Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-12
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.

ANOTHER HANDSOME ACHIEVEMENT OF THE NAVY.
A Rebel Vessel Burned IN Dunfriss Creek.
UNITED STATES STEAMER "UNION." I
OF Aqua Greek, Oct II, 1861 :
Sir have the honor to submit the following
report for your information
Being informed of large schooner lying In
Quaatico Tor Dumfries) Greek, moving also that
a large number Of troops were collected at that
poi1t with the view Of crossing the Potomac river,
as was reported to me, conceived It to be my
duty to destroy her. with this object In view,
took the launches and my boat and pulled In for
the vessel at half past two a m. this morning.
One Of the launches WINS commanded by Midship-
man w. F. Stewart, accompanied by the Master,
f. l.. Haynes, Of the Resolute;" and the other
by Acting Master Amos Foster, of the "Resolute. ="
I took with me the pilot of this vessel, Lewis
Penn.
Some little difficulty was experienced in finding
the entrance to the creek, which, you will remen-
Der, is very narrow; but having found 1t, we
pulled up this crooked channel within pistol shot
of either shore, until we discovered the schooner
She was close to the shore, in charge Of sentry,
She had new suit Of sails and all the furniture
complete in the cabin, which was collected TO-
gether and fred, producing beautiful confagra-
ton, but unfortunately revealing our position to
the enemy, who commenced rapid fire from both
banks Of that narrow and tortuous stream, inter-
were beyond their range.
Our crews returned a random FIRE from the
boats and two steamers, gave three cheers and
pulled for their vessels, the light from the burn
ing schooner guiding them their way. Her
destruction was complete, and although the
clothes of the men and the boats were perforated
with balls, not man was killed. Officers and
men WED with each other In the performance of
their duty. Acting Master Foster applied the
match in the cabin of the doomed vessel Act
ing Assistant Surgeon w. r. Bonsall accompa.
MED the expedition, ready should his services be
required.
hope what have done will meet your appro.
baton, notwithstanding have acted without or
ders
This little affair will show the enemy at least
and destroy his preparations for crossing this
river, at all times.
have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
A. ID. HARRELL, Lieut. Commd'g.
Captain T. t CRAVEN, commanding Potomac
FlOtilla.
MIscHIEvOUs OvER-EsTIMATEs
IL 10 strange that persons who should be better
Info rnaAp forfh
mates Of the numbers Of the Federal army OF the
Potomac. Thus as Intelligent an observer as Mr..
George Wilkes, writing from this city, sets 1t at
1900; and Judge Merrick, of the Circuit Court
announced from the bench lin the case of the SOL
dler jeremiah Lyons), that we have now a we'll
appointed army of 220, 600 men to defend the cap-
ital. When such authorities over estimate our
force here by the hundred thousand it IL not TO
be wondered that recruiting lags at the North
or that querulous complaints come up from the
West that so much 10 done for Washington and
so little for Missouri and Kentucky. In many
other ways such exaggerations do positive harm
ARRIVALS OF MoRrARs
Among the different varieties Of ordnance ar
irving here by rail and water are a number Of
mortars from Pittsburg. These Were ordered, IL
will be remembered, some time since, and were
cast at the Fort Pitt Foundry, Pa. They throw
10 inch SHE'LL and used in the siege of fortia-
cations and cities, the proectile forming a curve
In lis line through the air, falling almost perpen
dicularly at Its destination. With visitors from
these g rons'' dropping down In Dixie, secesh
will doubtless make az good time as 1t did when
1t danced SO lively near Hatteras last week
GosK TO ST LOUIS.
The New York TTibHss having aired the fact
we may no longer decline saying to the Stars
readers. that Secretary Cameron and Adjutant en-
eral Thomas have gone to st. Louis, to make a
thorough examination into the affairs of the w est
ern Military Department, il is to be presumed
The fact that such is their mission, shows that
the Government here design promptly remedying
the evils and disabilities which VIGOROUSLY exist
In that quarter, which can only be safely essayed
after thorough and cautious investigation.
IEDrANA's TROOPS.
indiana has at this moment forty regiments Of
more than LOCO men each actually In service IN
the field, with ten more in process Of completion,
to take the field shortly: of which fourteen are
serving In Kentucky In proportion to popula
ton, Indiana has done wonderfully well IL the
East had done Its duty In the crisis az noby the
oligarchy's conspiracy would have been fairly
crushed out by this time.
ORDERED
Lieut.. Jas. Mcmillan, Of I'd Infantry I. 8 A
has been assigned to duty as acting Assistant
Adjutant General on Brigadier General Provost
MarshaD Porter's staff, rice Captain (now Colonel
Averill assigned to the command Of Young's
Cavalry Regiment