New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-09
A VOYAGE DOWN THE POTOMAC RIVER
Cou.,pondenes Of The National In,elllsencer
OK Bo,Rp u. 8. TRANsPoRr ALBANY,

POTOMAC RIVER FIdayi Auf ~ i..'h'
To-day, at 7 O'Clock, p. M, we lett our moonng al
Georgetown, and proceeded slowly down the fO'9nac
River 70 Al xandria, where it had previously oeen
determined were TO lay at anchor I'll the sueceed-
nv daylight. This was adopted In consequence
Of many of the various guides along the river having
been desroyed by the Secessionts, thereby rendering
the navigation OF this river extremely difficult az the
| present time.
The scene generally al tie time of starting, was one
beautiful 10 behold. On the left was Georgetown,
with It's multitudOus, antiqueke, red-brick houses,
bent in lie form Of an arch. over Nature high hlls
on the right, Arlington Hights, capped WIN VIA, az
that distance seemed sDowwhe tents cottage housea
Ipapeions forts forfcatODs Of earth eay trees, and
the verna sod, aud uuting these two beautiful pc
tures was the arches and beam work OF TIE bldge-ike
| aaueduct From this spray aud water descended IN
| greater or less strtams creating broad foam, and
| which, in consequence Of the reelection OF the sun
| rays on il, did not look unlike a cataract OF hqmd
| silver ling with monster gass Of ice-cream.
When abreast Of the Western Wharves we bad
| fine view of tie seventeen new store-houses built by
the Government. Tsese almost all filled TO their
utmost capacity with four hominy, oats, and other
necessares for the army The other or regular Store
hous appeared in tho background and were Occu led
io lipe manner and filed 10 a similar extent Various
steamers from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New-foIk,
| Boston. aud elsewhere, were utlOading Government
| pfoperty at the wharyes The utmost activity ap-
pearei 10 prevail among those thus at work. Govern
| meut wagons crowded the Iiers. Government pro-
perty and persons Government business were con-
stanlv being transported the river in great
namlers by means of h1E DOas h'aoheu 20 d rope
| connected with either shore.
Az We proceeded down tho river 10 Alexandria the
tents on tho Virginia side appeared as an unoF9hen
chain Of white canvas and 10 cloe u, ether anu e1-
tending 90 ,ueh depth inland, that the unnitiated,
who had ever seen a cotton field would have Thought
the Mother Of States bad been turned 10 the wrong
direction, the minds OF large portion OF her inha-
| bitanl are at tho present. time.
During he night and while ying at anchor on Alex
andria, we were boarded by one Of the Government
IIarbor Police boats. and compelled to variety
| of questions a. 20 who We wee, what we were, and
the like So strict are they NJ this point that the
jersey Bloc OF New-York wac boarded in the middle
Of tho night and the captain compelled TO show his
" right uf way" or Government pass. In accordance
with military order, ali the yawl-boats are taken
from sailing vessels the moment they arrange TO lay at
or near the Alexandria wharyes, in order 20 prevent
all illrgitimste communication with The shore. The
boas are always returned when the vessels from which
ttey weTo taken are about to sail
S,TURpAY. Aug 3l.--At Ggybreak we again got
under we ph, and proce eded down the Potomac. At
Hunting Greet just below Alexandria, We parsed the
United Safes brig Perry lying at anchor. As We sped
course her ports ,eemsd aliSe with men, curl
on.ly gazing toward the " departing stranger"
When soue fifteen miles from Wsshington we bad
a fine view Of Fort Wa.hin- ton, with its vigilant
sentipels massive walls, aud frowniDg baltlemeuts.
Q ehannel hercabouis between eight aud nine
IL was bearly daylight when We came in sight Of
Mount Vernon. by the captains orders the steamer
was kept in shore near % was deemed either 'se or
and as calm as child ia sleep on the bOsom OF ts
mother thing appeared in the least di turbed The
tomb mansion Il ees, every thing b. okened Tranquility.
As from the water, the place looked the loAs
| the Eden of every true Americans heart.
| Al WLiIe House 1T erc 10 high bluf which
l)oks suspicious Ms reg rds the erection Of asGa bat
terry tie op Of II, While some aver there ia bat
tert in ihborheod, others oppose any such idea
Certain il is the place looks suspicious, In that seems
a. thou III the sand toward the top had been arranged
TO seen continuation Of the upper portion OF ths
| bllf.
| About TWENTY-FIVE miles from Washington, and In
the VII iiity OF Crane Leland the river is very broad
and exIe nelly shallow. Notwithstanding this, the
clannt very deep, and capable OF hoaing the heav-
ie,t vessels excepting Great Eastens, but not their
| I" followers !" A short distance below We found
large pumber Of Ashonnen In their crafts a. work. ap
pafeny TO ally r.gaTdefs OF tho pomp and ci lcum
| stance" Of war around them. Below tbs again, on
the Mar, Ia I'd side the bluffs high that if batter
les were erccted on them and heavy guns mounted,
they could be made to cover un immense distance OF
| the vi gu |, territory opposite
| Al Indian Head Point, which IL twentyfv miles
fom Alex din Il is said the Rebels have erected bat
ter:s and mounted heavy suns Certain il is nothing
OF kind can be seen even with the aid OF power
{ Rlss All vessels in passing this and ott sus-
pioous btinP, rive the Virginia shore wide berth
a is pracic le. II there batteries the hills in
ia Lcalty II would be almost impossible to discover
them the tact that the hills tbickly wooded
an heu,s serve as Rssks In 3 natural wAy.
When tllrty-hye miles from Washington We passed.
port N of the Potomac hotilla Of the United Stsses
cayernmsnt being the steamers Penguin and Sillmun
Wit These steamers said 10 be lying ReffAn
order 10 watch all movements on tho Virginia shofe,i
having been asceTaDed that the Rebels Intended erect
ing batteries In tis neigbborhood. Should these
ons prove true these vessels would imn edsiey open
fire. and attemp. by every available means to prevent
.uch erections. On the Mnry land side the bills Ow
while the other tVirginia they are high and reced
ng and have the appearance OF rdges Alongside the
Penguin was moored long-bos!, with a gun in it,
redy to be used at abort not Both vessels appear
ed 10 have on board unusually large crsw, by the
number OF sailors who appeared in the rigging, at the
pors and elsew here Several trading vessels in
the vicinity OF the steamers.
Near eight o'clock we came in sight ofAcqua Creek
viii is orty-iye miles from Washington. In ap-
proaching tIis place the Virginia shore, which rises
slishtly perpendcuarly, resembles somewhat con-
pa,cLes OF woods We kept well off toward the May
iand shore, aud soon cane up with the United States
steamers Jacob Bell Freborn and POcahontBs. These
were riding ut anchor out 0i reach OF the cue Bys
gins or about five mes from tho uIpermost p0iut of
the Creek At short diaance from The steamers two
long-bOais, with guns In their bows, anchor
By the aid Of our glasses got fine view OF the
batteries, but at distance oi i've mee OF. The main
battery has apparent frontage OF two hundred yards
is not masked, but on the contrary ia plain view OF
those the In euch bold position is il 0cat-
s that coull even trace ont The guns yet not plain
enough 10 count them obt In particulars. short
d taco two new batteries were aso in Tla view.
On the ulpemost onvwhich is situated on the top Of
"A I'LL resembling a sugar-oaf with very largo piece
knocked out If one sde-men were deserted at work
with fhoyels digging, or doing aomething like it, The
lowest Of the two new batteries 10 also located on
partially covered by thick wood Numerous flag
po!oi woIs IsVssD,..c, spp-.satJ with ~ IAs.
n,ins.