Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-20
SOUTHERN INTELLIGENCE
The Rebel Army Of the Pstsmac.


GENERAL BEAUREeARD AT sUNsoN's HILL.
Correspondence Charleston Mercury, Sept. 10.
At Munson's Hill we met Gems Besuregard,
Longstreet, Jones and Cooke, attended by
large escort Of cavalry, and turned back to be
present at the reconnaissance which they had
come up from headquarters to make. Maps
were unfolded and scouts summoned, and,
seated at q small table, the hero Of Manassas
familiariEsd himself with the ground on which
the next great battle will be probably fought
NUNsoS's HILL AND THE sURRoUNDISG cOUE-
Munson's Hill il q conical mound, rising up
abruptly some eighty feet above the surround
ing level, and oyertopping all its hilly neigh
bors on the front and rear. A regiment of
Virginia troops, from Gen. Longstreet's bri-
gade, occupies this position, and near the top
Of the hill q circular breastwork, with q dry
ditch, has been thrown up for their protection.
Unless artillery were employed in the attack
their force could hold the post against FIVE
times their number. The country in front is
too level for the use Of mortars with any sue
cess, as an attempt to shell the place could be
promptly thwsrted by bringing up few light
riAed cannon, whose plunging fire would easily
command the plain beyond. The enemy does
not seem inclined, however, to dispute our pos
session, and has acquiesced, apparently, with
out q murmur, in our commander-in- chiefs
decision, that they shall keep within their
lines, Immediately on the river, until we are
ready to advance. By the time this reaches
you the compliance will be a forced one, for
dispositions are now being made to prevent re-
occupation by the United States army of the
line, which has been selected as the base of
our future operations.
Standing on the crest of the hill, the pano-
rama unrolled before you is one of exquisite
beauty. The river sweeps around the base of
the hills beyond, hidden from view, but easily
traced by the blue line Of mist which marks
Its course. Beyond the unseen boundary of
our contending countries an infinite plain
stretches out TO the horizon, relieved here and
there by q solitary farmstead nestled down in
the deep foliage. Right in front Of you, and
only four miles and q half away in an air line,
the great 'steeple of Alexandria, banner
crowned, stands up against the clear sky. The
town itself is ohscured by an intervening strip
Of woodland, but the works on Seminary Hill
which command the approach, can be seen
with the naked eye. To the left of these forti-
6cations the dsme Of the Capitol lifts its pom
derous head from the white shoulders of the
city, which slope away on either side; and
further still to the left the once proud ensign
Of our discovered country floats out over the
tres-tops where the fortified heights of Airing
ton bar the access Of Virginia to the seat of
Government which her immortal son formed
The country between Munson's Hill and the
enemy's outworks is broken by low hills, which
roll into larger waves as they recede Only
half mile below Us our ewn pickets are out
lying by a clump of lscusts which skirt the
road, and by that large barn, half hidden in
the trees, and scarcely a mile away, the group
OF men whom We see standing and sitting by
their stacked arms, are the eyes Of the foe 8
advanced guard. Every now and then q puff
Of white smoke jets up from some bush or
wheat rick in the intervening space, and the
sharp ping" of Mimic rife stsrtles the ear
The picksts are trying hot shot at each other
and keep up this exciting duel uninterrupted
ly. The enemy have made great talk about
eur bsrbarity in resorting to this practice, but
ia Al uaua al ant thav
never lose an opportunity of picking of our
sentinels when it can be done with q reason
able amount Of safety.
MAsoN's HILL.
We next visited Mason's Hill, an eminence
about three-quarters of a mile to the right of
MunsoR's and commanding a partial, but
clearer view Of one section Of the great picture
we had just been studying. From this spot,
which Is also entrenched, glimpse of the Po-
tomac reveals itself, and the works on Semi
nary Hill, which looked rather feeble from the
fcst stand point, turn oat to be real fold forti-
fcstions Of considerable extent, and, should
think, ssme strength The road to Munson's
lay through q hitherto almost untraveled for
est; sometimes our bride path turned abruptly
round the edge Of steep precpice, or ran
straight up the face of the heavily wooded hill,
and once We came suddenly on q gorge whose
perpendicular and rocky sides made Us hold
our breath as our horses cautiously bora us
down into the dark rayine, at whose base .
turbulent little stream surgled over its stony
bed.
TIE ADVANCE OF TIE REBEL FORCES.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch,
Sept. 13J
MANASSAS, Sept. 5.-Esrly yesterday morn
ing {, 900 Of the Federals marched to Mupson's
Hill, which our men we're fortifying, and made
an attempt to dislodge them. Our advance
consists Of Longstrsets and Bonham's brig
ades, stationed near each other and close BY
Munson's Hill: Longstreet's force is composed
Of the First Virginia Regiment, commanded
BY Lieut. COL Fry, In the absence Of Colonel
Moore, who was wounded in the battle of the
18th; the Seventh Virginia, Col Ksmper, 1t.
Col. Williams and Msjor Patton; the Eleventh
Virgins, Col. Garland; the Seventeenth Vir-
ginis, Col. Corse; one Georgia regiment, at
tsched at present, and several pieces Of srtil-
lery. Gen. Bonham has four South Carolina
regiments-the Second, Colonel Kershaw; the
Third, Col. Cash; the Fourth, Col. Sloan; and
the Fifth, Col Williams.
FAIRrAx CoURr House., Sept. 5.-Ths recent
advances against the enemy, which have been
carried 80 far as to afford US now a sight of
their Capitol; the capturing. killing and pur-
suit OF their scouts, and the hourly Invitations
to battle, 90 pressing in their character ss to
remind one Of the cruel bull fights among the
spanisrds, when the poor brute, after under
going the greatest torture and almost exhaust
ed, II infuristsd for the last time by having
fsunted In his face blood-red flag, at which
he rushes furiously upon his tormsntors, and is
stabbed to death-aH prove that the Grand
Army" will not again give rs battle, or even
combat, until pressed to the very wall Not
vithstanding the important advantage Of q
much closer proximity to their main body, by
which their engaged forces could be more rap
idly swollen than ours, they have been driven
from all their outposts and forced to take shell
ter under the cannon Of Arlington and Alex.
andria. Nor will the terror-stricken brute
allow himself to be made mad, although the
" red dag" is daily flung in his face.
The impression prevails among officers and
men, in camp and elsewhere, that our armies
can remain idle bat few days longer, and
that bloody fighting is ahead.
Gen. Besuregard and staff passed through
Fairfax Court House day or two ago, and Wis
tied the vicinity Of Falls Church before re-
turning 10 Manassas.
The long range Enfield guns with which the
skirmishing companies Of the enemy are sup
piled give them q great advantage over our
pickets, and yesterday Tsnnesssan tcas shot
IL 81 k1lf