The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-25
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
torn OWN CoRREspoNDENT.l
DcarRrgs, Nov. Il,

DcarRIKs, Nov. Il, 1851
Last night Capt. S,mms, of the Confederate
Navy. now In command of the George Page,
made land craise to Occoquon, in order 10
destroy some property which might be made
use OF by the enemy. Leaving late In the
evening, he inside his way into the village
and thence - the mouth OF the Greek. where
he found seYe ral boats belonging to the peo-
pie Of Uccoq uon. These werc burned shout
3 O'Clock this morning, and the light OF the
fires flashing through the dark ca used consit-
erable commotioa across the river. Such
others as we're found in the vicinity, that were
liable to seizure, were rendered useless. The
gallant sailor returned this morning thor
ouehly Disguised with his land trip. and is
now safely on board his steamer, on the look.
out for new adventures.
Several camps are visible on the MaryIan1
shore beIor gang probs bly, to SIcklss's brig lde
Heavy fres arerons' antIy burning, and dense
volumes Of smoke are seen rising for several
miles UP and down the river. There is now
ii battery Of five mortars and liis opposi te
Eyansport, aud Others seem TO be III the pro-
sss OF erection BE- hind d slight emInence
Information has been received that A field
work lie nearly completed TO contain six sea
coast howl 2-rs, or mortars, and two rifed
cannon and this, T. gether with other indl-
cations, show that great preparation Is going
Oh 10 RAISE 'us DLtthdu4 Oh Lne TOIoInRE. ine
closure Oft 10 navigation has become a source
OF great Annoyance, and the army in Wash
lag ton Is suffering tor want of trapsporta lion.
When one considers that an ordinary slZeC
sioop or schooner Will carry as IN CHI freight
IS eight or ten trains OF cars, and that DO IN
cars and vessels have been busy in transport
ing army supplies and ordnance stores, the
effect produced by cutting OF the approach
by watsf can be readily supposed. To show
how anxious the Feherais to open the
river, may mention the tact that on the
morning the first gun was fired from the
Maryland side, seventy seven vessels came
up to "a point Jusj out Of range of our guns
and there lay 10, hoping - run up the river il
our batteries were crl ppied.
About nine o'clock yesterday morning a
com pany of Federals appeared upon the bank
OF ile Potomac and commenced throw wing no
i fertile alton They were soon discovered
and q shell sent among them, which burst
ing with great accuracy sent the AZ KEGS fiy-
l. K over the hills Seven shots We're firet with
go al eject, driving the last one Of them ont
OF 81 hit In the meantime their battery rp-
Piled and threw three shells aero IS the river
Two Of which passed over the point and fell
III the water at the mouth of the Quaut!co
the third exploding in the AR, doing no dam
age. Later in the DAY small parties of the en-.
envy We're koen upon the banks OF the river
bat never IL sufficient numb srs to attract
fire. The attempt al euuenchtGg wIs aot re-
nswed.
At present the river is very clear of ships,
none being in sAsht except d few tugs and
tow steamer, ali in the vicinity of Cockpit
Point. They Lag at anchor in the middle OF
the Stream, and for some time have MOI
changed position. The attempt to run the
gauntlet OF the batteries is rarely made sx
cept by night, and then by steamers who pass
hastily by close under the opposite shore -
They rarely escape 4 shot. however
The prospect OF fight at this point still
continues goon, although the enemy has III aGe
TO decided advance. H-intz,emans division,
consisting OF some 400 men, are five miles
north Of Occoquon, and are, il report saws
truly, building lontoons and porta bic bridg yes
large body OF Inen are engaged in cutting
the wood betwesn Pobick Church and Fair
fax. and in hauling il TO Washi ngton and
Alexandria. bay, grain, and stock is carried
oil whenever found, and they are very yigi-
liant III fcrreting our anything that eau be
used by the army. The superior energy dis
played by the enemy was never more Ie4riy
shown tnau within the past few weeks
" lille we have been Idly wditIng fJr ~. at
tack, the Yankees have been vIgo rously push
ing every preparation for the winter cam
paigm. On the upper Potomac they have
advanced in three columns, taking every field
OF grain il the country, threshing it out on
the spot, and shipping it Immediately 10
W ashington. J Ii Fairfax county there is an
abundance Of hay, corn and wheat, and il
looks TO me I'd policy 10 abandon II 10 The
-nemy, " hen wa have go few facilities for
bringing such things from the South ! am
OF opinion that had better SHOW n little
more foresight III such matters aud take 2
lesson from our Yankee enemies in prudsuCe
and eccuonv. Soldiers will ba jlnproyidsnt
If their officers are and the sooner good ex-
ample is get them the better.
Yesterday morntng Gen Johnston arrived
In Dunfries, and, accompanied BY Gems
Holmes, " hitting, Wigfai. and STAN visited
Transport and tha batteries. He was pres
ant during portion of the firing The col
di"rs received him very cordially, his visit
giving them bota hope and coufiteuce But
few OF the troops stationed in this division of
the army had ever seen him, and they were
anxious TO get sigh Of the comman der who
was TO lead them through the coming fsht
Ia the evening he returned 10 Gen. Writings
headquarters, and this morning is probably
route for Manassas.
Gen. TriUlbIe has heen ordered from fv4rs-
port To another position, but what II Is
cannot say. He has now gone to Centreville,
aud Gen. French has been ordered 10 the
command Ia formerly hed. Gen. French
hss his headquarters near Transport
The facilities for getting letters from here
ars not very good. The N ails leave but twice
Il week, and one has 10 depend upon a chance
traVeiar or courier The Richmond papers
are seldom seen, unless three or four DAYS
old. For the past few days the weather has
been fine aud Mcclellan has no excuse now
for not offering battle. The general opinion
is that he will advance upon this point, per-
haps making feint upon Bull Run
BOHEMIAN