SEFf 
to tlie Gap. Soon after, the rebels opened another 
battery at the left ft was then evident that the 
rebels intended to make a vigorous stand on the 
mountain. Since the preceding day they had brought 
up extra pieces of cannon, for they had used but 
three, at. the most, in the skirmishing during the 
week. The enemy was now firing from nine pieces, 
consequently, to make a vigorous reply, TJayne's 
l r . S. battery of six pieces moved up to the left to 
the assistance of Robertson. 
A heavy cannonading then ensued; but as usual, 
in artillery duels, little damage was effected on 
either side. At 10 A. M., the enemy withdrew his 
pieces on the loft and right of the Gap, and worked 
A half an hour 
indicated the commencement of the battle on the 
part of the infantry. The column from right to left 
still remained unbroken, and advanced cautiously 
but firmly up the steep. In a short time the enemy’s 
main force was encountered, and then came heavy 
volleys of musketry on the right. The Pennsylva¬ 
nia Reserve Corps and the 1st Brigade of Ricketts’ 
Division were now hotly engaging the enemy. The 
rebels stood their ground for awhile, but after a 
contest of thirty minutes they wavered, and com¬ 
menced falling back in disorder toward the summit 
of the mountains. Our forces pushed them vigor¬ 
ously. and kept up a continual tire. 
The valor displayed ou this occasion by the Penn¬ 
sylvania Reserves and the corps formerly under the 
command of McDowell, is deserving of the highest 
praise. Not a straggler could be seen on the field. 
Every man was at bis post in the line. They all 
seemed determined to force back the enemy and 
take possession of the mountains, in spite of any 
opposition that might bo placed in their way. Gen. 
Hooker, accompanied by his Staff, was where he 
always is on such occasions—at the front The line 
did not. give way for an instant, but kept moving 
forward and upward, pouring volley after volley 
of musketry into the enemy's raoks, until at last the 
rebels broke and ran precipitately to (bo top of the 
mountain—thence down on the other side. 
Reno’s corps on the left did its part nobly. The 
men were called upon to do some severe fighting, 
and they performed their duty with a will and hero¬ 
ism seldom before displayed. The engagement on 
the left succeeded that on the right, and lasted about 
an hour and a half. The enemy contested every 
foot of ground, but eventually yielded it to the con¬ 
querors. 
The center column was the last to como into 
action. The same successes that marked the ad¬ 
vances of the two wings also attended the center. 
At G* P. M., after an engagement ol three hours’ 
duration, the rebels fled, leaving the top of the 
mountain in the possession of the Union troops. 
Darkness prevented us from pursuing the enemy 
further at the time. 
Tub Result. —The result of the battle secures to 
the Union troops a very important position, inas¬ 
much as it commands the approaches on each side 
of the mountain, also a vast area ol the surrounding 
country. I estimate, as beiore stated, that two thou¬ 
sand will cover the list of our casualties. I think 
that the enemy’s loss in killed and wounded will 
not exceed our own. Altogether we captured two 
thousand prisoners. 
Gen. Reno was killed on the field of battle. At 
the time of the calamity he was observing, by aid of 
a glass, the enemy’s movements. He was struck in 
the spine by a musket ball—the ball lodging in the 
breast. . 
Of the eight pounds which a man eats and drinks 
in a day, it is thought that no less than five pounds 
leave his body through the skin. And of these five 
pounds a considerable percentage escapes during 
the night while he is in bed. The larger part of this 
is water; but in addition, there is much effete and 
poisonous matter. This being in great part gaseous 
in form, permeates every part of the bed. Thus, all 
parts of the bed. mattress, blankets, as well as sheets, 
soon become foul, and need purification. The mat- 
tress needs this renovation quite as much as the 
sheets. 
To allow the sheets to be used without washing or 
changing three or six months, would be regarded as 
bad house-keeping; but I insist, if a thin sheet 
can absorb enough of the poisonous excretions of 
the body to make it unfit for use in a few days, a 
thick matlress. which can absorb and retain a thou¬ 
sand times as much of these poisonous excretions, 
needs to be purified as often certainly as once in 
three months. 
