The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY `EVENING, y OVE NIB E, It 12, 1861.

for fording and easily swollen by rain, lay in front
of the Federalists. The enemy was known to be in
possession of the country, and to be in a position to
which reinforcements could be rapidly given by the
army at Manassas. Generals Banks and Stone were
not in immediate communication with 'the army
of Washington, and must have considered them-
selves in an independent command, which, in event
of success, would open communications with the army
in Virginia, but must until that success was achieved
rely on its own efforts. At 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct.
22, General Stone is said to have sent the following
order to Acting Brigadier-General Baker :
" Sir,—As soon as you get your force in position make a
dash at Leesburg, and shoot down any lawless depredator
who may leave the ranks. General Gorman is moving on
your left, and I expect to be in p9ssessioa of Leesburg to-
night. "STONE."

The order is brief enough. So far as can be
made out, the means of transport available for the
purpose of carrying over this force consisted of two
or three large flat-bottomed boats called scows and
a canal boat or two, which were not easily
managed in a rapid stream. Instead of land-
ing with caution, and throwing out pickets and
sentries to prevent surprise till the whole force in-
tended for the movement was landed, a company
was at once pushed on in advance on a "scouting"
expedition, nearly as far as Leesburg, in the night-
time, and from information thus gained, that there
was only a small camp visible, it was considered
judicious to send on a small detachment to at-
tack the force in those tents before the bulk of
the column had begun to move across the
river. The march of this small body was opposed
by the enemy, who appeared in front, and on their
flanks, and the detachment fell back, we may pre-
sume, in disorder upon the reinforcements which
were coming slowly across the river. The enemy,
following their success, pushed the Federalists, who
were hastily formed, with vigour, and poured in a
heavy musketry fire upon them from the woods
surrounding the open field in which the latter were
forming. Although they had no artillery, th'e Con-
federates, being superior in numbers, were able to
direct such a powerful fusillade upon the Federalists
that the advantage they possessed in the aid of three
pieces of artillery did not avail to sustain them in
line. No adequate supports arrived till too late,
and the promised co-operation of General Gorman
does not appear to have been effective. On the fall
of General Baker there was a retrograde movement
which terminated in a rout, during which the Fe-
deralists, throwing down their arms, or casting
them into the river, fell into the utmost confusion,
and, in spite of the exertions of their officers and
personal gallantry on the part of some of the troops,
which is said to have been conspicuous, but can
hardly have been, as one solution of the catastrophe
made it " too great," were driven or fled into the
stream, overcrowding one of the boats till it sank,
and endeavouring, often unsuccessfully, to escape
by swimming. The descriptions of the scene
which ensued are frightful. One third at least of
the whole force of 1,800 which crossed over were
killed, wounded, drowned, or taken prisoners, and
the guns, if not captured, were lost. The Confede-
rates might have destroyed the whole force if they
had guns or cavalry, but they were obliged to rest
contented with the signal repulse of the unhappy
force, for the enemy had collected in strength OR the
other side, and were reported to have crossed lower
down the river.

OCTOBER 26.

To-day there was a review of General Fitz john
Porter's division, consisting, as well as I could judge,
of 7,500 infantry, 16 guns, and a couple of weak
squadrons of cavalry, on the ground beyond Ball's
Cross-roads, in front of their camp. General
M'Clellan has not succeeded in carrying out the
project attributed to him of organising complete
divisions in fixed proportions of each of the three
arms, and to which there is some opposition. The
sky was hazy, but the day was warm and pleasant,
and as the distance across the river does not exceed
four miles and a-half, a considerable number Of
persons crossed over to witness the spectacle.
There is no ground in this part of Virginia where
so many troops could form in line—indeed, it is dif-
cult to find a spot about the camps where a brigade
could be deployed. All is wood or undergrowth,
patched with fields of Indian corn, undulating, and
cut up with small ravines and watercourses. The
division, therefore, was formed in double columns
on parallel lines, and a good deal of the effect was
lost because from no one point could all•the troops
be seen at .one time. The Prince of Jcinville, the
Count of Paris, and the Duke of Chartres were on
the ground, the former in plain clothes, long riding
boots, and a felt hat, the latter in the undress uni-
form of captains in the United States' army. The
young Princes generally remained by the side of
General M'Dowell, whose French is unexception-
able, and for whose character and attainments they
have a high regard ; and, as they have taken a
house in Washington, it may be presumed they in-
tend to remain here for some time. There were some
fair ladies on horseback, and 25 or 30 carriages from
the city, and a small crowd of civilians. It must
be remembered that no one can cross the river with-
out passes, and it is not always easy to procure them.
There are only two means of crossing over near
the city—one by the Long-bridge to Arlington, the
other by the ferry at Georgetown, a couple of miles
higher up. At the latter place two large floating
stages are hauled across the river, and each to the
opposite shore simultaneously by means of ropes,
and this is still persisted in, though a bridge of
boats could be easily made in a few hours. It is all
very well, so long as the army lies close at hand on
the other side of the river; but if ever it should
be found necessary to transport provisions and ma-
teriel for a corps of 100,000 men 50 miles away
from this central depot, difficulties, which may
become disastrous, will inevitably ensue, unless the
communications be improved and multiplied. It is
proposed to meet the effects of the obstructions to
the Potomac by laying down a second line of rail
from Annapolis to the junction with the Washing-
ton branch of the Baltimore Railroad, and thus ob-
tain supplies by the Chesapeake beyond all danger
of interruption. Indeed, if we are to believe the
most recent statements respecting the blockade of
the river, it would appear that there are no guns at
Mathias Point at all! This is the most formidable
site for the Confederate batteries, as the channel
passes close to the bluff; and, if there arc no guns
there, there.is no reason for putting them anywhere
else. It is not probable, however, that any one
landed as has been reported. The vessels which are
lying below the batteries are not insured against
war risks, and the masters and owners are anxious
that the Government should give them some guar-
antee in reference to their property, in case they
should be burnt or sunk before they try to run the
gauntlet. The non-arrival of the vessels places
Washington in the position of being blockaded.
There is nothing the Federalists would desire more
ardently than the crossing of a Confederate corps
into Maryland. They will soon have upwards of
20,000 men to reinforce the men of the Sickles Bri-
gade, who are guarding the shore opposite Acquia
Creek.

OCTOBER 27.

The exigencies of war transcend even general
orders. Long trains of waggons moved through
the city during church licurs, and men and horses
were worked, notwithstanding General M'Clellan's
desire to give them a day of rest. Woe betide the
man who next fights, and losses, a battle on the Sab-
bath, on the side of the Federalists. As to winning
a battle on that day, no doubt good warranty would
be found for it, and even in Massachusetts it has
been found necessary to work the men in the Water-
town Arsenal on the seventh day.

OCTOBER 28.

There a cabin et council sitting, at which Mr Fox,
the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, is present, and
it is supposed that the subject under discussion and
consideration is the employment of the great
naval expeditionary flotilla at Fortress Monroe. I
enclose an account of the composition of this for-
midable flotilla, respecting the destination of which
the profoundest secrecy is observed. Perhaps there
are conflicting opinions as to the best use to be made
of it. There are many who think it is intended for
Texas, but it is more probable that it will be em-
ployed far nearer home, and that the Confederates
will be rudely assailed on their flank. The weather
is becoming favourable for naval expeditions, and
the troops are enjoying by day the glories of the