Let me illustrate what kind of "defenders" these two regiments of New York militia were. On their arrival in the town, and whilst marching through it on their way to camp, about one mile south from here, some of the men received the hearty cheers of our citizens with sneering remarks about the necessity of coming "all the way from New York to protect Pennsylvania!" Just as if the protection of the border was not at the same time a protection of other States--perhaps, in certain contingencies, even of New York. But mark the sequel. They went to camp the same day of their arrival, with liberal supplies of everything. The border was known to be imperiled a second time, and a large portion of our citizens were armed and marched out with these regiments. During the night our scouts brought information to camp that the rebels were moving from the Potomac this way. And now a scene of confusion ensued which beggars description. In the greatest conceivable consternation, these "defenders" made for Chambersburg in "double-quick," and took seats in the cars, "homeward bound." Two interesting little circumstances, in connection with this _allegro_ movement, must be added, of which hundreds of our citizens were eye-witnesses. The first is, that these "defenders," in their hasty retreat, did not forget to provide for themselves as _safe_ a retreat as possible. To this end they ordered our citizen soldiers to keep in the rear--in military phrase, "to cover their retreat" until the militia-men had reached the cars in safety! The other little circumstance is, that in their hasty retreat, they left the whole of their camp equipage behind. At daylight the following morning you might have seen a score of wagons from the town returning with loads of tents, boxes, trunks, packages, and all sorts of military fixtures, and conveying them to the cars, in which they were sent as far as Shippensburg, by military orders. As the militia thought proper to hasten on farther to the north instead of protecting their own property, the wary rebels took unmolested possession of the whole of it on the same day! I think you will agree with me in the remark that these men had not much capital to boast of in the way of bravery, although Pennsylvanians should not perhaps complain, when these "defenders" did no worse for _us_ than they did for _themselves_, namely, beat a hasty retreat, and leave all their valuables to the enemy, even before they had a sight of him.