A sheet can be washed: a mattress cannot be 
renovated in this way. Indeed there is no other 
way of cleansing a mattress but by steaming it, or 
picking it to pieces, and thus in fragments exposing 
it to the direct rays of the sun. As these processes 
are scarcely practicable, with any of the ordinary 
mattresses. I am decidedly of the opinion that the 
good, old-fashioned straw bed, which can every 
three months be changed for fresh straw, and the 
tick be washed, is the sweetest and healthiest of beds. 
If. in the winter season, the porousness of the 
straw bed makes i t a little uncomfortable, spread over 
it a comforter, or woolen blankets, which should 
be washed as often as every two weeks. With this 
arrangement, if you wash all the bed covering as 
often as once in two or three weeks, you will have a 
delightful, healthy bed. 
Now, if you leave the bed to air, with open win¬ 
dows during the day, and not make it up for the 
night before evening, you will have added greatly 
to the sweetness of your rest, and in consequence to 
the tone of your health.— Dr. D. Lewis. 
principally with those in 
later all of the enemy’s guns were silent; but upon 
the moving of Cpx’s division, soon after, to the edge 
of the woods on the side of the mountain at the left, 
the rebels again produced their pieces at the right, of 
the Gap, Cook's Massachusetts battery of six pieces 
was now brought up to the support of Robertson’s, 
and a concentrating fire waH poured into the Gap, 
many of the shells bursting directly over the rebel 
guns. At first the enemy threw solid shot, but after 
a while changed his projectile to shell. Three times 
during the day the rebels were lorced to change the 
position ot their pieces, and late in the afternoon 
their guns were silent altogether. 
By 11 o’clock Cox's division had arrived at the 
woods, and a few minutes later had entered, for the 
purpose of getting round the enemy’s right. At 
this juncture, Geus. McClellan aud Burnside, with 
their Staffs, rode upon the field, where they remained 
during the continuance of the battle. 
Cook's battery took a favorable position for shell¬ 
ing the woods in advance of the division, but had 
hardly got to work when the rebels fired a tremen¬ 
dous volley of musketry at the cannnniers. This 
was repeated several times in quick succession, 
until at length the cannoniers abandoned their 
pieces, and ran to the rear, leaving four or five of 
their comrades dead upon the ground. The drivers 
of the caissons also partook of the panic, and 
dashed headlong through the ranks of Cox’s di¬ 
vision. which was drawn up in line of battle a few 
yards to the rear. Two companies of a cavalry 
regiment, which wore supporting the battery, also 
galloped through the line of infantry, thus leaving 
four pieces ot artillery (the other two having been 
detached to another part of the field) to fall into 
the hands of the enemy. The event caused tem¬ 
porary and only temporary contusion among the 
troops. They quickly straightened the line and 
Ah ! Time, tell it not that one freeman forgot, 
For a day, or an hour, the past’s mighty story; 
Ne’er impart 
That a hand 
Or a heart 
In the land 
Ever shrouded a star in her azure of glory ! 
For the laud now awakes, 
From her seas to her takes, 
To hail the bright morn of her might as it breaks, 
And shout, by the haulier that Treason forsakes— 
‘The Union—Now and Forever! - ” 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 27, 1862, 
The War In Maryland—What it Proved. 
