, Co. E, 13th Pa. Res.,

to: Wellsboro Agitator.

Cumberland, Maryland –

      “The boys of the Kane Rifle Regiment and 5th infantry, have moved on in the direction of Romney. We had 1oo scouts out yesterday who reached within four miles of that place and camped in an old grist mill where we heard of them; they were near a superior force of well armed troops, but I have not heard that they had anything like a brush.

      “They serve to make communication safe and easy for the Union men, one of whom came into camp last night with a dispatch, and this morning at 3 o’clock we got the order to strike tents and fall in, which the boys did with a will – acting like a pack of crazy Wildcats as they are. In vain I assured them they were certain to be whipped, that their affectionate wives and mothers would hereafter know them only as defunct Wildcats, that the old Springfield muskets were sure to burst and safe to miss fire – it was of no use; they piled on to the cars in a heavy rain and went off in such a storm of yells and hurrahs as you never heard, leaving the small Orderly behind as a stump candidate for hospital treatment.

      “I undertook to go along. I got on a pair of boots for the first time in six weeks, borrowed a musket, took 1o rounds of ball cartridge, got Hawkie to carry my knapsack to the cars, and started in charge of the baggage. It was no go; I stood guard in the rain for some two hours, but my foot got so painful I was forced to back out, get the boot off, and let the boys go on without me.

      “I hardly think they will get into anything like hot work, though they may have a skirmish near Romney. The people here are sure the boys will have a short fight at that place; I think the folks here are more scared than hurt; they are always sure there is about to be a fight, or that Cumberland is about to be burned – events that do not take place according to the programme mapped out by their fears. The Secessionists do not stand well; they run before the Federal troops everywhere – not that they are cowards, but they have no heart in the business, and very many are in arms under actual compulsion waiting a chance to desert, and bound to run rather than kill or be killed by their friends. Such men are as much help to us where they are as any other place.”

[WA: 7-24-1861].