Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-09-11
McCLELLAN's ARMY.

We should all like to get daily reports Of
. what our troops beyond the Potomac are do.
ing; but the absence Of daily foods of
thoughtess and impertnent gossip from that
quarter, gives us increased confidence in the
preparalions and aims of Gen. Mcclellan
Some because we hear little or nothing Of
what is going forward, may suppose that our
troops are lazily waiting for something TO turn
up 1t is not so, however. Never was there
more constant or skillful activity in so large a
body of men, Now and then we get something
in regard to their movements which suggests
a great deal more that might be told We
make some extracts from letters written re-
Gently in the neighborhood of the army on the
Potomac. We find the following in the New
York World;-
LITTLE FALLS, FAIRFAX Co, VA, Sept s.
Here are ten miles of brigades and strOngholds
opposite Washington. under Mcdowell and
the rest; here are Smith and King, leading the
column first above Georgetown, and Mccall,
with the entire Pennsy lvania reserve, pushing
still further-who knows where Z! Then there
is Gen. Banks, with twenty regiments, more
or less, lowering about the Non cacy, or per-
haps turning the flank OF the rebel force at
Leesburg. Now it you ask which OF these
columns will soonest see the actual hot work
of battle, how shall l tell We ourselves
would ike to know. When l last wrote, a
conflict Of some sort seemed impending behind
Arlington Heights. Before that letter was
folded there came tidings of movements up the
river, which shifted the point of interest more
quickly than convenient for lockers on. A
friend rode up to headquarters and informed
US that the expected flank movement up
the river was already making; that our
forces, crossing Chain Bridge, had already
come in conflict with the enemy; that
he had tried to reach tue scene of &C.
ton by pushing up the Virginia shore.
was in the saddle at once, and we gallopped
might and main to overlake the Chain Bridge
column by the only route left free Passing
along the river road to the Georgetown aque.
duct bridge, we crossed to Georgetown, then
went four miles to Chain Bridge, crossed again,
and after Two miles over a rough mountain
turnpike, reached the column, V hich had made
timely strategic transit the night before. We
found that the many .tongued jade had as usual
lied in the fighting part of the story which
brought lis hther at such speed Night before
last the forces previously encamped near the
little falls on the Maryland side were thrown
swiftly and silently across the river-infantry,
artillery, cavalry, and all. In the morning,
another federal army thus found itself holding
another section of the hi h Virginia hills, aud
with no enemy in sight to OPT ose it.
LITTLE FALLS, Sept 6.-These occasional
movements OF our army are like the leaps OF a
toad A column remains dormant tor weeks,
gradually swelling and gaining in strength.
Some dark night the long roll beats at A. NJ
Before daylight the entire force has jumped
over the Potomac, and is ready to leap on,
against the enemy, or remain quiescent until
the time for another jump. The force, be tie
sumo more or less, which thus crossed Chain
Bridge on Wednesday nighs, is eiready scat
tered among these ubianjitt5us hills All are
forced to blyouac through shower and shine.
no tents oelng raised to give the enemy's
scouts clue 70 our numbers. Meanwhile the
hIghest heights are already yellow with our
eltt rrssla.issiIments and grim with cannon More
than all, connection has been established with
the northernmost regiments opposite George
town, and thus, by this admirable latest occu
patton OF Virginia, an unbroken line of soldiery
and defenses is established from Chain Bridge
to Alexandria, front OF twelve miles Of
one thing can assure you. No available reb-
eff force can successfully attack us here. We
are already safe against surprises; can hold
this position and send an army forward besides.
The following was written TO the Providence
Post by member of the second Rhode Island
regiment =
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 1861 Matters here
begin to assume serious aspect Every thing
indicates that battle is near at hand The
secession flag floats defanlly on Munson's
Hill, in sightuf the Capitol. Munsops Hin is
said to be about eight miles from Long Bridge
From the Capitol the flag not only can be
seen, but the men about there The force on
the Virginia side has been largely augmented
within few days Gen. Mcclellan must
have an immense army at his command. My
impression is that the rebels will make no al.
vance, but will make stand at that point;
that they will iortify themselves in that posi-
ton as well as they are able, and act on the
defensive. Ifthere is an engagement, McClel-
Ian will have to advance aud bring it on. Our
pickets are now face to face, and it is said the
armies are not over three miles apart. This,
] think, must be So l have been looking
over the country with strong glass, and
think can see not only their flag, but their
eneampment. OF course, matters cannot
rest in this condition long. 1t is little hu-
initiating to see an enemy hosting his rebel
lous flag within sight OF the seat OF our nation.
al government. | think this would wake up
the fighting spirit, even of peace man. In
this affair the south will get beaten-now
mark what | say that it they risk battle at
Munsons Hill they will surely get routed.
This, am inclined to think now, they intend
to do so look for an engagement before many
days 90 by.