Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-10-24
From Washington.

Dispatches of the 18th say the reb-
cl army has occupied the segment Of
circle, several miles in extent, reach
ing from Leesburg to the mouth of
Occaquan creek. The movement re-
Gently made by Withdrawing from
Lcesburg, Fairfax Court House, Vicn-
ma, and Annandalc, was unquestiona-
bly, intended to reduce the front, which
now extends to the Potomac river, at
the mouth of Occaquan creek, along
Bull Run to Manassas Junction, with
Centrevillc and Fairfax Court House
occupied as outposts. A very large
force is known to have been thrown
towards the Potomac in the ncighbor-
hood Of Shipping Point. The move
ment is purely defensive, to meet the
supposed intended advance of our ar
my of the Potomac in that direction
so as to cut off the communication of
the rebel army at Manassas with Rich
mond.
Gen. Stachl, Of the New York Sth,
with small force, made reconnois-
sance first to Annandale, on the road
which leads to Fairfax Court House
village, which was deserted. The in
habitants said several regiments left
there the day before. Gen. Stachl
then commenced advancing on Fair
fax Court House. After proceeding a
mile he discovered four mounted rebel
pickcts, watching our movements
Our forces arrived at hill called
Coylcs, near the Court House. Our
men were very much disappointed
when they learned they would not be
permitted to go on to the Court House.
Some of them actually shed tears.
The object Of the reconnaissance was
simply to ascertain the position of the
enemy, and not to seek an engage
ment. Having satisfied himself that
nearly all the rebels had disappeared
beyond Fairfax Court House, Gen. S.
returned late in the afternoon.
The withdrawal Of the enemy from
his advanced position in front of the
Union lines is fully confirmed by Prof.
La Mountain, who made a balloon as
cension, shortly before five o'clock,
Oh the 18th. He ascended from a point
about six miles west Of Alexandria.
The wind carried him five or six miles
over the cnemy's camp, around Fair
fax station, when rising into another
current he took q circuit to Fairfax
Court House, and thence back to our
own lines, landing at Gen. Blenkcr's
headquarters. He had an excellent
view of the enemy's position. He
could see their entertainments at Ma
nassas. There were no rebel forces,
except here and there man, this side
Of Fairfax Court House. At the Court
House there were only few, and the
appearance of things demonstrated
that the position had been almost en-
tirely abandoned. At Fairfax station
there appeared to be a larger force.
Large numbers of troops are daily
going from Washington to Annapolis.
So great is the number being sent for
ward that the utmost capacity of
the railroad is taxed. 1t is generally
understood that that they are intended
for the great naval expedition now fit
ting ont. n rs r rI
From $4,000 to 10000 Federal
troops have been thrown across the
Potomac near Occaquan creek, thus
flanking the extreme south of the en-
emy's line.
A superb banner, costing one thou
sand dollars, has been presented to
the second Rhode Island Regiment,
by Rhode Island residents Of Califor-
MIA Gov. Sprague making the address
and President Lincoln delivering the
colors. This regiment lost it's Col
ors and one hundred and thirty men
at Bull Run.
Gen. Mcclellan, with an escort of
the 5th cavalry, went over the river
in the evening of the 10Th. He was
engaged all the next day, with topo-
graphical engineers, making a wide
and thorough reconnaissance towards
Lecsburg. With the escort party Of
reconnaissance. three regiments strong,
from Gen. Reyes Brigade, [Smith's
Division, Motifs and Ayers batteries
and two companies of regular caval-
ry, Gems. Mcclellan, Smith, Hancock
and Porter, advanced to Flints Hill,
which overlooks Fairfax, and saw a
force of rebels, believed to be their
reserve. The reconnaissance was the
most extended and important yet
made.
Gen. McCall's division, the Pennsyl-
vania reserve, went forward twelve
miles up the Leesburg turnpike, and
bivouackcd at Drainsville, fifteen
miles from Lcesburg, where force of
the enemy was reported still but at
later accounts they vary in number.
A contraband arrived within Gen,
McCalPs lines OH the 10th. He reads
and writes with facility. He was at.
tachcd to the Louisiana brigade, and
had been stationed near Fairfax Court
House. On Wednesday they were all
ordered to move back TO Centreville,
where it was currently reported a
stand was to be made. The cause of
the order to move back was an expec-