Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-17
Late News from the Rebel statos.
AFFAIRS IN RTcHNoxD, v1Ro1vfA

/
A gentleman, direct from Richmond, has
arrived in Washington, and given the fol-
lowing information to the correspondent of
the New York Times:
He is native of Massachusetts, but has
been n resident of Richmond for the last
ten years, but left in II Claudestine manner
TO avoid being drafted into the rebel army
under tue new order of Governor Letcher,
which requires every man, with few ex-
ceptions, to be enrolled aud ready for duty.
Grounds for the encamPment OF these new
levies have been selected near the city, and
in short time they will be undergoing
/ the necessary drill. This measure is very
unpopular with the citizens, aud met with
such decided opposition that the Governor
was obliged to modify it by excepting GER
tain business occupations. The prOprie-
tors and all the faro dealers of the Rich
mond gaming houses have been enrolled.
Some of the principal houses have been
closed, in consequence of this new order
and the scarcity of faro players. The
brothers WOrsham, who had u branch of
their gnming-house in Broadway, New
York, having more faith in Tiger fighting
than in fighting Yankees, have each, to-
gether with their dealers, hired substitutes
at an expense of $1,000. George Patton,
of New York. another well known gambler,
has left his fashionable establishment in
Main street, and is captain of a company
raised in Richmond. He is not in Wise's
regiment, as his New Yorkfriends suppose,
nor WAS lie killed short time ago as errO-
neouslY stated. Nearly all the broken mem
bers of the profession, and among them
James Montsro, have entered with great
spirit into the fight They do not howey-
l aE inta NJ I'D
probably retire from the army with good
stake, unless some unlucky bullet should
thTow them of and close their game.
There were not more than 1000 SOL
diers at Richmond when my informant
left, and they in barrack Mt the fair
grounds. where they were being drilled by
| the Cadets. They had no arms, but as
fast as arms could be procured, they were
given to the new recruits. who were then
sent away, and their places supplied by
others.
The story that Richmond is strongly for
tilted and that its approaches have been
mined, is entirely fabulous. There are no
lforiifcations except few breastworks
thrown up ON the bank of James River,
below Rickets. On these works some 200
free negroes are employed. They COM
mand tue river, and might be used to ar
AGSb ktiE NAAuSNbItAhlOu vi llOOHS Ol AiC
I York River Railroad. Whenever the
"Grand' Army" can destroy the rebel force
It Manassas, it can march with little or no
interruption to Richmond. The country,
as remarked by Gen. Scott, is cGpabie of
being strongly fortified, but it is not forti-
fed, and will not be, unless they are al
lowed to scatter their forces and fortify at
leisure. There are no Notifications at Pc
tersburg, and none on the roads between
Petersburg and Richmond, nor has my in
formant heard of any works between Rich
mond and Aquia Creek. AT jamestown
and Yorktown the rebels are in force
some 1000 being at the latter place.
The citizens OF RichnIand do not believe
the national troops will ever reach there
but SO strong is the Union sentiment, al
though now entirely suppressed, and so
eager are the friends of the Union for the
triumphant advance of our array, that n
brilliant illumination awaits its victorious
entire into the city.
There are no colored regiments or COM
pauies in arms in Virginia. There are not
arms enough for white men, and negroes
could do nothing with firearms if they had
them, and ii entrusted with any weapons,
and skilled to their use, they would be
more likely TO use them against their mas
tiers than for them There are negroes in
every regiment, but they are used MS ser
wants or ns musicians, &C., while large
numbers of them are employed in erecting
Notifications, bitches, &c.
The manufacture of arms is slowly pro-
crossing in Richmond. The Harper's Fer
ry machinery has been put up at the old
Arsenal, and, in connection with the Tre-
deger works, supplies muskets, cannon,
shells, &c. An ingenious Northern ma
chinest named Bradley, who is engaged IN
a cotton mill at Manchester, in the SUBJ
urbs of Richmond, invented a machine for
making percussion caps, for which he re-
ceived $4,000. The completion of these
caps, however, was attended with very Sc
rious results, ms the chemists who were en-
gagged in manufacturing the explosive mat
terial with which they were supplied were
killed by the premature explosion of the
i powder Two terrible accidents of this
this kind have already occurred. causing
great excitement in the city. A chemist
aud druggist named Laidlaw, q very wor-
thy citizen, was among the killed.
A large number of prisoners are confined
in the city Jail, in the county Jail, and in
buildings fitted up for their reception
Prisoners Of war are usually brought there
in gangs, with their hands tied, as the
negro trading chtvaIry tie their slaves
when they transport them. Sy informant
says he has seen Union prisoners thus
uarched through the city, and kept staad-
ing for hours in the public streets. SUBJ
iectcd to the gaze and insults of the vag.l-
bond population. a number of suspected
disluyul citizens have been arrested, and
iare still in prison. One man was kept IN
iprison for six weeks before he could pro-
cure hearing, and then bis accusers
irnYtd only ehntv that his hrOther had beer