Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-06-07
Washington Correspondence,
WASHINGTON, june LIST, 1861

One lives here in the midst ot warlil<
preparation. Immense trains laden will
/ troors, stores and munitions OF war arriv,
at short intervals through the W hole twenty
four hours. Trains Of stout built army
wagons drawn by four horses may be seen n
all times of day hauling supplies from depo
to camp. Within a radius of five miles
above 40, 600 soldiers are encampcd. Thcii
white tents meet the eve at every point Of
the compass. Washington, in fact, Seems
like one vast camp Soldiers fill the streets
music instrumental, the piercing fife, The
drum sonorous, and booming cannon recall
to the senses the fact So terribly Icing i'm
pressed upon the mind, that war is close At
hand.
Last Thursday night a week (22d) tn,
coup d'daf was madc-thc invasion of tlr
gina. /; was a sudden and rapid movement
and entirely successful. The result is i'm.
portant; Alexandria,. a rebel post, is held
occupied and possessed by the federal forces
the long line of heights hence to this city
are strongly guarded and fortified, and tho
base Of orc,tions i, now secure for tic ar.
my 10 begin its westward march to Rich
mond.
Before clock Friday morning, the 23d,
l0, GOO strong had del l3ycd at the west end
of the long brij &c. connecting tins city Will
the Virginia shore. So many orders foi
marching had, at different times, previously
been given-troops called out at midnight
and then dismissed to their quarters, that
not only the enemy, but the commanding Of
6cers even OF regiments did not suspect the
nature of the order. Alexandria has been
attacked at least dozen times within tho
last month hardly regiment but has been
suddenly reused from sleep to fall into line
in the quickest possible time, or ordered tc
prepare days rations aud be ready to
march at sunset. This state Of things had
continued so long, that when the general
order for FIVE regiments to be ready 10 marvh
at sunset was made public, little curiosity
was excited. At the close OF the evening
parade this order was enlarged so as to en-
brace ten regiments. As the evening wore
away men were busy examining their cart
ridge boxes and filling their hayersacks with
the required rations. Orders were given to
leave knaTsacks behind, taking with them in
addition to their arms and rAtions, blankets
only, After eleven the different corps took
up their line OF march for the common point
of meeting The President and General
Scott went to the long bridge to see the pas
sage. The night was magnificent, bright,
still and cool That midnight march OF the
1900, was very grand. The black, moving
mass, compact and orderly the glstenins
light ref from harvest OF blyonct
points, suddenly bursting upon the view
then vanishing away, seemed like fearful
vision. 50 swiftly did it come and then de-
part. There was no music. but vocelceS and
alm3st silently this myriad Of men MARCHED
on.
Fhs ZJuaycs, too, from their eneampmeat
on the Maryland shore, Proceeded by water
to tcxandrt. will not repeat the story
Of the hi7odlcss capture Of that CITY, or The
brutal murder q POOR Ellsworth Tic
yoang hero. without fear and without re-
Hr5ach is lost to his country IN the morning
Of ms fame. but his name Will he - wa,eh.
word in the coming struggle that snail lead
on to glorious victory.
Last ) tturltv the funeral cortcce Of the
deceased Colonel left the White House a lit
past l.. noon. The day was very beautiful
and people lined the avenue from one end I
the other. never saw So vast nultitud..
OF men and women, nth and az. with
countenanccs so sad and mournful Nature
alone was smilin, in its freshest Iay,liness
The military parr.ut WAS iup,>if.. Vba
presidca, and several member, ar H.. cain.
net. and DISTINGUISHED officer. f3,l,wz,I in tic
train.
Tn r,ar of tie rr,,,s.i,n b,3 b,r.jIy on
,ere the avenue when thru oairk noI lind
rcn5rts of the alarm Gun cre,t,-I H.. yfa,,..t
ntnic. General Mansfield hir,.,lf snnrr,1
off 10 the West u int battery If hyin,. ar,il.
lcrv: yidett,s run their horses b,fber aud
thi,ber CONVEYING orders in les tj,oc Than
write DRAGONS had saldlrl their bor>.,s
and were securing away I, ,ltr sen. # esu-
fict. the hying artillery came than.ieFin