The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-09-04
Affairs at Washington.

The following is a condensed report of the
news in and about Washington:
To-day has been day Of rumors. All day
long the populace have been standing upon
the sidewalks and grouped upon the house.
tops, with hand to ear, listening for the
sounds Of the conflict that was expected to
take place IN the vicinity of Baiy's Csoss
Roals Every horse kick in the stable was
construed into the report of cannon, and
every carpenters hammer upon board was
supposed to be- the booming of big gun
But ali had confidence in General Mcclellan,
and the whole city rested easy under tho
impression that under his command AL is
right. And there is no reason for appre-
hension. There is no doubt that the rebel
forces are in close and threatening proximity
to our lines. In addition to the entrench-
inents they have erected on Masons Hill,
and the battery they have erected at Bar
croft's Mill, on the Columbia turnpike, be-
tween Bailey's Cross Roads and Benton's
tavern. They set up battery on Mascn's
Hill, on the Leesburg pike, one also on the
high ground between Leesl urs pike and
Hunting creek, both Of which command
Baihey's Cross Roads.
Our pickets have had several engagements
with the enemy during last night and tod y
between Balls Cross Roads and Bailey
Cross Roads. The rebel advance IS said to
within an eighth of mile of Balls Cross
Roads-a mile and three quarters from our
works on Arlington Heights, and two miles
and half from the Virginia side of the
Georgetown AGuedpct. They held these
positions during tho night only, and to-day
retired behind their batteries.
1t is said that two of our picket guard,
some distance from the Chain Bridge, were
killed last night, and that one of Captain
McGarey's companies of cavalry is moving
but their has been no further engagement to-
day.
Yesterday afternoon Colonel Hoffman,
with Captain Dingley's company Of the
Twenty-third New York regiment, went to
Balls Cross Roads to support our picket
guards at that point They were met by a
regiment of rebels. Some thirty rounds
were exchanged before our men retired. Car.
ron, of Elmira, of the Twenty third New
York regiment, was killed, and one other
Of the same company was slightly wounded.
That the rebels mean mischief il unmis.
taxable. They cannot help it. They have
nothing in Virginia to support them. They
have eaten everything out. They have levi
ell contributions on farmers, and are now in
such desperate strait that they must make
a fight or retreat This is the whole secret
of the rebel movements. They are obliged
to attack Washington or disband their for
ces. The people of Washington do not fear
their attack, and the Union forces acress the
river are eager for an opportunity TO prove
that General Mcclellan is a general who un-
derstands what he is doing.
The skirmishing upon our line to-day, in
the estimation of army officers, amounted to
nothing. 1t was only the faint muttering Of
the storm that is to come.
The rebels approached within two and a.
half miles of the Virginia end Of the George
town acquednct to-day, and wantony fired
into the house of Captain Geary, who is
commanding Union cavalry company
about two and half miles from the acque
duct, on the Virginia side.