Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-11-22
Gov. Wise at Charlestown-Arrival of the
4ilitary-Cause Of the EIcitsment-Quiet
Restored &C.


Ailitary-Cause Of the EIcitsment-Q
Restored, &c.
HARrER's FERRY, Nov. 20-Evening.-
Gov. Wise arrived here this afternoon in
special train with about four hundred volun-
teer soldiery, embracing nine companies
from Richmond and the vicinity. lie loft
about six o'clock for Charlestown with four
Of the companies, and the remainder will
follow in the morning. They have full camp
equipage with them, and 1t is the Governors
intention to form military encampment ut
Charestown until after the executions
The excitement On Saturday morning was
caused first by the receipt OF a rumur that
desperate fight was going on in Clarke coun-
", between party Of strangers and citizens,
and the Alexandria Artillery, which was
then ut Winchester, was dispatched, with u
number of armed volunteers, to the seat OF
the rumurei disturbance. Whilst this cX-
element was at It's height, and before the
report was discovered to be without tounda-
ton, il gentleman, tSmith Cranc) arrived
here from Bclair, near Wheeling, where he
reported numbers Of strange men cOngregat-
ing, between two of whom he accidentally
overheard conversation, the purport OF
which was that Il body of five hundred men
were to seize train Of ears at that place,
rush through 10 IIarpcr's Ferry and at
tempt the rescue Of Brown and his compa-
Mons. lie Immediately set out for lIarper's
Ferry to apprise the inhabitants Of what he
had overheard. On reaching Charestown
he reported the matter 10 Col Davis, who
Immediately tclegraphed to Gov. Wise for
five hundred more troops. The troops have
Il Il II
town, where all is quiet and will doubtless
remain So.
The excitement in Virginia is fed BY
scores of rumors which, in Il calmcr state Of
the public mind there, would bear improba
bility upon their face. The only fact, AZ
yet developed, that affords ground for ex-
element, is the burning Of barns and other
property, belonging to gentlemen who were
on the jurics that condemned Brown and his
fellow conspirator>. The presence Of half y
dozen experienced detective officers would.
however, be- more efrctuul i'll preventing and
detecting such acts than the marching and
concentrating Of IA regiment of troops.-
Gov. Wise yesterday went on to Charlestown
with four hundred soldiers one half of
whom were left at llarpcr's Ferry, and the
others, accompanied hy Gov. Wise, proceed
ed immediately L. Charlestown.
Coy. Wise was waited upon ut the W ash
ngton junction by several Of the officers of
who paid him their respects. and with whom
he conyersed quite freely regarding the ex-
element. The Governor was understood IL
say, III response 10 suggestions that the ru
mors were probably unfnunded, that though
he would be regarded rs making unnecessa
ry preparations for an enemy that might not
| appear, yet III so grave matter, aud with
the clear and positive evidence in his pos
session of the existence Of an intention and
an organization to attempt the rescue ot tho
State prisoners, he preferred to have fifty
times too many men, 10 having one too few,
and the best way, i'll his judy ment 10 prevent
serious trouble Was 10 fully prepare TO meet
it. lie did not for Il moment credit the idea
! that any armed force would bodily march 10
| the scene, to undertake Il rescue, but he did
believe that bad men were planning nn
attempt by gathering slngly, or III pairs, Ia
| be in readiness, in case success would seem
at all possible. lie was informed that the
property of three or more of the jurors who
condemned Brown had been burned within
the past fortyeight hours, and this seemed
to impress him that there were cmissuries
| and accompiccs of Brown now in the vicinity
of Charlestown.
Gov. Wise further declared that while it
would crafty him to find that no etfcrts at
rescue would be made, and that his visit anu
its attendcnt precautions were entirely unnc-
cessary, yet he believed it would be useful to
Virginia in the end. as showing the alacrty
with which her volunteers responded to pub
lie call, ami tho case and prumptness with
which she could concentrate them in force to
sustain her laws or repel tho violent invasion
of her soii.-Buitimole .imerican.