The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-10
AFFAIRS IN GENERAL WOODS ARMY.

| AFFAIRS IN GENERAL WOODS ARMY.
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OUR FORTRESS MONROE CORRESPONDENCE
FORTRESS MONROE, Nov. 9, 1861.
S0esldds to General Mobilization and Number Of e.,
Rete at Big Bethel. Yorktown and Observation-Disclosures.
from Newport NesOs-Mousren,s Of Troops, dc. dc.
The strangest item Of interest occurring hore today
was regular old fashioned thunder shower accompa
MED by considerable lightning. However, 1t the mo-
men am penning this II has cleared up nicely with
fresh northwest wind blowing.
Last evening General Wool received tho compliment Of
sersnads from the band stationed At the FORT to m
stance Of Lieut.. Richard L0dsr, Post Adutsnt att "A
the ladies Of Captain VIM D. Whppe, Assistant Adj
General; Captain hendenhal Fourth artillery; Lieut..
Loder Major Carln and others quarters At tho fort
were also treated to several fine airs. Tho serenade
lasted until after twelve clock and sounded very fine
in tho silence Of the night
rebel captured yesterday afternoon by the pckets
the Twentieth regiment Colonel Weber that
he was deserter and gave the following Information in
regard 70 the rebel forces at 70 ktown Big Bethel
He gave his nane as chardson and stated that Big
Bethel stationed the Third Virginia regiment Eighth
Alabama, First Louisiana, cavalry company Of five
hundred men and horses, called Cobbs Legion, aud
fifteen pieces OF srtle consisting rncd cannon At
Norfolk, whore General Benjamin Huger Commands
Richardson says that = 2ouave battalion of Cobb's
Infantry, two Georgia regiments, and the Thirteenth
Alabama the Second Louisiana and Third Louisiana arc
tho available forces besides six guns on the river and
seven svy guns on snchments forming the for.
From Newport News we have intelligence that on Mon
day wooding party was sent out, consisting Of one
company of tho Seventh regiment New York Volunteers
In command Of CAPITA Gable that they were attacked by
rebels, and in tho melee lost four mule aud
wagon. captured, besides two men, takon prisoners II
seems 10 DO fatality that Ger raj Phelps persisteny
sends o., those wooding parties In small force. and
what worse on the same day OF tho week. The rebels
apparently know when to look for such capture and
Ia only TO mount and at the yankees aud the rebels
are certain Of capturing good wagon and mules and
General Phelps would send 's' sao.ni rorsS "s VIII
these expeditions, and manage to select dinc-
rent these scenes would not b. re enact
In the present state OF AFFAIRS the wo0dng parties
away empty handed leaving catls and wagons to take
but morbid sehshness Of self preservation.
Captain r. A. Davis. the efficient Provost Marshal Of
to look after the regulation the which,
on their arrival. handed 10 him, and thence
transferred 70 the Quartermaster.
walked oil the way from Northern Indiana to Bal
tmore 70 join her lsband, who il . member
Of tho Twentieth Indiana regiment stationed At Hat
Hatteras, arrived here per boat from Baltimore Cen
Wool gave orders TO the Provost Marshal allow
woman to proceed any further from which infer that
the regiment will return here and other matters connect
ed with the loading Of the r. Spanding strongly point
that way The position Of Hateras Inlet be defended
by few gunboats and it Ia hardly necessary keep
any men there to contract disease and be washed out OF
their tents at nearly every rising Of the tide
At The Rip Raps or Fort Calhoun, the commander,
Major Gustav Haeday, is theoretically engaged in bring
Ing order out Of chaos fixing the officers quarters and
compelling the prisoners TO cleanse their places Of rendez
vous. About fifty hands employed by the govern
ment to finish this fertilization, which, when completed
will be Of the most solid and imposing structures
tho country The guns mounted thus far are very for
mdabe aud could resist any force brought against them
The s. R. spaulding leaves here tonight for Hatcras
OUR NEWPORT NEWS CORRESPONDENCE
CAMP BunE, NEWPORT NEws, Va, oct. 20, 1851.
Siniam-Ronantic Incidents in His Career-Hs perse.
caion ~ tho -Interering Ne,os from Tirgina-
Affairs at Fortress Monroe, de-
Well, the expedition has sailed at last Your CORES
pondent at Old Point WILL Of course, keep you posted
about all the details AS far concerned ! will
merely say that dent believe there is soldier in our
camp who would not gladly have given months pay
the privilege Of joining that expedition. Go where il
may IL will give glorious account of Itself and il viii
be SIRE Of having our best, heartfelt wishes.
