The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-10
INTERESTING FROM THE LOWER POTOMAC.

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OUR BUDDS FERRY CORRESPONDENCE.
BUpDs FERRY, (hid. } Dec. 7, 1901
E~ape Of Aa,y,anar from The Rebel army i,s.yitnir-
The Rebels SAID TO Haue T0e,y.fUe thousand Men on The
Lo'cer Potomac, under General Hcln,es7e George Pcge
Moved from Qutntico to Chopa9am.:c Creet-Ma,y
landers in Virginia Anrious 10 Come Home-Fuing at
the Balloon, &c.
Last night man camc across from tho Virginia shoro
'na small boat and landed on this side, below Budds
Ferry where he taken charge by Lieutenant smith
! Of Company B. Eleventh Massachusetts, regiment who
was in command of tho pckets, and conducted to the
| camp Of the regiment His name is William w. Patti.
son. He is Emo looking stalworth man, resident of
Dorchester county, Maryland He says that no went
over to Virginia in June when the Southern excitement
ran high, but has since changed his opinions onged
TO effect his escape which the fog that over the
river last night enabled him TO do When he cross.
| cd, in Juno last, he went with a member
! Of tho Fourth Alabama regiment, who had been to
sec some friends in Maryland. Without any intention
ofoinng tho rebel army he says be fret to Frede-
rcksburg where he about three weeks whence
ne went to Richmond An artillery company was being
formed there by Captain Andrews Of Baltimore it Is
known a. the Maryland artillery; tho members were
mostly from this State, and he having no other occupa
ton just then, concluded to join H. The battery consists
OF six underground piecos OF them ned guns and
some howtzers lie renamed in Richmond till Scp,m
Der, when he went with the company, about hundred
aud twenty in number to Brooks station on tie
line OF the railroad I'VE miles from Aqua creek aud seven
teen milos by the road from the rebel batteries
here. He was at Brooks station five or six weeks and
from there he won't to Dufres from which place he &C.
conpanied the battery to point Chopawamsic creek
near tho Potomac, where is now located II is sta.
toned short distance up the creek within three
or four hundred yards OF what we have called
tho lower. point battery, and what the rcbss
named the North point battery. That battery
mounted three heavy guns, which have since bcen re-
moved to tho batteries higher up that tho crude
earhwork is now without gun. Tho heavy thirty two
pound rihed gum captured at the Bull BATH and which
the rebes had placed FOR time on high hill, below
thopawamsic creek has also been removed higher up
one OF the two batteries directly opposite hero
lie never was in ose batteries and therefore cannot
speak with accuracy concerning them. His impression
however, is that they have thirteen fourteen guns
mounted on the two batteries at Shipping Point Night
before last Thursday nght) the rebel steamer George
Page came out of Quantico creek and Chopawam
sic creek, where she thinks that as she ia
entirely useless to them at present for practical purposes
they intend taking the guns from board Of her
and using them on land. lie has net had an
opportunity Of visiting tho various camps on the Virginia
side but the talk among his was that the rebels
had twenty-five thousand men near the batteries oppo
bts ueTe HeI. llOlHic5 mas cnIet command
Lower Potomac and all the generals under him whom
he heard the names of were Gen French OF Mississippi
Gen. Wigfall, of Texas, and Gen. whiting The rebel
forces near the Potomac opposite here have been greatly
Augmented within tho last four five weeks The
famous Hampton Legion is among thern Besides the
Maryland artillery, there is another company over there
called the Baltimore artillery. Most of the infantry
companies from Maryland he believes, are stationed
farther in the interor-somewhsre In the vicinity of
Centreve battery OF artillery, consisting Of six
pieces under command of Capt Emborden of Virginia
is encemped bumrries Capt Andrews MARYLAND
artillery company are putting up sheds for their horses
and several infantry regrnenta-among them from
Tenncssecaro erecting log houses for quarters
Last night just before he left the camp to effect his
cape. Intelligence was received from Dumries where il
had come by telegraph from fredericksburg that Burn.
side's naval expedition, which had been fitting out at An
napols. was already at the mouth Of the Potomac
fow nights ago the rebels thrown into state az
great excitement by seeing the evening star which seen
dimy through the MIST at first mistaken by them
for signal for attack upon them for they have been
anticipating attack, and their idea is that simutane
ousy with an advance Of the Union army in front Of
Washington, the fotiAa would engage the bat.
teries opposite tere, and General Hooker's diyl.
sion cross over to support the general movement
This man says that most Of the Mayylande.s
with whom he in contact In the robe,
crossed over in tho early stages of the revolt without due
deberation ard convinced Of the rashness and
folly of their course and anxious return to their
homes He says that FAR he has observed the re-
bells well clothed and fed anxious for nght
He has frequently heard the wish expressed that ne war
was ended, though most Of them led believe that
the Southern is righteous one, and they would
scarcely to terms peace which did not include
recognition Of the Southern confederacy So much for
the statement Of tho Maryland who from
| the rebel army in Virginia.
Several ascensons made in the balloon this after
noon but the atmosphere not clear enough for uso.
full observations. The rebels Aired number Of shots AZ
it, TO tho great amusement OF soldiers. The shots
aimed by the rebels at the balloon about "a badly
directed those they have fired at vessels passing on
the river. or they could not hit but they saw
it plainly the river when It was ascending
and they could not resist the temptation fire a, H.
One of the shots aimed at yesterday to Mr.
Posey's house and fell his field where buried itself
several feet in the ground 1t siztyfou FOUNDER
The soldier WHO dug u out Immediately sold it to
ton gentleman who is here visiting his friends
in the Massachusetts, regiments and he intends take
TO the Hub Of tie Universe" for exhibition.
Municipal Elections in Massa c n tits.
BOSTON, Dec q, 1861.