Tub recent raid ot the rebels, although a cause 
of sorrow and anxiety to Union men. has its bright 
side. After the experiences of the rebel army, and 
the exhibitions of feeling by the masses of the peo¬ 
ple, we think that all fears on the part, of Unionists 
as to the course of the State may be cast aside, and 
Maryland writteu down among those Sovereignties 
which love the Union, and will respect the Consti¬ 
tution and the Laws. We gather the following 
interesting intelligence from various sources; 
The special correspondent of the Philadelphia 
Press writes; 
Leaving Damascus on Friday morning, we soon 
overtook Gen. Reno’s corps, who were proceeding 
along the road that leads to Monrovia and New Mar¬ 
ket, at a rather rapid rate. At Camptowu, in Fred¬ 
erick county, some four miles from New Market, we 
halted, and the arrival »f our troops raised the peo¬ 
ple to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and they 
warmly greeted our troops on their entrance. Three 
miles further on wo reached Monrovia .Station, on 
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. There are only 
one or two secessionist families at this place. As 
our troops were passing through Monrovia they 
were met by the Union ladies of that place, who 
cheered them as they went along, 
HOW TO JUDGE WEATHER SIGNS 
Admiral Fitzroy. in his instruction to meteor¬ 
ological observers, is careful not to cut off any source 
ot information, as he especially notes that the ob¬ 
servations of nature are to be watched. Thus, 
when sea birds fly out early, and far to seaward, lair 
weather may be anticipated; on the contrary, when 
they hang about the laud, or fly inward, stormy 
weather is indicated, When animals, instead of 
spreading over their usual range, seek sheltered 
places, storms may be expected. Dew is an indica¬ 
tion of fine weather; so is fog; but clearness of the 
atmosphere near the horizon is a sign of wet. 
When a mountaineer sees the hills cutting sharp 
against the sky, he wraps his plaid around him. A 
good hearing day is also an indication of coming 
wet. The public will feel all tie more confidence 
in the head of the Meteorological Department for 
not disdaining these phenomena noted by the weath- 
erwise, as they rest upon exactly the same founda¬ 
tion as what may be termed the more scientific 
signs—namely, experience. Now that meteorology 
is elevated into an applied science, we feel confident, 
that immense progress will be made. It is a great 
thing to knosv that there is acentral department, in¬ 
stituted purposely to collect all information bear¬ 
ing upon the subject, and it ha3 a chief like Admiral 
Fitzroy, whose heart is in his business, and who 
seems never better pleased than when he is collect¬ 
ing from any source, however insignificant, a fact 
that is noteworthy—unless it be when he is diffus¬ 
ing his knowledge so attained, either to individuals 
or to the public at large. The growth of this new 
department seems to bear the same relation to the 
Shipwreck Relief Society and the Lifeboat Society, 
that preventive medicine does to remedial medicine. 
Indeed, as wo progress in knowledge, we are begin¬ 
ning to find out that prevention is better than cure; 
and, what is more to the purpose, we are becoming 
enabled to put this prevention in practice.—Once a 
Week. 
The Battle of Ilagevstown Heights. 
From the correspondence of the N. Y. Times , 
dated “On the Battle Field, Sunday Night. Sopt. 
14,’’ we gather the following particulars; 
Although the battle of to-day was of long dura- 1 
tion, still it was not so sanguinary, considering the 
forces engaged, as a spectator would at first be 
inclined to suppose. Our loss in killed and wounded 
will not probably exceed 2,000. and that l judge to 
be a high estimate. Since Gen. Pleasanton’s bri¬ 
gade of cavalry advanced from Rockville, we have 
had skirmishes daily along the route. During those 
skirmishes the enemy’s force consisted of two regi¬ 
ments of cavalry, and two or three pieces of artillery. 
On Saturday, however, more regiments of cavalry 
were addCd, making a force equrfl, if not, superior, to 
our own. The force that opposed our advance until 
to-day was the rear guard of the enemy, and the 
battle ground was evidently selected with a view of 
staying our further progress. 
The Battle Ground.— 1 The rebel position was 
on the sides and summit of the Blue Ridge Moun¬ 
tains, on each side of the Gap known as Frog Gap. 
through which the main road on the turnpike from 
Middletown to Hagerstowu passes. The Gap is 
distant from Middletown about three miles, and 
from Frederick twelve miles. Boonsboro, the next 
important town to Middletown on the turnpike, is 
two miles from the Gap, on the other side of the 
mountains. The mountains in the vicinity of the 
Gap are steep and nigged, and rendered difficult to 
ascend unless by the ordinary thoroughfares, on 
account of numerous ledges and loose rocks, which 
afford no permanent foothold. From base to top 
they are covered with a thick wood, thereby giving 
protection to the party in possession, and making 
the progress of the attacking force doubly hazardous. 