At three O'Clock this morning or outside picket on the
river was hailed by man who approached In small
ski he proved 10 be Virgiuan by the name of Peter
White, who escaped Thursday last from prison at
Williamsburg Va He has suffered considerably for the
last couple Of months and the story he tells has some
thing OF romance about il.
He used to little schooner named Maris louisa
and traded up and down the James and York rivers
especially during the oyster He hardly slept
shore making the schooner his real home and always
having his wife and two children with him Ia Ap.i
last, hen the enlistment in the rebel army was
progressing fayoraby some one made orertures 10 HIM
about enlisling. Being al heart Union ma ne did not
feel inclined 10 do So: yet he wished, II possible,
10 tho schooner and Us contents tina. being all The
property he owned n the world He therefore ran iB1
little bay in the sChcoromingv river small branch
Of The James where he found pretty safe hiding pace
AZ Ibis time his wife died and he had good in
the Of his children for refusing accept the
OF enlistment which still OCCASIONALLY made 10 him.
lie remained al that place until the 9th Of September
when he vepturcd out Of his retreat TO go up James
town, hoping that az the patriotic enthusiasm among
the Southerners had considerably died away he would
be granted the necessary pass following p the
| business at Hogs Island However poor Peter soon
found himself mistaken The authorities at jamestown
at demanded that he should uncond onallv enlist
in the army, and when he refused to do this they con
nscated his schooner with all is contents including SaU
in gold snd sent him prisoner 10 Williamsburg Here
hs remained for iortytwo days without being per.
mitte 70 have fair hearing He was confined in cell
to three negroes who had previously attempted 10
run away, and, With their assistance. hole MAS
| dug under the wall sufficiently large 70 admit
he made good his escape, That night he walked
| twelve miles and during Friday hid himself in
acornied. Towards Midnight he reached The house Of
Becky Smp son, old acquaintance vi his. woman
with strong Union feelings who offered him shelter and
further volunteered % 80 the following Monday 20
Williamsburg 70 endcavor 10 bring his children blcs
He consequently remained MT her house. purpoeng %
await her return; but Sunday he saw certain Mr.
Slader wen known ssayehrner In those regions come
towards The house, and knowing that price Of $500
had h"en put upon his head, he thnu2ht Il best to
"vaase' quickly rs possible therefore, when slader
came in ct the front door he Of e back door
and, being dusk at The time. safely reached a shore
wbcr. be soon found akr and pushed Of into The river
In thirty two hoars this had roNed between forty
and Nifty miles and Is surprising that lie has been
dc,ecsdans pursued IN Passing by the numerous bat.
/ ,erlCs on James river.
Peter - pleasant locking, middle aged p,an aud h 5
statements bcw the stamp " Guhfrll ess and
| sincere love for the uuion. On 80 omit os
his Intimate knowledge viii the rivers here
lie may be made nseal 80 pilot should any cypeiiton
he required In ,his neihborhsod. He states nat he was
very badly treated in Williamsburg. Ne received one
pound Of poor rye bread day hardly spy meat aud for
drink no,bing 6o' water. His brother. who roLiisr
there, told him that there Is much discomfort existing
amcnE The men; most of them epl std fer three
months ho, have been forced stay yoBd their sine:
food Is poer and clothing ipsuticsent. There special
ecarc, Of shoes and half the ,x,rse bare
footed Pay comes irregular. and Only in the share Of
the well Known pronitss Of the &. :. 4 Meat sells at
&oc bacon 3jc, butter G0c., coffee co. sugar 25c salt
"a peT busbe, snf % ON IA proportion. The forces
Mulberry Island, jamestown Norfolk and Rig Bethel
In round Numbers estimated 90 600 General xagruier
keeI~ promising them when in state Vi biissm
that they shall hare winter quarters NJ Fortress Monroe
(they Ne there sooner thSn they aud wish
but In the morning he tells them, WITH pale face aud
| trembling hand, thai "for NJ prrsent the plan Il
postponed There is not the is doub, that dis
of elohirs and the bad moral elect produced
b, the continual drunkenness existing among the officers
have luse ioas dissectOn among the men sc ther
| con plants are loud and long for discharge.
dim fa,p giS,fs