from Philadelphia. It was built to protect the interests of that great city from the invasion of a foreign foe; but, like most of our northern Forts, during the late war, it was pros. tituted to the uses of a political prison. Its situation is most unhealthy, and its internal arrangements, as a prison, of the most shocking character. The particular part of the Fort, into which these unoffending citizens of Columbia County were thrust, was bombproof No. 3, the dimensions of which are given in the sworn statement of Mr. Wm. Appleman, as follows:

"We arrived in Philadelphia at eight or nine o'clock in the morning, (September 1,) and were taken to the Barracks at Fifth and Buttonwood Streets. Here, at noon, we obtained something to eat, tincups of soup, and some bread and meat, which was the first food furnished us from the time. of our arrest. At the Benton Church, some eatables were sent to us from the house of John J. Stiles, by his direction, (he being one of the prisoners,) which was all we had had. Myself and sons were taken from home before breakfast. On the afternoon of the same day, we were taken to Fort Mifflin, and put in bombproof No. 3. This bombproof is partly below the level of the river, is arched overhead, and has thick walls of stone and brick. By stepping it, we made its width to be nineteen feet, and its length fifty-four feet. This was the space allotted to the prisoners, forty-four in number. One of the original prisoners had been discharged before we arrived at the Fort, on the ground that he had been arrested by mistake

"Air and light were imperfectly admitted on one side, and at one end of the bombproof, through openings in the wall, perhaps a dozen in number. The main ones may have been four inches wide by a foot in height on the outside, widening toward the interior. The floor was of hard earth or gravel, and firm. On the sides, scantling was laid on the ground, lengthwise of the room; and across these, boards were placed. Again, at the ends of the boards next the wall, short pieces of scantling or blocks were laid at intervals, end

wise to the walls, across which boards were placed, forming a narrow platform along the walls a few inches high. This constituted a substitute for pillows, the lower and wider platform answering the purpose of a bed A single soldier's blanket was furnished to each man, but no bedding-not even a little straw. The room was very damp and wet at times; the water came through the arch overhead, from the earth upon it, dropping down in the part farthest from the fire. To check this dampness, it was necessary to have a fire constantly in the grate at one end of the room; but this was not sufficient, although attended night and day. The fire was also useful to some extent in procuring ventilation; and from the chilliness of the room it was required for comfort, even in September.

"Our prison fare was as follows: To each a loaf of baker's bread for the day, one slice of boiled pork or beef at noon, and a tin of coffee morning and night. Sometimes one tin of bean or pea soup was substituted at dinner for the slice of meat. On three or four occasions, we drew potatoes, boiled in the skins, instead of soup, at dinner. Several times the meat was not good, and five or six times there was none furnished. The prisoners, however, purchased provisions for themselves, to some extent, at enormous rates. The expense incurred in this way was very considerable during the time I remained in confinement. Half of a single candle was furnished at night for the whole room, so we were obliged to furnish lights at our own expense. We were supplied with a filth-tub, made by sawing a barrel across the middle, and standing upright on the closed end. A stick was run across it, through holes bored a little way below the top, and thus provision was made for its being carried by two men. It had no cover. For about three weeks it stood in the gangway or entrance passage, outside the door of our prison-room, during the day-time. Afterward, upon my application, we were permitted to keep it during the day in an empty room adjoining the gangway. Two of the prisoners occasionally took it out under guard. Always at night it was necessarily

kept in our room, the door being locked. This whole matter was a great grievance.

"The prisoners were mostly over forty years of age, and accustomed to active employment, upon whom imprisonment bore severely. About the end of September, Wm. E. Roberts and John Yorks were taken sick with bowel complaints, and were removed to the hospital, near the Fort. Robert died about ten days afterward."

