The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-30
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
lorR oTN coRRHsPoNDKNr,
MtNAss.s Dae o.,

,ns to sites already selected Several brigade,
w,ll.remsin where they now are near the for
,gieaiioas III Centreville, and the remaiade,
viii fall back mile or two upon Bnn Run
Gen Kirby Smiths brigade is at Camp Wig
iAnT 10 the right Of the Orange and Alexan
>ria road, near the Run. Near by, the whole OF
ysa Dorn's division arc making themselves
comfortable in their little cottages which rise
ra9idly day by day, under the dilIigen, hands
Of The soldiers. A few bsigades are scattered
dewn towards the OccoQuon, where wood
md water Is plenty, the farthest being by Ia.
vis's Ford Tie artillery, with the excen,;o,
Of Wal;ons battalion, has already been Ioea.
led between Cub Ran and Stone Br;dye The
cavalry has fallen back little and thew are
DOW building stables and houses near Centre
vile Gen Stuart will remain in the advance
At probable that Gen Johnston will occun,
he Lewis House, on the battle field. and Cen
be.uregard Wier's. his old headquarters be
.lre the 18th and 2Ist. Longstreet's division
VI, II am correctly informed, occupy the
advanced position, and will remain near where
il il at present The artilleryis.s, detailed 10
ulsn the guns in the batteries, will also rema;,
by the Notifications. In case of an attack bv
tie Yankees, it will take about two beurs In
get the main strength OF the army across BnI,
Run. Information of an approach wouid he
gwen al least two hours before an enemy
c9nld come up, and i'll that time we could he
well prepared to resist any force that can h.
brought up That is about the situation of az
fairs for the winter, npd it remains to hs
seen whether our men are to have An onnor
tauity OF brush with the Yankees or
whether hey will be allowed to enjoy thai
. sew houses IN quletness. Wheu / say all are
resGy for an attack, l express but fecbly tba
feeling which peryades the army.
iesterday L rode over the battle field NJ III
2>t lor the purpose OF making sketches and
gS'herihs reiics FOR fair friend. The dav
VISA Sieai p'tt coIo, and the wind blew across
fAe plaihs as sharp as Shyioca's knife. VIVA
scene OF aesolation was spread out 10 80
yiew autumn and winter have u,rort
msny changes. The treas are bara eniI ts',
!5,S, tne sstuen -rods name no longer by he
wAysldr the ice bound streams ara sinn1 ,a .rre
lhs IN their beds the birds sing no Wa ona
even INC lazy buzzard has ceased IN Inhas, hi
GlFcies oFsr the deserted fields Tba Ham
nu.se ..r s'i'i stAnas, although more than haat
destroyed beside .t the fatal tia,dMs,ia"t
solemn, cold, - BELTS the tomb Of mora tha,,
LSo nun r-scd men. How full of recollectiops
"Ss .se spot TO me The rose bushes by tbs
IooT, The corn stubSie in the garden, the
Witnered grass, the shattered house, all were
sids 10 my memory, and assisted in busyinx
The mind with retrospection What trivial
things bring back the acts and scenes Of for.
mer LIE a SIMPLE flower, noteless to others,
brings up vivid recollections of some by
Gole bale or bliss; q single glance at
alien cornheids recalls the form and features
o. he fair Ruth of our boyhood. An, how
well do remember the hour spent upon this
same spot upon the evening Of that bloody
day, when the ground was strewn with dead
and dying men who had fallen in the fight;
when poor, wCundad, suffering beIugs
moaned IN the aeonics of death, and called
upen God for mercy and pronounced the
halnt OF sHtne fal on mother, perhaps even
.h-n praying FOR the safety Of her absent scn
The eibeous moon rose clsan above the
hoIlz1n, and for an hour shone as if III
mochery upon the pale and ghastly features
OF the dead, then plunged into ths black
masses OF tiouds, whose dark Battalion.
chased each other along the sky. Soon after.