Bolivar, a village boasting of six or eight dwellings, 
is situated on the main road, between Middletown 
and the Gap. and about one and a half miles from 
the latter place. At Bolivar, a road branches off 
from each side of the main road, the two roads 
taking a circuitous course to the mountain, and 
gradually ascending them, join the main road again 
at the Gap. 
The early positlou of the Union army, or where 
the line of battle was first formed, was on a piece of 
rising ground ou the right and left of the main road 
between Bolivar and the mountains. As the day 
advanced and our forces moved forward, the posi¬ 
tion was changed, but never fur the better. The 
nearer we approached the mountains, the more suc¬ 
cessfully could the enemy bring his artillery to bear 
on our columns. No matter what position we held, 
the Blue Ridge mountains commanded i hat. position. 
It will be observed at once, that the enemy had a 
formidable ground of defense, and nothing but 
undaunted courage wrested it from him. 
Tub Forces Engaged.— The first division to 
enter the field on our side was Cox’s, of Reno's 
corps. Next came the Pennsylvania reserve corps, 
Rickett's and King's divisions, under command of 
the gallant and brave Hooker. We had batteries 
stationed on both wings, but at no time was there 
over ten or twelve pieces in practice. The enemy's 
force is supposed to have amounted to about 40,000 
men. lie probably used twelve pieces ot cannon. 
The forces of Generals Longstreet and D. 11. Hill 
were engaged. 
The Battle.— The battle commenced with artil¬ 
lery at 7 A. M.. Robertson's U. S. battery of four 
light field pieces liriug the first shot This battery 
was stationed about six hundred yards to the left, of 
the turnpike, the fire being directed at no particular 
place, but with a view of shelling the woods gener¬ 
ally, so as to draw a reply from the rebels. The 
firing was continued for over an hour, but the enemy 
did not respond until Cox’s division appeared in 
tiro main road, advancing to take a position. Two 
pieces stationed in the Gap were then opened upon 
the columu. The troops, however, turned into a 
field at the left of the road, and got out of harm’s 
way before auy injuries were effected. Here they 
remained in line of battle for an hour and a half. 
In the mean time the enemy’s position having been 
discovered, Robertson directed the fire of his pieces 
McDotvell vs. Brodliend. 
No one officer in our army has been placed in a 
more unpleasant position before the country than 
Maj.-Gen.McDowell. The following was written by 
Col, Brodhead, of Michigan, on the battle field, a 
few momenta before his death, two balls having 
passed through his body. The original was covered 
with his blood. 
Dear Brother and Slstkk:— I am passing now 
from earth, but send you love from my dyir* couch. 
For all your love aud kindness may you be re¬ 
warded. I have foiigbt manfully, and now die fear¬ 
lessly. I am one of the vidims of Pope’s imtiecility 
and McDowell's treason. Tell the President, would 
he save the country, he must not give our hallowed 
flag into such bands. 
But the old flag will triumph yet ,—the soldiers will 
regild its folds now polluted by imbecility and 
treason. 
John, you owe a duty to your country; write.— 
show up Pope's incompetency and McDowell’s 
infamy, and force them from places where they can 
send brave men to assured destruction. I have 
hoped to live longer, but I die amidst the clangor of 
battle, as I could wish. Farewell! To you and the 
noble officers of my regiment 1 confide my wile and 
children. J- 
In respect to the foregoing, which has had a wide 
circulation among the soldiers, and through the 
press, Gen. McDowell writes to President Lincoln: 
WaSiunotox, SejiT. tt, 18S2. 
To Ills Excellency ihe President :—I have been 
informed by a Senator that he had seen a note in 
pencil, written by a Colonel of cavalry, mortally 
wounried in the recent battle, stating, among other 
matters, that he was dying a victim to McDowell’s 
treachery, and his last request, was that this note 
might be shown to you. That the Colonel believed 
that his last, act on earth was a great public service, 
there can be, 1 think, no question. 
