New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-26
ARMY APPOINTMENTS.

epsriL Dispatch 10 The N. Y. Tribune
wAsHISGroS, Wednesday. Sept. rs, 1861.
ANOTHER RECONNAISSANCE
To-day tho Rebels had an opportunity to fight.
which they didn't improve. General Smiths sol
diers had a second Lesson in war, and showed
themselves apt scholars. Five thousand men,
uuder command of General Smith, moved toward
Lewinsyille, on the road where the first recon-
poissance was made, with one hundred wagons
70 be filed with forage taken, supports being
left at various points as the column proceeded.
The advance corps consisted Of 5000 men, with
six pieces of artillery. They halted at the house
of a phvsician on an eminence, about mile and
a half from Lewinsville Two guns were planted
TO the right of the road, and four 10 the lett,
infantry supporting, and skirmishers thrown out
on each flank
From o. o'clock a. IN. till o'clock p. M, our
forces reated, the enemy making no sign, and
our men busily loading the wagons with hay and
corn belonging to Lewinsvile Rebels
Shortly after 3 o'clock, movements were DIS
covered in the woods. About regiment ap'
peared on our flank, and heavy column In
frontal least four regiments OF infantry, one OF
cavalry, and six pieces of artillery
Notice was given to the supports, ana 'ene-
rails Mccall and Porter were telegraPhed 70 hoid
themselves in readiness. Presently the enemy
onened with shot and shell. The first and second
fall short. The third burst behind our line,
vounding a private of Col. Bakers regiment Sc
yerely in the arm. The artillery of both Mott
and Griffin opened FIRE. The first shell dropped
among the bushes where Rebel battery was
planted.
After we had thrown twenty-six shot and
.bsn the Rebels disappeared both on the front
and flank. They had declined to accept ths
gage Of battle they have been SO long affecting
to desire
AT s o'clock our forces returned to their po-
sitions with ninety odd wagon.loads OF hay, ana
one prisoner-Burke--an Irishman OF Wlncnes'
ter, who mistook our pickets for theirs. he re-
presents himself ss an aid of Col. Stewart NO
information was obtained from him.
Our men behaved admirably and kept their
positjons undisturbed by the rebels shells, eager
to have them come on.
The expedition was ostensbly for forage, but
really to see if the enemy meant fight, and also
to try our men.
Gen. Mcclellan was not present during the
affair, bat was represented by Col. Reyes Of bis
staff.
GEN. FREMoNTs PURCHASES.
General Fremont day or two since made
requisition of 100000, to be paid Immediately
for account of purchases Of ordnance and ord
nance stores in st. Louis General Ripley spe-
cislly reported to day upon this application,
first, that no authority whatever was known in
the Ordnance Bureau for General Fremonts
making the purchases. Secondly, that the voueh-
srs accompanying the application show that ex.
cessive prices were paid for many of the arti-
cles for instance: $22 so each for Halls car.
bnes, which only cost $l7 so when new and
which, moreover, have been rejected from The
United States service, and sold as condemned
property at public auction for So and less; En-
geld rifles at 500 so, which were recently con-
tracted for of first quality at $50; Colts pistols
at 49, for which the contract price is S25;
Colts carbines at $50, and Colts rifles at 500
each much more than those arms are worth.
There is 10 evidence from General Fremonts
command that these arms have undergone in.
spection by United States officer, or any in
spectiOn at all. Finally, General Ripley reports
that unless purchases and expenditures like these
OF General FremOnt's are regulated and restricted
by the War Department, the liberal appropria-
tons of Congress will be wholly insufficient to
meet the liabilities that can be rolled up against
the Government.
THE CONFIsCATi0N CIRCULAR.
A wrong impression has obtained in regard to
the recent cOnfscatiOn circular. 1t was the re.
suit of a confusion between the Secretaries Of
the Treasury and Of State. 1t was really ad-
dressed BY the former to officers of Customs, and
by the latter to District-Attofneys and Marshals.
The latter, by some management, got into the
newspapers, while the former went only to the
officers Of the Customs, some Of whom natural
ly thought that telegraphic mistake OF sigma
ture had occurred, and then suggested to the
New-York press correction, which turned out
not to be a correction, but in its effect, an i'm.
putation.
THE ORDER TO DRAFT TROOPS IN IOWA.
A dispatch went to-day from Secretary Came
ron to the Governor Of Iowa, forbddipg the draft
ing Of troops, and expressing his unbounded con-
6dence in the patriotism Of the people. and in
tmating that the policy Of the War Department
would DO TO rely wholly on the popular love
Of Freedom and the military attachment TO the
Uaisa TAsss, NJ. Cameron insists, viii ever