The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-24

covered that the rabel lines had be.n al
vaneec IN All dtrec tons towards the Poto.
mac. Iheir force at Fairfax Court. House has
been LARGELY Increased. Heavy forces have
| been thrown out on all the roads large
| hodv is proceeding towards the Point OF
hoG.s: Ineir scouting parties are in the i'm
| mediate vicinity OF our lines along the whole
| extent OF the Potomac. About noon to-day
| the rebels In Baltimore received jntalligen CO
| tnat the rebels were then marching upon Wash
anstop, ana the information was publi h.
ea III All extra 1t Is thought they were
only little premature in nnnou nbing
| What they had been Informed was in
| Tended 10 be done. Our doctors here
aalsasree anont the matter General Scot.
| "oeh not mink the attack will be ma ae; bu I
ran. mcclellan who was classmate of Bee u .
| regard sand Is familiar with his mode of com
hlnation, is well convinced that he will make
nj at'ack upon some point on the Potomac.
| Inc relative condition of the rebel army
ana our own makes il, in the estimation OF
| many military Swans, a military necessity
IL is said the rebels have nearly one hundred
| thousand men between here and Richmond
ihey have not the means to provide for th is
immense army. They are conscious that, un :
dsr the discreet management of Gen Nc UIel-
Ian, our army here Is becoming day after day
more formidable in numbers and discipline
ana our works more nearly improbable
while their own forces are get ting more dis
organized and demoralizsd by delay and the
poor prospect OF provision for their comfort
or main tenancs. It Is eyideLt that they
muu. soon fight or disband. They cannot at
ford TO wait for the result OF Gaueral Scott s
plan CT starving them out, or Gen. McClel-
Ian programme TO have the army perfectly
disciplined - prepared before he begin 70
advance. -ey must either fight now or
submit TO the modification of witnessing their
army melt away from the sheer force Of ne
costly without any blow being struck. That
an attack will he made within very short
time, is generally conceded; but whether IL
Will be an attack directly upon Washington
OT An invasion Of Mary land, cannot be- deter
mined.
MRS CrRTiss xAkRs A STATEMENT.
Not long ago one Mrs. Uurtiss, a strong
minded female from the North was sent from
Richmond, with other released prisoners
which fact was duly recorded at the time. On
her arrival 1T Fortress Monroe she furnished
statement of her adventures for publication
| in the New York papers, copy of which we
have received. / is the richest product ton
of the season:
Some three weeks ago, 1 took notion, one
line morning, would ride out towards Falls
Church, and see If could see ANYTHING of the
Secessionists. Accordingly, the horses were
brought up and saddled, and Miss Pierce, Mr.
EldridEe and myself started We rode
along without interruption until we came
within about half n mile of the village
when rebel picket rode out from the fields
and arrested the gentleman the being soma
what in the rear) and soon overlook
Miss Pierce and myself. The picket told
me that l must 60 with him before a
Con federate officer and report, wherenpOn l
told him very plainly / should do no such Il
thing. l told him ] acknowledged no ale
glance to the rebel Government, and would
never 70 willingly. / offered 10 comrrOin Use
with them. l told them If they would let
Miss Pierce return home, would then accom-
pany them myself. After some deliberation,
they accepted my terms. and allowed her to
return.
They then sent Mr.. Eldridge and myself,
under an escort to Col. Stuart, of the 1st Va
Regiment, who, may rs wei! here remark
treated me with all the kindness III his power.
He IS one of natures nobleIn en-, and am truly
sorry his talents are enlisted upon the side OF
the rebels. At Fairfax Court House they re
loved me Of my hotse, as they did my com
panion. have not seen MIR. Eldridge since
we arrived at Fairfax. l remained at Eairfa Z
Courthouse tv3 days, during which time
succeeded in ascertaining that there were r
least t0sr regiments stationed there. l met
some OF Gen. Beauregard's staff, and also
some OF Gen. BOnham's-to all Of whom
expressed my opinion pretty freely upon the
subject Of Secession. Some OF them SCENE
pleased a. what they termed my "Yankee
grit" While others were for having US all
hanged | YVES told by some ladies of Fairfa
that our troops while passing through that
place were very respectful il their deport-
uient toward the ladies that remained So
g
tell about their mailing Eomen and children
are falee. so"Ee Of tie residences were very
r.uch injured by some OF our soldiers but
think it was done more for mischief than any
thing else.