This solemn accusation from the grave of a soldier 
who died for his country, is entitled to great consid¬ 
eration ; aDd I feel called upon to meet it as well as so 
general a charge from one now no longer able to sup¬ 
port it, can be met. I therefore beg you to cause a court 
to be instituted for its investigation, and in the absence 
of any knowledge whatever as to the particular acts, 
times, or places, or general conduct, the deceased 
may have in view, I have to ask that the inquiry be 
without limitation, and be upon auy point and every 
subject which may in any way be supposed to have 
led to his belief. That it may be directed to my 
whole conduct as a general officer, either under 
another or white in a separate command, whether 
on matters of administration or command; to my 
correspondence with any of the commanders, nr with 
the administration; with any of the enemy’s com¬ 
manders, or with any one in the euemy’s lines; or 
the policy pursued by me towards the inhabitants of 
the country occupied by our troops with reference 
to their propertv; so far as to any indirect treachery 
or indirect loyally towards the nation, or any indi¬ 
vidual having, like myself, an important trust; 
whether I have not been faithful as a subordinate to 
those placed over me—giving them heartily, and to 
and waved innu¬ 
merable Hags. 
When our troops entered Frederick City the town 
presented a death-like scene, with the exception of 
the exchanging of shots aud the loud shouts ot the 
cavalrymen. Duriug the skirmish all the houses 
and stores were shut up, and with the exception of 
a secesh flag flying here and there, one would sus¬ 
pect that the towu had no occupants. But when the 
shout of victory by our troops broke forth, a? if by 
magic, every door and window shutter Hew open, 
and the Stars and Stripes were run out by the little 
ones, while the parents and old folks flocked around 
our soldiers, bringing them water, and congratulat¬ 
ing each other on being once again in possession of 
our troops. Soon it was noised around that our 
troops had full possession of the city, and soon every 
street was crowded by men, women and children, 
who waved flags and handkerchiefs, and bid our 
cavalry, who bad gone in pursuit of the rebels, God 
speed. The rebels, during their stay, had eaten 
nearly all the bread and provisions, but yet the 
women might have been seen rushing here and there, 
supplying our hungry and thirsty soldiers. 
Shortly afterwards Gen. Burnside, at the head of 
his staff, came dashing into the town, and was re¬ 
ceived with the most deafening cheers. The citi¬ 
zens and ladies Hocked around him, shaking him by 
the hand, Showering bouquets on him, andthankiug 
him for being the first to enter the. place. The Gen¬ 
eral sat on his horse, and for several moments could 
not speak, he was so overjoyed. After giving some 
HOW MIST IS GENERATED 
The production of mist is the subject of a note by 
the veteran Dr. John Davy, (brother of Sir Hum¬ 
phrey.) in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal. 
The cause usually assigned for mist is the access of 
cold air, and its admixture with wanner air, satu¬ 
rated, or nearly saturated, with moisture, (such as 
that resting on the surface of large bodies of water.) 
and strikingly exemplified iu our autumnal aud 
winter fogs, when the water, owing to the heat 
absorbed during summer, is of a higher tempera¬ 
ture than the inflowing air. Dr. Davy, however, 
refers to another cause, not so much noticed, viz:— 
a mild, moist air, coining in contact with a colder 
air, equally humid, resting on cold surfaces, wheth¬ 
er of land or water, about the end of winter or 
beginning of spring. lie describes mists which he 
considers to have been thus formed iu the lake dis¬ 
trict of Cumberland. To a similar cause, also, he 
refers the phenomenon termed sweating, which is 
the precipitation of moisture ou walls and flagged 
floors excluded from the influence of fire. He also 
attributes to a warm south wind, succeeding a very 
cold north wind, the deposition of a large quantity 
of moisture in the gallery of a nobleman in Devon¬ 
shire, and quotes the saying in Homer, “The south 
wind wraps the mountain top in mist.” 
formed in the following order, near the base of the 
mountains on the rigid, and at the edge of a piece 
of woods on the mountain slope at the left—the 1st 
Brigade of Ricketts’ Division on the extreme light, 
which was about one milo north ol the turnpike; 
the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, the right resting 
on Ricketts’ left; the 2d Regiment United States 
Sharpshooters 
on the road branching oil’ from the 
turnpike at the right; the 2d and {id Brigades of 
Ricketts’ Division between the branch read and the 
turnpike; King’s Division (commanded by Gen, 
Hatch) at the left of the turnpike, the right resting 
on the turnpike: Gen. Reno’s force on the extreme 
left, about a mile aud a half from the turnpike. 
