e about two miles, the
whole of which was laid out in fields of corn, hay, and tobacco;
whilst the slopes themselves were covered with sheep, for whose
support they furnished ample means. But Marlborough is not, like
an English village, compact, and consisting of one or two lanes
the houses are scattered over the plain, and along the sides of
the hills, at considerable intervals from one another, and are
all surrounded by orchards and gardens, abounding in peaches and
other fruits of the most delicious flavour. To add to the beauty
of the place, a small rivulet makes its way through the bottom,
and winding round the foot of one of these ridges, falls into the
Patuxent, which flows at its back.

During our progress to-day the same caution was observed which
had been practised yesterday. Nor was it altogether unnecessary,
several bodies of the enemy's horse occasionally showing
themselves, and what appeared to be the rear-guard of a column
of infantry evacuating Marlborough, as our advance entered.

MARCH TO WASHINGTON.

There was, however, little or no skirmishing, and we were allowed
to remain in the village all night without molestation. But if we
were not harassed, we were at least startled on the march by
several heavy explosions. The cause of these we were at first
unable to discover; but we soon learnt that they were occasioned
by the blowing up of the very squadron of which we were in
pursuit, and which Commodore Barney, perceiving the impossibility
of preserving, prudently destroyed, in order to prevent its
falling into our hands.

In Marlborough we remained not only during the night, but till
past noon on the following day. The hesitation which had caused
the loss of a few hours at Nottingham again interfered, and
produced a delay which might have been attended with serious
consequences. At length, however, orders were given to form, and
we quitted Marlborough about two in the afternoon, taking the
road to Washington. During this day's march there was more
skirmishing than had yet occurred. We had scarcely got above
three miles from the village, when the advanced guard fell in
with a party of riflemen, who maintained a sharp contest before
they gave way. The column, however, continued to move on without
molestation, till arriving at a point where two roads meet, the
one leading to Washington, the other to Alexandria, a strong body
of troops, with some artillery, were observed upon the slope of a