Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-12
The Camps on the Potomac.
PROSPECTS OF A GENERAL ACTION.


On THE OCCoQUAN, Sept. 6.-From what can b,
learned the camps, gathered at headquarters OF
concluded from the events of the last few days We
are equally and positively certain that no at
tack is designed on our part Arlington Height,
or Immediately on the works Of Washington. The
occupation of Halls Hill has not been followed W
by anything indicative of an attack on the Union
works at Arlington. Again it is somewhat remark
able that the headquarters of Generals Johnston
and Beauregard should still be continued at Manas
sas Junction, and not be moved to the advance.
If the enemy should accept the gage of battle
which we have offered persistently for nearly q
week past or we should be able to excite general
action by heavy skirmishing on lines, the end
of our advance movements will be sufficiently gain
ed The battle, should such occur, will be fought
advanced lines, and in position sufficiently
advantageous to be followed up into Washington
The conclusion is positive and confirmed by every
article of intelligence we can obtain, that direct
attack Is at present designed upon the works OF
Washington, at least not on the Southern side.
EXTENT OF OUR LINES
The prisoners we captured at Halls Hill-some
six or seven-will be sent down tomorrow They
say that the enemy has been preparing to give us
battle. Skirmshing still continues our lines and
the shots of the pickets are heard nearly every
morning before breakfast. Our lines are very ex-
tensive, reaching from Leesburg to point near
Occoquan, Just below Mount Vernon, along the en-
tire extent of which the fire of the pickets may be
heard from regiment to regiment.
THE HAMPTON LEGION.
The Hampton Legion is at one of the extreme
points of the advance, and in a position in which
some brilliant work may be expected from this gal
liant corpse at any time. 1t is improper to autici-
pate the results of an expedition of picked men of
the legion which left yesterday and from which
news is now hourly expected The legion is one of
the best appointed corps in the whole army, and
we are particularly indebted to its officers and
members for some of the most grateful civilites of
our tour through the camps. We hope they will
understand that we owe them and are anxious to
return them our best acknowledgements
SICKNESS IN THE CAMPs-FORTTTUDE OF OUR SOL
DIERs.
We must recur to the painful subject of sickness
in our camps; so distressingly is it manifested
wherever we move. The average of deaths is not
as large as might be expected; but the nameless
mounds of the graves of our beloved soldiers in
the shadows of the woods, or on the broad hill
sides of the valley of the Potomac, are not infre
quently sad and touching spectacles to the trav-
elsr.
DO not imagine, however, that the sickness that
overshadows camps has either demOrslized or
depressed one jot the spirit of our noble army in
its irmness its patriotism, It's virtues and Its devo-
ton. Those who are sick, but not too i'll for ser
vice in the emergency of battle can even now
scarcely be restrained from the active duties and
perils of the field. Never was the spirit of an
army so remarkable-never have instances
of such self-sLcrifcing devotion challenged
the homage of all hearts of humanity. When
the expedition we have referred to of detachment
of HamptOns Legion was moved off, nearly half of
those on the sick list of the Legion were entreating
to go with it. and many did go, pale and
with fever, their only anxiety being to
meet and engage the enemy. A spirit such as this
invincible by man, invncible by forces of nature
itself and must carry with tive say it with rev.
blessing and good providence of Al |
mighty God. Our dear, noble army, whether fall |
ne by disease or by the enemy, let their fates be |
oVely to them in all the generosity and homage and
,eWsrd, which human hearts can offer to courage
,eautiful and manly and Heaven, a. We are taught