New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-15

a variety of Uniform which battles knowledge. Some
of them are seated in the shade under trees with heir
riaes and the sharp whizz OF the balls and the ciack
of the lead against the rocks direct the eye 70 tns a
bushed rlieman who Is practiog to bit Seeesher.
There is ytongued utterance among tbeee troops
Swedish Dutch German, Italian, Irish, Scotch, ana
English of divers accents. At the bridge there was an
examination of passports, conducted IN very ut
by the sentry on duty. The pass runs al i''
lows: p...,,,,o,-
Pass over the bridge and within me ns;
Turn oveI It Is Understood that the within smed and .aD
cSsI accepts this pass % bis yod Of honor sas found in
arms against the Union any aiding her enemies 'n'
penalty will be death"
OF course the foreigner strikes out the latter clauses
or produces his regular passport gSanted oy Lor9
Lyons which is now demanded by the uhorites, and
which Is countersgned by Mr. Seward, the Secretary
of State, and subsequently, by the General, Winfield
Scott, Commanding Chief. The passage OF the orfdge
Ia defended by an earthwork whit two brass hOwzers,
the level Of the ueway and by another work on
the bank above it, which mounts three pieces of heavy
ordnance the two being supported by battalion OF
Volunteers from the Columbia District, who are just
striking their teDts to return home on the compile
ton of their term of duty. We were soon on the
sacred soil of Virginia. which here light brick eolored
The road, one Of the rougiest, winds through
wood and Deep high banks, crowned with forest aud
open knobs toward the enemys pickets some inden'
mite number of miles in front. Having proceeded q
short way, a small camp is reached, which commands
the road from the plateau above. The soldiers who
belong to the District of Columbia also are lying 10 the
shade not particularly soeitous, it would seem about
front rear, though the camp could be easily ap-
preached under Of the surrounding trees From
The open space in which the tents were picbed the
eve wanders over fine exPanse OF woodland, and the
yellow current of the Potomac flo we'd at our feet COM
manded here and there by the small camps on
site nights. gave one Of the men paper which he i'm
mediaIey began 10 read for bis comrades, while others
crowded round ready 10 afford any information In
their power. They did not disposed to continue
their term Of service, and were mostly Of mecnanicai
turn in the world and given TO email trades instead o
soldering This post had no connection with the col
umns lower down the river and is lines of commun-
cation with Washington lay over the bridge and along
the LETT bank. On leaving the camp, was struck by
the evidence Of the ingenuity OF the Americans IN pre-.
parng defenses The large trees by the eide OF and
overhangng the road were all cut at the base ana st
retained in their places by guys and roes ATTACHED 70
The cliff above, the cutting OF whicn wouid
liberste the trees, and permit them 10 lalI upon
the causeway, where they would present &c,
rous Obstacles to the passage of artillery and
cavalry till the pioneers could clear away the rude
abatts. This system was continued Tor foue hihncds
Of yards above the camp. We now logged aud (olted
along for some time In shady lane through the
woods; not soul did we meet for several miles.
Two farnhouses which parsed were apparently de-
serted though the wheat lay stacked IN the ileid.
From one poor hut two Degresses eered out Dut the
could not give much information about the country. At
last, the driver, dsmouDDg, made bis way 10 fai1n
houee and was told we had got outside the line OF
tickets, and had taken the wreng road. Ny friends
were Unionsts and Aboli'iOnsts Even tie keen eyes
of scouting Southrons might not perceive the marks OF
neutrality IN the quarrel which ought 70 serve as
shield TO Iite bullets There was probably no reason
at all 10 be uneasy though there many TO retrace
our steps aud il il peasant as those know who
accompanied Lord RAJ Ian that hot September day in
bis ride through the Mackenzie brushwood to be eau
tering through the greenwood eiades In an eneinys
.;,ho tpnu afO Of yhe
And 90 our charioeer diverted bis seeds from their
course and after solitary drive Of mles through
more forest. up and down bills and valleys, he re-
marked Were among them now, any way, whether
Seoehers or not" Under the trees by the roadside
sentry "waked bis lonely round, and the rays which
pierced the glade flashed back from the polished barrels
of the ricket beyond. Jehu strained his eyes and an
nounced "We're all right. They re our own side. "
The post now reached was thrown ont from the "a
New York Regiment, and the Lieuenants command
wa st aioned in wooden church. o. sehool-hoase, by
the road side. Our passes were examined Tue
officer approached us, and very politely offered any
information we required. What a rowing race has
come from those marshes of El6e and oder I!
Here was our blonde-bearded, blue-eyed New
Yorker in these Virginsn woods, no unadyenturous
traveller nor now for the first time familiar with
In fact he bad been United States Conful at Hong
Kong but when tie blast of war blew in bis ears he
had sut mp bis office and followed John Buil forces
l,nd and sea- In their campaigns against John China
man. had assisec taishan and Peiho NumbHr One
and had returned Just in time TO nd that Uncle Sam
had removed him for neglect OF duty. The camp Of
this regiment lay some mile and abalf TO tie westward
and at the Leutenants request, we turned Ia 10 visit
the Colonel and his corps. The camp pitched in
cleared spaee apini the forest and the small ridge pole
tents pared in the sunlight like Alpine snow, permit
ting us to see beneath tie eps and sides the sleeping
or card paying warriors who found inside poor refuge
from the glare. The Colonel, young man with an
Italian face aud closelycropped black hair, was seated
in bis shirt ia the head aGrters tent, busy with
regimental affairs and surrounded by officers. His re-
cepon was simple and cordial and among others whose
aca uaintanCe we made Lieut. Tompkrs Of
the United States Dragons whose charge into and ont
Of Fairfax Court-Ilouse you have heard of. His
bronzed face heavy beard and mus,ache, white flannel
Jacket and long thick riding boots made one think Of
lie gallant swordsmen who led our Punlabee Horse
far away i'm IIBdostan, and whom in " style and cut" :"
he somewhat resembled. lie told US it ID only the
enemys pckes that fire on the sentres his men have
stri,t orders not TO pull trigger without express
maid. While we were engaged In talking two men
entered tie tentthe arfnorer, with nusket barrel
n bis md and a whom he accused of calling him
names because he could not get bis ireock ia order
The Colonel heard the eompl int listened 10 a wrau gle
very quietly and dismissed tue case by Solo
monian judgment; but the easy way Ire which the
men entered aud went out Of the presence was
amusing TO n man who has seen European coloDels
in all their glory. As far as j could judge, the
men of the regiment were stout and strong
terill for arresting trajeetories Their arms were
roughly handled, and IN one stack 1 eaw muske,s
on fin cock, On half cock, and with ham.
mers on the nipple. They all wan; rifles and
treat the moOthboes very Tndely IN order TO get rid
of them Thence tie eide was frequent In camps;
here was battery Of artillery paradiug in field con-
tanning three sorts of pecestwo Parrot-riied guns,
which are made of wrought iron, with thick band
shrunk over the breecl-t~o brass held-Iieces and
two howizers. Each gun was drawn by Fix horses
quite as good the average in own batteries, and
better than the generality of those in Continental
parks. There the horses OF cavalry troop, " COM
pany," as the Americans call them, revehng in the
shady groves; a procession Of comm, sariat
wagons covered with tits ike the oldashioned York
ehire stages laden with pork and ouri again, crowd
round a cart filled with Lger-beer, from which the
Dutch folk are filling Themselves at cents mighty