But we will leave the prisoners a while in their gloomy cell and return to camp. Having made the foregoing arrests, the "Army of Fishing Creek" broke camp and proceeded up the creek about ten miles, and rested at the foot of the mountain. The situation of this encampment, and the object of this move, are stated by a correspondent of the "Philadel phia Inquirer," of September 6, 1864, thus:

"On Friday, we once more took up our line of march, and are now in the mountains. Our camp is located in a valley on the east branch of Fishing Creek. Mountains are all around us. The valley is barely wide enough for our camp, the mountains on each side rising almost perpendicularly for over seven hundred feet. Of course, I am not aware of the information possessed at headquarters; but from all that I can learn, the insurgents are encamped in a gorge in the mountains, where they have intrenchments, mounting two field-pieces. They are said to be from three to five hundred strong, and from their location, it will be extremely difficult to approach them with sufficient numbers to overcome their very strong position. It is the prayer of every soldier in the command, that they remain and give us fight. We hardly have hopes of this from the cowardly course they have pursued up to this time. Still they are hemmed in, and may be brought to bay.

"The Army of Fishing Creek,' commanded by General Caawalader in person, is spoiling for a fight, and is praying that the insurgents will give them an opportunity of achieving something worthy of their mighty powers, and the labors and expense of a thousand men."

They had obtained one victory, but that was bloodless, as

the correspondent elsewhere remarks: "About one hundred men were quietly arrested and brought into camp." But here was a chance to show their courage by storming the breast works of nature, made stronger by the arts of a force of "insurgents from three to five hundred strong."

The report had been extensively circulated, that a large force was strongly fortified in the mountains. Some had seen the forts, and others had seen the trail where the cannon had been dragged up to their positions. The object of this encanipment, was to find and destroy these fortifications, and scatter and break up the "Fishing Creek Confederacy." They reconnoitred until they supposed they had defined the position of the cnemy, and then made the necessary arrangements for the attack.

The result of this grand movement is best given in the language of John G. Freeze, Esq., of Bloomsburg, in a speech at the Nob Mountain meeting, in August, 1864. He said: "I wish I could fairly describe to you General Cadwalader's hunt after that 'fort mounting two field-pieces.' What trouble he had to get guides and scouts, (there were no intelligent contrabands in that country;) how he sent a squad of men after my old friend, James Hess; how, after a midnight ride, he captured a boy, who knew some other boy, who knew where the Fort was; how that boy did n't know, but could show them where there was a boy who did; and how, at last, somebody was found who undertook to fix the spot. Then the Major-General's scientific knowledge of military matters came into full exercise; his strategic ability had a foeman worthy of his fame; and his thousand men were divided, and located, and timed with the utmost military skill and precision. The grand Army of Fishing Creek,' in three divisions, advanced against that lonely Fort. After clambering for half a day over rocks and stones, through briers and huckleberry-bushes, and finding three or four old bear-traps, which my old friend, John McHenry, had set up there, they began to find signs of a place where somebody bad been; and then, 'Look to your arms, boys, and keep your

powder dry.' And so, this valiant army progressed - each division coming up in order and at the proper time; when, suddenly surrounding the top of the mountain, they captured a place where some of your boys and girls had been having a huckleberry picnic; and that was all they ever did find. No Fort, no intrenchments, no rifle-pits, no field-pieces, no five hundred men, no rebellion, and no nothing. That was the end of the expedition; and Cadwalader, like that ancient King of Spain,

With twenty thousand men,

Marched up the hill, and then marched down again.'

•He was thoroughly disgusted; he came to Bloomsburg, and, upon his knowledge and experience as a military officer, he pronounced —I use his own words—the whole thing a farce. What then should he have done? IIe had arrested about one hundred of our citizens; he had incarcerated fortyfour of them in bombproofs at Fort Mifflin; he had satisfied himself, after a thorough search in all directions, that the Fort was moonshine, and the rebellion a farce;' and as an honest man, as an officer deserving the name, he should have made it a personal matter to procure their release."

Thus ended this mighty movement to put down the Fishing Creek Rebellion." And, nothing more left for them to do there, they returned down the creek, and encamped on Coleman's farm, above Stillwater. But, they were not satisfied with their success in this expedition; if they could not find men fortified in the mountains, they could find men in their unfortified homes. They, therefore, made several other arrests of citizens of Sugar-Loaf township, but, for some reason, soon released them.

The most important arrest that they made, at this time, was that of Rev. A. R. Rutan, of Fairmount, Luzerne County. We here give, in his own words, a statement from Mr. Rutan:

"I was born in New Jersey, and, when nineteen years old, came to Luzerne County, in this State, where I now reside. I have tried to preach the Gospel of peace for twenty years,