Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-04
SeIette0 9fllstellanp.
Our Army Correspondence e-Occupa-
tiOn of the Virginia Peninsula by
the Union Troops.

OAK HALL, AccOMAc COUNTY. VA,
CAMP OF PENINSULA ADVANCE BRIGADE,}
November 18th, 1861.
Mr.. EDITOR: The vandal foot is on sacred
soil and peacefully and quietly occupying the
evacuated encampment of the rebels.
Yesterday morning Sunday at o'clock, the
advance of Gen. LOckwood's brigade, consisting
of the Wisconsin 4th. part of the Indiana 2lst,
part of the Michigan 9th, Nimms battery, Capt.
Richards cavalry and the 5Lh New York Zou-
aves, took up their line of march from New
Town for this place, distant twelve miles, all un-
der command of Col. Paine, 4th Winconsin, who
is senior Colonel The command made an i'm
posing appearance and marched in close order
and with joyful hearts. The chivalry had anti
cipated our coming and adopted the maxim that
those who run away may live to fight another
day, and had evacuated on Friday night. Be
fore leaving, however. they did a wondr Gus deal
of scientific bloekading in the way offeling trees
across the roads, taking the planks from bridges
and laying them down by the side, which could
be replaced in a shorter time than it takes to
nounee the fact on paper. Cutting through the
timber blockade occupied thirty minutes by
chronometer watch, and the march safely
made without accident in four and half hours
After crossing the Virginia line a short distance
we encountered the forthcation recently erected
to save their women and children from the North
ern hordes.
If l were funny man, | would give you
graphic description ofthe military science brought
TO bear in its construction but as | am not | will
Just say it was built to protect the road and to
mount three pieces of artillery, and forms the
arc of circle with a slight ditch outside and
slight poles inside, with sghter upright stakes
TO hold them TO their places, Just to sustain the
immense sand banks thrown up from the bitches.
But fortunately for US, | suppose. these earth
works were evacuated and Col. Smith with his
AcOmac and Northampton chivalry non est iHUen-
tus.
To morrow, General Lockwood with his rear
guard will move down. and then the entire COM
mand. 5000 strong, viii go on to Drummond
town. twenty miles sOuth-there, for the present,
will be established his head quarters and shall
compose the left wing of the army of the Potom
ac, ready 20 be moved to South Carolina, GeOr-
gia or Nir Sinit-Cen Banks will compose the
right wing, aud with simultaneous movement
of the right. left and centre, | anticipate glorious
results-surely and certainly these movements
will take place and the traitor leaders and their
starving hOrdes will be driven to their southern
swamps-
On one Sundays march there was no human
face 70 be seen at the wayside farms--al kept
within doors, and everything was as silent and
still as the grave and the country seemed forsa-
ken. They kept within. from suIIen madness
because all summer they had boasted that Acc
mac and Northampton counties could whip all the
Yankees that could gather on the Peninsula
But the dav of Southern braggadOciO is at an
end, and the stern realities of will teach them
a lesson which their fathers never did
Gen. Dix's proclamation had been sent into
these two counties in advance. and in considera-
ton of the forces which would follow it, they
will lay down their arms and disperse II is
thought the most valuable of them, however,
will be clandestnely carried across the bay on to
the western shore. Colonel Smith, who com
nlandei, has gone South; s0metchere having Ia
ken, while here, corn, fodder, and everything
he wanted, without paying for it, or even
giving vouchers that payment ever would be
made. In this species OF hnanciering the
SOutherners well skilled, and as they prac-
tise it on their own people. it will not annoy us
much. The peculiar institution is seen here in all
its beauties.
Here all things IN their place remain,
As all were ordered, ages since
Horses are selrel with husk collars, rope lines
and rope traces They small and poor. Carts
are made without iron, and drawn BY calves one
and two years old. with q poor mule or poor
horse in the lead The men are small and
hats The women are thin and cadaverous, with
contr ;cted brows and c,re-worn express essions
They have just the kind OF faces TO protect them
from Northern insult, and will be more success
fu thin arms or Spanish blades in the hands OF
their deir little men.
They are greatly amazed at the giant size OF
our men, and wonder at the cause. / have beer
epdeareriBg to teach them. and in the future
they may be wiser and better for our coming
Good sweet and Irish potatoes are grown here
and very good wheat by plentiful spread o
guano. asked man to-day how many acre.
of cJrn he had He said he didn't know how
ny acres, but he had one hundred and twenty
tliJu uSliid hills, with one corn stalk in a hill
No grass is grown. and in its stead they toI
ami blade the corn and stack it in the fields foi
winter use for horses, cattle and mules.
The soil is sandy. with mixture of white claj
which packs very solid and makes beautiful ant
smooth roads. The roads are all skirted witt
deep bitches and the fields are intersected Will
them in every direction tt.s
The timber is of pine and oak, and the coun
try is very fat and wet where it is not dtchesl
The houses sre constructed with the chimneys OF
the outside and wide open FIRE places with iror
AMI brass fenslers- They live poor, and are poor