Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-30
From Gen. Banks's Division.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press

EDwARDs's FERRY, October 26-All remained
quiet during the night No pckets were thrown
over the river, but those on this side heard the
Confeoerates on the opposite side all night and
saw their fires thickly scattered in the woods
along the shore Their centralizing point was a
clump OF trees on the bluff where our troops had
cohsrucIeo picket station, and near the spot
where our artillery shelled them during the Skin
mish on Tuesday last
When our troops were withdrawn from the
Virginia side on w ednesday night, the Sixteenth
indiana, occupying the most advanced and ex.
posed position, were not aware of any withdrawal
until the rest had been successfully ferried over
They lay upon the cold ground almost frozen
WIZ loaded muskem In their hands, every mo-
ment expecting furious and overpowering as
saut from concealed and reinforced enemy
whose numbers were known TO exceed our own
by many thousands yet the only murmurs uttered
by these hardy sons Of the Northwest were at the
orders to retire without disputing the ground
inch by inch with their adversaries Slowly and
mutteringlv they retired 10 the place of embark
alton, picking up and loading themselves down
with the knapsacks, canteens, guns and equip
ments left there by others who had retired before
them.
This regiment, likewise, brought with them
two prisoners; the owners Of the mill on Goose
Creek, with his son who, It was charged had
prepared combustible to fire the bridge over
loose Greek but were prevented from carryin 2
their plan into execution by the sudden descent
upon the bridge by our skirmisbers
The oficer Of the night, Capt Coils, of the
Zouaves D'Afrique, had olonged con versatjon
with prisoner Of war, a very Intelligent gentle
man and non-com missioned officer of one OF the
NJ ssisslppi regiments, gagged In the affair at
Balls Bluff He left Leesburg on Sunday night
when there were but five regiments there There
were no defencible works at Leesburg, but every
approach was fortified, commanding the river
and land routes
This prisoner was astonished to learn that our
army was not almost entirely com posed of aboli-
tionists and radical republicans and that our
main object was other than to enamel pate slavery
throug bout the South file said IL the fact were
generally known TO the working people of the
south that our sole object to sustain the gov
eminent, and preserve the Union intact, there
would be revolution In the Confederate army
and peace restored. He was surprised beyond
measure TO be assured that Brec kinridqe demo-
crafs constituted large component of the army
Capt Vaughan, Of the Rhode Island battery
who went over with flag of truce has returned
be was captured by party who did not under.
stand the law Of nations, but was RELEASED Inv the
military authorities when the fact became known
to them
DARNEsTowN, October n Three bripades If
Gen. Banks's division left Edwards Ferry YES
terday forenoon, and arrived In this vicinity last
night. A sufficient force remains at and near the
Terry to insure safety against any attempt of the
Confederates to cross or modest us
Before leaving Yesterday forenoon, the Copfed
crate pckets thickly lined the opposite shore and
tainted our men with their "sttempt to invade
virginia, and begging them to CONS over and
pay them another visit.