The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-07-30

camr@d, and though only half the battal-
ion WIS then there. and we had only one
company Of infantry 10 support Us, we
slept rs soundly under the protection Of
our guns as If we had been ia tort OF
the amplest dimensions.
Ofihe Notifications superadded here by
General Beauregard to those Of nature, Il
is Of course not proper for me to speak.
The general reader, in fact, Will have a
sufficiently precise idea Of them by con-
ceiyIne line OF forts some two miles IN
extent, zig-zag in form, with angles, sab
enis, bastions, easements, and everything
that properly belongs to works OF thus
kind.
The strength and advantages of this po-
sition at Manassas are very much in-
creased by the fact fourteen miles further
on is a position of similar formation, while
the country between is admiralty adapted
to The subsistence and entrenchment OF
troops in numbers as large rs they can
easily be manmuvrcd on the real battle
field. Water is good and abundant TO
rage such as is everywhere found IN the
rich farming districts of Virginia, and the
communication with all parts Of the coun-
try easy.
Here, overlooking an extensive plain
watered by the mountain streams which
ultimately find their way TO the Potomac,
and divided into yerdant fields Of wheat,
oats, and corn, pasture and meadow, are
the advanced forces Of the army of the
Potomac. They are South Carolinans,
Louisianians, Aiabamians, Mississippians,
and Yirginians, for the most part the two
first, sngnlarly enough, being in front,
and that they will keep it their friends at
home may rest assured. Never have !
seen finer body OF men-men who were
more obedient to discipline or breathed a
more self-sacrifcing patriotism.
As might be expected from the skill
with which he has chosen his position,
and the system with which he encamps
and moves his men, Gen. Beauregard is
very popular here. | doubt if Napoleon
himself had more the undivided confidence
Of his army. by nature, as also from a
wise policy, he is very reticent. Not an
individual here knows his plans or SIN
Gle move Of regiment before it is made,
and then only the Colonel and his men
know where il is going to. There is not
a man here who can give anything like q
satisfactory answer how many men lie
has, or where his exact lines are. For
the distance of fourteen miles around you
see tents everywhere, and from them you
can make a rough estimate OF his men,
but how many more are encamped on the
by-roads and in the forests none can tell.
The new conner, from what he sees at first
glance, puts down the number at about
S0,000 men; those who have been here
longest estimate his force at 10000 or
10000, and some at even 10000 strong.
And there is the same discrepancy as 10
the quantity OF his artillery. 30 close
does the General keep his affairs 10 HIM
self, his left band hardly knows what his
right hand docth, and SO jealous is he Of
this prerogatiye of a commanding officer,
that verify believe if he suspected his
coat of any acquaintance with the plans
revolving within him, he would cast it from
him.
The Generals headquarters is little
farmhouse, about fifteen feet by twenty,
fronting on one Of the roads leading TO AL
exandria. The ground floor is divided in
to two rooms. The front one is filled with
desks, at which clerks sit writing, or en-
gagged in business Of varied character.
The back one appears TO be used for a
store room and kitchen. Above, the same
division continues, and the front room is
the Generals apartment. 1t is about fif-
teen feet long by ten wide, and hung with
maps of the State and country around. In
the center is plain pine table, on which
lie, neatly folded up, what the visitor would
naturally take to be plans, specifications,
surveys, geometrical drawings, &c, and
by their side military reports. Every
thing has the air Of neatness, coolness and
mathematical calculation. Ofcourse there
is nothing in the room but whs. pertains
to the Office, and to most eyes itwould APP
pear somewhat bare, but what there is, is
arranged with so much taste that the
general impression is by no means un-
pleasing.
The General is in his room the greater
part of the day, apparently occupied with
his plans and reports. There hour after
hour he sits alone by his neat little pine
table, maps, plans and specifications before
him, and large open windows open behind
and around him, at first sight the cold, cal
culating, unsympathizing mathematician.
Every now and then an aid enters with a
report or a message, which il delivered in
military style, deliberately examined il ST.
lerce, the corresponding order promptly
written out or delivered in as few words
as possible, and our mathematical iceberg
is alone again. When a visitor drops in,
however, at a leisure moment, the formal
ity Of the officer readily gives way to that
easy interchange Of ciyiities which char
acterizes our people at home, but nothing
more. Even at the table, when the Cen
A n