thieS darkness covered the scene and closed
'be tragedy Of the day-a day the Den Of his
DRY Will recall when those who saw 1t hay.
lain century dead. How terrible is war
How terrible to think even of the loss of life
'hat war entails! But yet, where is the
man who would not prefer death TO dishouor,
or the manly heart that would not hazard
liz HE blood to main tain the honor Of his
lounIy,
The day grew chill and clustering. and
IS sketching with fingers stiffened and be-
NUN bed with cold is difficult task, that part
W .Ae eApealnoA was abandoned, and we
tnrn1d our horses towards camp I would
Ike TO give description of the present ap-
ptarance of the battle field but mere words
would fail TO give the correct idea of it To be
s''iheG oy accurate n aps and drawings. Up
70 this time none hive been issued worthy
asIance, or that are not better calculated To
instead than to instr uct. ! am happy to
iesrh, however, tEat book, with IN ps 10
loio IN II, Is now In press, and will be issued
al an early day. Messrs. Warder aud Cat
'e.t, both practical surveyors of this vicinity,
are preparing for publication mars Of the
battle grounds OF Bull Run and Manassas
riains. They have both spent many ays in
DAins The bearings and distances Of ali the
reads, the mes nders OF the streams, the posi-
u0n Of every piece or body Of woods, and the
i91ation of every house. To this is added
the position Of the troops during the battle,
given in conventional signs. A competent
craftsman WAS employed to give an exact
dain cation OF the surface OF the grounds in
hlll and valley. The context is compiled
fEom the reports OF officers, II this book and
th- maps prove correct, it will meet with Il
ready sale, and j shall take the earliest op-
yoftunity after It's publication of examining
~, ana OF giving my opinion 10 these who
elo0se 10 receive II.
Christmas eve 1 madea q flying trip up the
country, and spent i few hours with sons
iiiends at Front Royal. Starting late in The
evening we arrived at nine O'Clock, and az
ef sp-nding g q tew happy hours, returned by
we train a. three. Riding entirely In the
Hisht, was unable to learn much Of the
country er the town, but faneied it very
Pleasant. The Journey back by moonlight
was delightful, and was reminded Of a lit
ue terman poem which l have translated,
sao Deg 10 introduce here.
THE xIDgI6ET RIDs.
riie the cold aud das k night through.
80 moon. or stars. 70 D int the way
Ihe bleak wnds whistle wildly, toe.
Row CIT 'bis lonely road I've made
asn golden suasnine round me played,
AID kported with the zephyr gay!
leave tbs garden far behind;
Ger dead end fallen leaves ride,
While through the br auches how;s tho wind.
How oft this spot, when deckad N ith Ii yvers
Ard love hela court wi bin 1t, hcwers,
Has seen fair maid by my side'
Gone, now, Is Phobus's golden light;
Low lie the roses On the ground;
Srd one loved soul has taken flight.
irandsr through ths lsud again
%hfough winter storm, and dark, an1 rain,
H4ta nay Thick cloak arspped well arou nd
:, yesterday marylandsr came through our
,ahes, having left Warrington the dag pre-
'i'as. lie brought so ale no iceah.e iGfoIYna
= Won as TO the disposition OF tha YANKEE
u9ops. 1t is this opinion In Washington that
oot com Inlssioners "A i'll be given mp.
-, your SefIoiA correspondent stye, "Wgr
news soarce.' Roaps..r
81, bairfsH HCONrEAeAED.--A negro belonging
W british suhlset who had been stolen hy
s'lhe ankses In Missouri is the exciting TO-
~ AZ 81. Louis now. The British Consul hiss
s. len the matter iii hand, and Gen Haliec
aaohises hir that the negro shalib be surren-
usfsd ~ TO HIM II proved a British ubject, and
u 70. hot an enort will be made TO show that
mse.an eanrsa mas violated his neutrality by en-
s.sI ~. agiIg the Rebellion, and IL he loses The
nsgIo the British Consul viii AFFORD him 10
esastancs TO recover the same.