Disturbances on the Canal

DISTURBANCES ON THE CANAL.
A correspondent of the National Intelligencer writing from Clear Spring, under the date of 31st August, thus speaks of the measures adopted by the military who have marched to the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal for the suppression of the disturbances among the laborers:

Some twenty or upwards of the ringleaders have been made prisoners; some eight or ten have been shot and severely wounded– one, at least, of whom is not expected to recover. A few who made their escape across the Potomac were fired upon by riflemen from Cumberland whilst clambering the bluff on the opposite side of the river, and some of them were seen to fall; but to what extent they were injured my informant could not say, as no one had come over to report when he left. Several shantees were burnt down, and others torn down by the troops, whose owners had refused admittance when demanded; and all the fire-arms found in the possession of the Canal hands were seized and destroyed on the spot. When my informant left, the troops were still progressing up the line, and had reached within —- miles of Oldtown— their whole force amounting to about one hundred and fifty men.

To those living at a distance this may be thought harsh and unnecessarily severe treatment, but it is universally admitted in this section, and by the citizens living all along the work, to be no worse than the exigencies of the times require. Some of the most lawless and high-handed acts of violence have doubtless been committed by those creatures, and that, too, upon innocent and unoffending citizens and others engaged on and about the work.

It is sadi that about $700 worth of fire-arms arrived at Oldtown the other day having been purchased in Baltimore and sent to one of the parties on the Canal, and by mere accident were discovered in time to prevent those from getting hold of them for whom they were intended.

Cumberland, Sept. 7, 1839.
THE CANAL RIOTS–DOINGS OF THE CAMPAIGN.

The several military companies that left this place on Tuesday morning the 27th ult. for the scenes of the late riots on the line of the Canal, reached “Qrloeans” on the following day, where they were joined by Col. Hollingsworth’s corps of troops from Washington county, and subsequently, at the Tunnel, by another company of cavalry under Maj. Barnes, from Clear Spring, in Washington county. The whole under the command of Col. Thruston, of this place, then proceeded to a thorough investigation and examination along the whole line westward. In many of the Shantees they found secreted from ten to twenty firearms, which they destroyed– burnt up and pulled down about 50 shantees– stove in about 60 barrels of whiskey– captured 25 prisoners, as being considered the ring-leaders of the rioters. In all, it is believed that not less than 200 fire arms, of various descriptions, were destroyed; about 30 stand of new rifles and muskets, found at the “Bluff” section, ten miles below this place, were brought to town. One man was accidentally killed– he was about to be taken prisoner, and whilst under the arrest of an officer of the civil authority, who was armed with a pistol, it accidentally went off, the ball entering the body of the man under arrest.

On Saturday evening the whole command entered our town, displaying a very formidable array of military equipage.– The prisoners, 25 in number, were lodged in our jail. They are to be examined by the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday next. The troops tarried with us till the following day, Sunday, when they again left for home. Their soldier-like appearance met the universal commendation and admiration of our citizens, and their deportment was such as to secure and take with them the esteem and best wishes of all.

It is hoped that this demonstration upon the line will have the desired effect of quieting all disturbances and prevent any future outbreaks. — Civilian.