New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-05

Ii q, Fdvards's Ferry, that the movement Oh NC
Cop had been felt, and bad oecasoned peat Pertnr'
oD,onO the forces Of the Contederates Tor early
- the afternoon Of Sunday regiment ,f infantry
noarsd moving hastily flom the direction OF Lees'
h,, ward the river, and there halted, if seeking
a rosition Upon this the forces of Gen. German
were ut once deployedi but, noticing h's movements
the Rebels passed behind bill about nile ahd
hall distant, by aif line, from Edwardss Ferry, ahd
made hat. Rieketto Battery at once prepared 70
1--WE them n faute and at the same time Gen. Stone
orl., ed three stboas TO be filled with men, TO per-
suade them that we meditated an attack ihe
mapenyer had the desired effect. Tie Rebels, hud-
ing ihe she'll Dropping too lot and close upon thtn
nei1hborhood abruptly fed, their movements peipg
not little quckered by tie yels of 'he Mlnneso'ans
ia the crossiog boats will ust pause here 70 no'ee
that Cen. Stone timed he crossing and recrosiing oi
these boais and eavs in his report, that they rer
formed each passage in about aI or "reH NiHu'ss
Tie object Of this apparently sporting s'"'eH,.N'
about such an incident does not al NIT aPie'o ou
il Acquires gravity and sgnifcapce wren hear 'pe
close OF hs report he deporee the delays
IN the transportation Of tie California troops oy COL
Bsker. Gen. Stone does not iaiorm US whether ie
measured this incident by guess or by watch; but
if with the latter it msy fairly 60 uron tie record as
a great exploit; for tie scows were loaded Gown
with 80 zen each, and the stream wss wollen and
rapij with recent rains. Compared with the min
utes 36 seconds which s the beat mile time OF an D.
cared raee.boat in lie stest wafer, the triumph Is
be, ond precedent. If propelled a@oss by poet'
a. the ecows at Coonrads Ferry were on the follow
ing day, the per1ol nance might be called almoft
miraculous.
Afer the Disappearance Of the Rebel regiment, tie
afternoon wore away at EdwaTdss Ferry without
spv furtber incident, and night coming on, Gen.
German Brigade end the 9TH Michigan, returned to
can.p. Gen. Stone, however, ordered the Tanmany
Regiment. the companire of the 2Oth Massachusetts,
and the Vaughn Artillery TO contiIne at Coonrsds
crossing for the hight, while he, hinsef, remained
with tie Putnam Rangers, Van Aliens Cavalry, and
the Ricketts, Battery at Edwarcss Ferry. Az about
10 clock Of hight be received at this latter place
report Of the reconnaissance of Capt Phibrok, who
repor ed, through the QuaTlermaeter OF tie 10th
Massachusetts hat be mad proceeded with his squad
10 within mile Of LtesbuTe; that 10 pickles OF
tho enemy were ont; that near dusk he had d;scoy-
cred a email camp OF about thirty tents, npon tee
edge Cf the wood near the town, but though he ap'
proacted il within twenty-five rods he was not even
challenged. This statement seemed to Indicate TO
Stone that tie enemy had either retired hon Lees
burg, or held it with inferior force and il then
thar he probably conceived for the fret time, the
ton of making brilliant coup by capturing Leesburg
himself. The Likelihood Of this lie very strong, for it
not only agrees with al the previous and Subsequent
circumstances Of tie siiuslion but it is the only theo
i - i. liz ,l.s
traordinary determination Of an experienced army
cfcer TO croas several thousand men, with horses ard
artillery over n broad and rapid nser, without
PREPARATION Of Tontoons, or even sn inquiry ar 10
whethor there were boats or scovs, or means OF
tran ponaton Of any Kind whatever especially after
having aroused the enemy to vigilance agans: fueh
p,ocsedpg, ty the Gint 10 cross during tho alter
noou.
Bat with this new determination in bis mind, Gen.
Stone Immediately sent OIdert to Col Deyins, who
was siH On Hauisons leland, to cross with his four
companiee to the Virginia shore, End march silently
TOW and the town under cover Of the night, TO the
camp referred to. In the language Of Gen. Stones
report as printed in the newspapers, nc then TO
attack ii DAY break, ard destroy IT, pursue the ene-
my as fl az would be prudent, and then fall back
Immediately 10 the island, his return TO be covered
by company OF the Massachusetts Goth, to be post
cd on a INF directly orer he landing 1iacc. Col.
Deyus was further ordered to make close observa.
lion Of the position, strength, and movements of tie
enemy and in the event of there being no enemy
viible, to bold secure position until he couh be
strengthened.
These preiiminaries being arranged the next pro-
ceeding Of Gen. Stone 10 select The brigade and
the commander 70 whom he would intrust the i'm.
porlant operations of The following day. Upon
brief reflection, the majority of the requisite
dtions tre ented themselves in favor Of Col. Baker;
and on the strength of his known gallantIy, the
tensive experience which be bad acquired one Of
the most distinguished officers Of the Mexican war;
and what, perhaps, was equally important, the afec
tion of bis troops, it was decided lie should have
command.
Before forming theee conclusions, however lnd In
further evidence that Gen. Stones determination to
cross the river was sudden, We have the following
dispatch, which lie rent to Gen. Mcclellan late in
the afternoon Of Sunday, in answer 10 the which
he had received from the CommanderinC Chief in the
morning:
HgApouIRTxRs TIE ARsr TnH PoIoxAo,}
Received st Washington from POOle,vflieI
TO hajoG MCCLELllH: Made nt II cvossipg al
this place this alter and az tie time started
nOiteng party toward L.esburs from Hauisobs I.aid 1be
eenys pickets retired to ItTebcbms Report Of
noticing party rot yet received have of croslifg
oe hundred kpe twenty-five in eD minutes each
Of two points. River falling ,lowlt.
&C. 7. STONE. Bdsadler- nersi."'
The troops to be placed at the disIosal Of Col Ba-
ker for the dangerous service were what Lave al.
ready detailed as bis own brigade, with the 18th md
Goth Massachusetts, and the Tammany Regiment.
With the were several batteries, but it should be
mentioned here that one half his California Regiment
Mna AWAY 81 MnnocacY md IL likAtrisA slnnld La