The 6th United Stales, 8th Ulinois, 8th, od and I2th 
Pennsylvania. 6th New York, 3d Indiana and 1st 
Massachusetts Cavalry Regiments were on different 
portions of the lield perlorming picket duty, acting 
as guards to the roads, aud supporting the batteries 
Up to this time all our batteries had been stationed 
to the left of the turnpike, as the positions secured 
there enabled the gunners to work their pieces to 
advantage. About one hundred yards in the rear 
of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps was stationed 
Capt. Cooper’s l3t Pennsylvania Battery of four 
pieces. Capt. Ransom's Company C, 5th United 
States Battery, ot four pieces, took a position at the 
extreme right, in the rear of the 1st Brigade of Rick¬ 
etts' Division. 
Immediately after the line of battle was formed, 
the right, left and center commenced moving simul¬ 
taneously toward the enemy ou the slope of the 
mountains. The rebels opened on the column with 
two pieces of cannon, directing the fire of one to the 
right and of the other to the left of the line. They 
were replied to by one of Simmons’ 20-pounders on 
our left, 411 d Cooper's Battery on our right. The 
enemy continued the firing for upward of an hour, 
when, on account of the severe punishment he was 
receiving from uitr guns, and the near approach of 
our infantry to his pieces, he disappeared ou tho 
othoi’side of the mountain. The euemy’s shells for 
the most part went over the Union troops, conse¬ 
quently they did not effect much damage. 
Steadily onward went our long unbroken line of 
infantry, and the right wing had gained a piece of 
woods on the mountain, a short distance from the 
base, when the Bucktails, who were skirmishing on 
the right, discovered the enemy’s pickets. A desul¬ 
tory rattling of musketry was next heard, which 
Soldiers' Pay. — The Russian soldier receives 
annually only thirty-six dollars per year as pay, 
and his rations consist solely of black bread. The 
soldier in the French army receives fifty-six ceuts 
a month. The pay of our soldiers is twenty times 
greater. The estimate iu the French budget tor 
I860 was $64,687,500 for an army on a wav footing 
oi' 762.766 men. and in addition, a reserve militia, 
on a peace fooling of 415,746 men. It costs the 
United States nearly three times as much to main¬ 
tain a soldier as it does the British Government: 
and it must be remembered that the British Gov¬ 
ernment can get money at three per cent, interest, 
while it costs us six per cent, or more. 
Items amt lueiileuts. 
Heroic Conduct of Two Ladies— The con¬ 
duct of two young ladies of Danville. Ky., on the 
occasion of the arrival of the rebels at that, place, 
was equal, remarks Ihe Louisville .Journal, to our 
idea ot Spartan courage. For many months a beau¬ 
tiful specimen of the national flag has floated from 
the residence ot Mrs. Taylor, an estimable widow 
lady; and when the rebels took possession of Dan¬ 
ville it was but natural that they should seek to 
remove the hated emblem. A squad of bait'a dozen * 
men was sent to Mrs. Taylor’s residence to take L 
possession of the flag, but they were confronted at 
the door of the residence by Miss Maria and Miss A 
Mattie Taylor, the two accomplished and charming y 
daughters of the patriotic widow, the young ladies y 
announcing their determination to defend the cber- r~ 
ished banner. The chivalrous half-dozen returned K 
to their commander and reported that it would 
Torsy Tukyy.— When things are in confusion, 
they are said to be Topsy Turvy. The expression 
is derived from the way in which turf for fuel is 
placed to dry ou its being cut; the surface of the 
ground is pared off with the heath growing on it, 
and the heath is turned downward, and left for 
some days in that state, that the earth may get dry 
before being carried away. It means, then, tops and 
turf-way,— Gentleman's Magazine. 