The fifth day after my arrest | was sent to
Manassas, Col. Stuart having tried every
means to have me released, but without sue.
cess. We started about 10 o'clock in the
! morning, and We did not arrive at Manassas
until 5 0 clock in the evening; the distance is
about sixteen miles. You can have some ides
| OF the speed with which they travel in Vir.
| GINA. l WIS., accompanied by Mr.. Edward
| Saylas, OF CINCINNATI who WAS arrested al
| Fairfax after the battle. lie is still at Rich.
| mond. We passed by ahe famous battle field
| and never shall forget 1t. The atmos ph ere
| for miles was impreguated with the nau seouf
| yapors that Il seemed impossible to breathe
| and upon every hand the huge
| graves OF our martyred soldiers. When
| arrived at Manassas, General Johnston
! refused to hear anything I had to say, BIT
| ordered ne 70 be seat to Richmond by
! the arst train. l was then sent to the GUAR
| tiers of the Provost Marshal, who insultee
| me shamefully. He threatened 20 put har q
| cuffs on me. | was placed in room and 9
| guard placed 1T the door, with the orders Il
not let me escape The next morning | WI
sent forward to Richmond with Capt Trema i
| as an escort he is Of the Sth Louisiana Req
mont. He treated me with kindness and lid
everything in his power to render my situa
ton more pleasant. At every stati on | wa.
l am sorry 10 say sometimes ladies' mixed
with the crowd, who amused me by suggest
ing that had better be hung, and by askins
ne if l washed and seWed for the soldiers
and by croWdins around me and staring & III
"a though was the famous d" What is 1t =
| at Barnum's.
But, with all my troubles, l arrived a
Richmond the same evening where was i'm
mediately surrounded by a crowd, com poset
| chiefly of greasy darkies, who seemed highly
| pleased. l was kindly received by the Off
| GERS OF the War department. They, for tn
first time, informed me why l had been ar
rested. They said 1 was suspected of being
spy, and that they thought was in dan
| gerous situation. ] told them that l dld no
| fear them they must treat me they sa "
1T. ! was prepared for anything. / wa
provided wi III board at private house, in the
| family of q Mr.. Pryor, who treated me well
| All this time was obliged to wear my riding
habit. The Government never provided me
with thing. They often promised to get ms
| anything more than promises A few days
| after my arrival learned that Dol. Wilcox
OF the I'd Michigan, and several others, had
| arrived. l was determined to them ii
| possible. i went to the Surgeon General anC
| told him l WAS = Northern lady, and that
| had friends there that j would like to see
| He gave me permission. L saw Captain
Ricketts, ard Col. Wilcox Major Potter
| Captain Jones, and several othe-s who's,
nam.s l cannot now remember. hey 81
seemed to be doing we'll | know from good
authority that our wounded men are ct very
well treated. ! tried tout unsuccea3fuiiy) u
| see Mr.. Ely and Dol. Uorcoran. ! believe
| they are retained as hostages for Ool Thomas
or the "French lady" Richmond is very
| dull, and there is universal complaint OF hare
times, and great deal Of complaint agaiue
| being compelled to fight. They are draftins
| all the men capable Of bearing arms. II any
| of the savannah prisoners are executed, they
will hang Ten for every one. i believe they
| will do ~ they say. was liberated and sen
VII
others. When we aIriy Ell at Norfolk we Wer
| put on board a steam-tng and conveyed, unde
| 3 flag of truce, TO the United States steam
| ship Minnesota. Our glorious flag neye
looked haAniiful when | Arst lnnka.