, 1861-12-18
Scenes oyer tho RiVer---Hea1th OF the
EaEup,
From our own Correspondent

Scenes oyer tho River---Hea1th Of the
Camp,
From our own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, December 13, 1851.
I have spent the last ten days among the
camps on the other side Of the river, and along
the lines, which are so often aud truly report
cd to be "all quiet'' Judging from what I
saw between Georgetown Ferry and the out
posts <four miles this side OF Fairfax Court
Housc), should sag that Washington Is tol-
crably safe. Judging from what I heard be-
tween those Two points, should soy thnt Ma
masses is tolerably safe also. Every eligible |
site for camp is occupied, and every COM
manding hill is crowned with 4 fort or battery.
There seems to be no place where twenty /
thousand men, with full compliments Of |
casnlry and artillery, could be handled intelli-
gently in battle, and followed BY the eye ofthe
commander, except around the base Of Up
toms Hill, from whose observatory 1venture |
to say one Of the most magnificent scenes is
unfolded to the eye Of the spectator that the |
world can afford. It is situated about seven !
miles southwest from Washington, on the road |
to Fairfax and Centreyille. At Its base on one
side is Falls Church, in purple valley, while |
across the valley on the other side are Nun
sons Hill and Halls ELL, where we captured
the rebel stovepipcs. Atthc foot Of Munson's
Hill, half 4 mile farther, is the smooth
plain known as Bai1ey's Gross Roads. From
the observatory, which surmouuts Gen. Wads-
worth's headquarters. the dome cf the capi-
tol rises in full view in the northwest, and
the Manassas mountains in equal prominence
in the southwest, while at every point Of the
compass, as far as the eye can reach, the white
tents and curling smoke Of the camps stretch
away in the soft haze Of Indian summer, which
still kindly fingers around onr soldiers. With
in the range Of yieT are uassed probably
quarter Of million men Of the two armies.
Only q few comparatively are visible-those
who occupy the higher elevations Of ground,
from which the timber has been removed
the others being shut in by the endless sue
cession Of hills compounded Of yellow earth
md stuntcd pineG. Nearly all of McDoweus
division, and the greater part Of B1enker's and
Fitz John Portcr's, can be traced with the
naked eye, while good glass will enable one
to descry Smiths, McCalrs, Heintzelman's,
Franklin's and Summers. None Of the rebel
camps are visible but their position can be
easily made out by our scouts and topogra-
piers. Upton's Hill is occupied by two bri-
sades Of General McDowel's division {Gen.
Keyes's and Gen. Wadsworth's.) Gen. Reyes
having lately been promoted, the temporary
command deyolyes upon Col. Sullivan Of the
22a New York. Gen. Augur is Gen. Keyes's
successor. Both brigades are composed en-
tirely Of New York soldiers, most of
| whom have been on that side Of the
| river ever since August, and on the hill
since the 2Sth Of September, when the grand
| gwoop was made upon Munson's Hill. Col.
| Kerrgan's regiment, the 25th New York,
| formed part Of the expedition, and the boys,
| the common soldiers, are firm in the belief
that he communicated information to the
enemy which enabled them to elude us on
that occasion. They declare, moreover, that
they will shoot him, without asking anybody S
leave, if the court martial allows him to come
among them again. These New York troops
dr1Il, TO all appearance, as well as the regulars.
The French princes were there yesterday in
specting them.
| Out ii the front, within few miles Of Fair
fax Court House, found the 7th Wisconsin
regiment, Lieut.. Col. Robinson, performing
picket duty, according to the regulations, with
out tents or fires. They were preparing
to march back to their camp at Arlington, as
they were to be relieved this morning BY the
| Second Wisconsin, Col. O'Connor. Both reg,
iments are ably commanded, and in the most
| excellent condition The 7th has had great
dead Of trouble with its Colonel, {Van Dor, ]
who does not waste much Of his time among
his soldiers, but bu6ies himself drawing his
pay and spending it OIL this side Of the river;
t ut least, such is the unanimous complaint o1
| his captains. Gen. King commands on the
front Tor the time bcing. Nothing has been
seen Of the enemy for some days past in thai
. direction, though some pretty sharp firing o1
| 3-afY n tho arxt nynarfnfft
among Gen. Blenker's pickets. Our pickets oc
caEonally fire on scouting parties Of tie rebe
; cavalry, who scamper of pretty fast wher
J they find themselves discovered. 1t it the
opinion Of our best informed scouts that there
? are not more that one two rebel regiments Al
} Fairfax, their great army lying still at Centre
vile and Mauasses. Nor is it true that 75, 600 o
: stationed between Fairfax and Vienna-as va.
their troops, or any other force worth mention
I ing, is reported in some Of the papers ycster
: turned from Vienna, who contradicted tn
, story utterly.
Tie sanitary condition Of the army, so ia
r | Us was able to observe it, is excellent. DR.
E ]. h Rauch, ,tof Chicago surgeon to Gen
i illness in the four regiments under his care
/ both Of typhoid pneumonia At his brigad
C hospital Virginia farmhouse, which he ha
e fitted up as neatly and cleanly as any dining
+, room in Nashingto arc thirty~tw
n patients, all convalescing, except the tn
l. above mentioned Among them are two su.
S fcring from gun-shot wounds, receive
l. in a picket skirInish-one shot throug
IL the body and the other through bot
J. legs. Both are recovering. They were lyin
y on their cots in cheerful room, reading book
ii from the little hospital library. Capt. Gordo
le Of the 7tl Wisconsin informed me that the1
s. we're only FIVE sick in that regiment, and nor
at Of those considered dangerous. But in SON
,e other parts Of the army, and nearer the rive
4hp Hfffnr4r37f T 1371f informed that
b. Of the Maine regiments has three hundre
he men in the hospitals, fully one third Of the
le number being nn1it for any kind Of dut
I'd The health Of the 18th New York {Brooklyl
S. larry staunc6. There Is fun and mus
b. enough in the regiment to stock 2 com
ed opera, and to compete successfully vi
It. Christy's minstre1s. had the good fortul
re to attend one Of 4 number Of concerts {
as ranged and executed By the boys Of the Il
in from Washington, escorted to the camp
re- John Jacob Astor, Jr., Of Gen. Mcclellan
he staf5-and surely; i rollieking sport M is 20
nd medicine ior r soldiers, the hospital VIII
v: Us 60 there with wounds from the battle fle
m There are rumors again, rs usual, abou
re forward movement. saw nothing indicati
'ic such rash measures. The soldiers, on
Of contrary, were everywhere busy hauling sn1
N logs and saplings for warmer and more co
The nodious foundations for their tents, viii
na- they build up with mud and straw betwe
Of the timber about two and half feet in heig
nd then mounting the canvas on the top Of
be, wall thus formed. These things Of cou
no. cannot be carried along in the forward mo
On. meht, and yet 1t IS doubtless Fcli 10 pu
an them, even though they shonld be oecnp
we during only single storm. H. "
Md
be OUR ST. LOUIS LETTER.
The ...,
in 1To3krt Of St'7ks At fhe ifxoefs near Le1an2
in -MiIta7y Moeeaaests in PfoyTess-Gc7s.
ice 1ccE's Order No. 24-Hs Effect on TIE Sfccs
IDS The Contraband Case mo,u in the Hands Of
up z71M eeHstt-4ne e1 :? :, t,a1AaTy Lo"o7stss7o