The national Republican., 1861-09-18
SOUTHERN NEWS.
AEFAIRs AT MAN AssAs.
pRospEcrs OF A GENERAL. ACTION.

PROSPECTS OF A GENERAL ACTION.
On the Occo9udn, September g. From what
can he learned In the camps. gathered a. head
quarters, or concluded from the events of the
last few days, we are now equally and posi-.
lively ccran that no attack l. designed on our
part on Arlington Heights, or immedia ely on
the works Of Washington. The occupation of
Halls Hill has not been followed up by any
thing Indicative Of an attack on he UHion works
ct Arlington. ....
Again, 1t is somewhat remarkable that the
headquarters oi Generals Johnston and Beaure.
gard ,hould still be continued at Manassas
Junction. and not be moved to the advance.
II the enemy should accept the puage IF battle
which we have offered persisteutly for nearly
q week past, or we should be able to excite
general action by heavy skrmishiDg on our
lines, the end Of our advance movements will
be sufficiently gained. The battle, should such
occur, will be fought on our advance lines, aud
10 position sufficiently vantageous to be
followed up into Washington. The conclusion
Is positive and confirmed by every article OF
intelligence we can obtain, that no direct attack
Is at present designed upon the toorks Of Wash
ington, at least moi 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. Skirmishing still continues on
our lines, and the shots of the pickets are heard
nearly every morning before breakfast. Our
lines are very extensive, reaching from Lees
burg to q point near Occoquan, just below
Mount Vernon, along the entire extent Of which
the fire of the pickets may be heard from regi-
ment to regiment.
HEALTH OF THE CAMPS.
The health of the camps il very bad indeed.
but out Of the number Of cases very few
result fatally. The prevalent diseases are
measles, mumps, aud q mild form OF typhoid
fever, not dangerous, unless sy mptoms OF pneu-
monia are superinduced. The lowness of the
country, the great fall of rain, aud the corrup-
ton Of the atmosphere about Manassas, by
causes which might certainly be corrected, in
the extreme ilth Of the camps, have surrounded
stance calculated to excite malarious diseases.
The water, too, is bad, and It's supply scant.
An arte ian well is ueing bored within few
steps Of the railroad station.
The hospital accommodations are probably
not as extensive as the necessities of the army
require, and the transportation of the sick to
| the towns continue daily. A number of farm
houses in the neighborhood Of the camps are
converted into hospitals. Many of the Sisters
Of Charity are ut Manassas as nurses aud give
Q beautiful and benevolent aspect to every
their walk Of charity.
VACCINE MATTER.
DR.. Peticolas, Of Richmond, urgently re-
quests the medical men throughout the State
to send him vaccine virus, as 1t is of the utmost
Importance to the public welfare.
COMP ANTS AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
A distinguished citizen of Albemarle has
letter in the Richmond Whig OF the I'd instant,
complaining Of the incOmpstency of the Secre-
tary of War. In commenting upon this letter.
the Wing says:
There can be no doubt whatever that iu
every division Of the army the commissary de-
partment is In wretched condition, aud that,
too, with an abundance of the neoessaries OF
life readily Obtainable by the auth rites. How
| far the President 10 to blame in the matter is
not to be determined hastily and without ex-
| animation. In the mountainous parts of the
State the roads have been rendered we'll nigh
impossible by the recent rains, and the din.
culties Of transportation must be taken into the
account in measuring the responsibility. Az
Tor the commissiarat at Norfolk, at Yorktown,
and ut Manassas, no such excuse can be as.
signed and 1t Is out Of the question that the
troops at these places should suffer for the
want of plentiful wholesome food. But F. NJ
Is not the first person who has intimated the
utter unftness Of Mr.. Walker for the important
position OF Secretary of War. Certainly the
interests of the Confederate States are too mo-
mentous, and the exigency is too solemn, for
men to be retained In Office who are not fully
equal to the labors and responsibilities 1t places
upon them"
ENGLISH RECOGNITION OF TIE REBEL CoNFED.
EnACY.
The Atlanta, Georgia, Inteligencer, of the 4th
inst, says that two Charleston gentlemen, just
from England, passed through there on their
way home They have dispatches from the
southern Commissioners to JEFF. Davis. They
are confident that Epgl land will raise the block
ade, and recognize the Confederacy. A large
number of Southern merchants were making
purchases In England, to be paid for when
they were safely delivered in the South.
DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS ON THE COAST.
| Correspondence OF the Memphis Appeal
RICHMOND, Sept 6.-From the North Carroll.
ma coast we hear that, 80 far, no attempt has
been made by the Federal forces to improve
the advantage 40 lately gained at Fort Hat
teras Picayune Butler has gone off to enjoy
little noisy gorifcation over his first victory
Like the woman in Scripture, of whom It is
written that alter sweeping the house dill
gently for the lost piece Of money, and finding
it, she called the neighbors together, and saith
unto them, Rejoice with me, for have found
my money which was lost" The Yankee Bob
sdil, farcying that he has regained the beg.
carly siXpence of reputation which was for
feited to him at Bethel sieams away to make
display of the same to his bretheru, and kick
up his heels over its recovery. We hear of him
lately in Washington, making a speech in reply
to the congratulations of his friends and prob
ably he will extend his tour to Boston, there
to be crowned with laurel in the Campus Mar.
thus Of the Common. Beatifed Butler. Lin
ger not long In Washington, lest the Adminstra-
ton displace Mcclellan in your favor, and you
glory, now 80 bright and shining, In an ugly
conflict with BeauregaId-awiul, conquerlng
Bsauregard
But while the Yankee journals are clarifying
the Yankee general, 1t is gratifying to US To be-
assured that every efor: is making by the Con-
federate Government to retrieve, as Tar as pos
sible, the undeniable reverse of Fort Hatteras.