, 1861-08-12
BURNING OF HAMPTON, VA,
Rapid Movement OF m&yruder-.Hc
Elfea the Town at N1Yh1-5O0 HaASd-
1D&s De1troyed~-Close Pro11m13f Of
RebeI Forces.

FORT MONROE, Aug. S.-Hampton has been
bu1nee. Scouts aud fagiti7es brou5 5ht word
Of the approach Of large Confederate force /
from Yorktown. These rumofs were con |
t11ned at 5 P NJ. By q deserter from the rebels, !
u native Of Maine but resident Of Georgia !
He has been stationed at Yorktown since June !
1st- Friday last, Magruder left Yorktown |
With force Of 1000 men, including $500 ca.
valry and pieces Of artillery. Monday night |
they camped ut Great Bethel, which was
completely deserted Tussday they advanced |
toward Hampton, and at noon yesterday took !
up their position on Back River, somc three
nl]ss from the town. He says the object Of
the expedition is to draw ont our forces, AZ
tack Camp Hamilton OF Newport News, it
practicable, and at least to destroy Hampton,
60 as to prevent their using it for winter
quarters.
Gen. Butler at once repaired to this end of
Hampton Bridge, where he remained till
eleven O'Clock. Col. Weber erected ba-ri-
ca6e near the Hampton end Of the bridge, and
placed strong guard ut various points this
el5e Of the creek.
4 few minutes past midnight, Gen. Nagru-
der, with about 500 Confederates, entered the
town, which they Immediately fired. The
greater psrt Of the 500 houses we're built with
wood, and no rain having fallen lately,
strong south wind soon produced u terrible
ccDfagration.
There were perhaps twenty white people,
and double that number Of negroes, remain
ing in the town from inability to move, some
Of whose houses were fired without waking
TIE Inmates. Several OF the whites, and also
the negroes, were hurried away to be pressed
into the Confederate service.
A company Of rebels attempted to force the
passage Of the bridge, but we're 1epulbed with
loss Of three killed and six wounded
The ire ragged all night. The greater part
! Of the Confederates withdrew towards moru-
irg, ard at noon to-day when visited the
| place, but seven or eight buildings were left
standing.
| Gen. Mag1ader has encamped near New
| Market bridge. He will hardly venture to
attack Newport News.
Mayhew, the dese1ter, says there have been
about seven thousand Confederate troops
stationed at Yorktown, and some tea days
ago battalion came down to the outskirts Of
Hampton, and carried away $50 negroes. Pro-
Visions were abundant at Yorktown, aud most
Of the rebels are receiving new uniforms for
the winter campaign
The destruction OF the town WIS Q Hanton
act Of cruelty both for the residents and
Urioniets, and, moreover, entirely useless, as
Gen. Bptlsr intends to winter his amy many
miles beyond Hampton.
An attempt will be made to foist these acts
On Gen. Butler, but after ten o'clock Wednes.
day night, there was not Federal soldier in
Hampton.
A flag Of truce hiss just come in from Nor.
felix with Miss Mayo, niece Of Gen. Scott
who is on her way from Richmond to New
York She states that the Confederates at
t11bnie the act to Gen. Butler:
FROM GEN. BANRs,s ConMAND
candy RooK, Md August 9--Gea- stons
las been assigned to a separate command, Il
be stationed !. Point Of Rocks, Whsre i. /
believed the rebels intend establishing aetronI
: battery to intercept the transportation Of SUP
} plies aud troops from Baltimore to the lowe
Potomac,
Cc1cael Hamilton, Of the Third Wiseonsi
Regiment, has been appointed to counan
. the division in place Of Col Stone
TIE report that two rebel regiments wer
: approaching from Leesburg is untrue.
l D1sjor Doubleday has been practicing nit
his scige guns to day. The results were yer
! satisfactory