Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-09
THE REBEL ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Correspondence Of the Charleston Mercury


THE REBEL ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Correspondence Of the Charleston Mercuryl
ARNY OF THE Potomac,
Camp Pickens, June %, 1851.
The army here now, known for more con-
venient reference as the {" Army of the Poto-
mac" is assuming such proportions as to justi-
fy a more particular notice of it than have
yet given. Of its precise size it is not, per-
haps, yet proper to speak definitely, but that
it is large may be inferred from the fact that
its formation has tasked the available means
of transportation for the last six weeks, and
since my letter yesterday, about 1000 soldiers
have arrived
OF this army Gen. Beauresard is in COM
mand, with subordinate officers designated in
general orders, as follows:
Col9nel Thos. Jordan, P. A. ", Acting As
sistant Adjutant General.
Captain Clifton Fl. Smith, P. A. ", Assist
ant Adjutant General.
Lieutenant 8. W. Ferguson, C. s. A. Abide.
Camp.
Major Thos. H. Williamson, P. A. ", Chief
Engineer.
Maj W. L. Cabell, c. s. A.. Chief Quarter.
master.
Capt. W. H. Fowle, P A.v, Chief Commits
sary of Subsistence.
Surgeon J. McF. CASTOR, Medical Director.
Lieut. Colonel Samuel Jones, P. A. ", Chief
of Artillery and Ordnance.
Colonies A. B. Chisholm, J. l.. Manning, W.
porcher Miles, Joseph Hayward, J. s. Preston,
Volunteer Aids-de-Camp.
Such is the organization of this army in its
chief executive department Colonel Territt,
as have said, in another letter, is command.
ant OF the post, (or was-he now takes charge
OF brigade, as will be seen below and Msier
Thomas Rhett is Adjutant.
Of the several brigade commanders I am
only able to name the following First Gen.
Bonham; Second, Gen. d. R. Jones; Third,
Gen. r. S. Ewell; Fourth, Col. Territt; Fifth,
Col. Cooke; Sixth, Col. Early.
This army, as have already mentioned, is
coming finely into working order, and having
powerful nucleus Of concentration here il
extended as far as it is considered proper Or
important to extend it In the direction of the
enemy. L would be glad to give the regiments
and their location, but in the present position
OF Affairs it would be manifsstly improper, and
your home readers, am sure, will forego the
qualification of any curiosity they may have
upon this subject, in consideration of the fact,
frsm our State will be at the post Of honor,
next, that however small our forces, they will
be exposed to no unnecessary peril under the
circumstances; and, next, that step by step 70
rlvet upon the enemy the inexorable necessity
of either fighting US upon eur own ground, or
of falling back beyond the Potomac.
In consistence with such force as this, YOU
may readily imagine that headquarters is a
place of much Importance. 1t is about twenty
yards from public road, from which ii is pro-
teoted by a worm fenoe-or would ba protected
ii it were not that at one place the fence has
been broken down. In the yard, between the
fence and the house, on either side of the pas
sage way, are about dozen tents used for
sleeping apartments. The office of the Adiu-
tant is in the front room below; of the General
in the front room above. The dining room is
the piazza; the kitchen is shed of plsnks,
leaning against cross pole; the stable is a
peach orchard; the ante-room is the open yard,
which is filled at all hours of the day, and
many of the night, with many very anxious
people. Everybody who wants anything goes
to headquarters.
If a pig be lost, and there be reason to doubt
whether the soldiers may not have killed it; if
a negro be missing, and there is doubt if he ia
not in camp or with the enemy; if one wants to
pass the lines, or cross the lines, or to leave
the lines; or wishes to know where his compa-
ny is Stationed, or what company he shall join;
or has malice Of a neighbor, which may be
gratifed by directing suspicion to him; or is
solicitous to vindicate his character, or fears
the approach of the enemy and does not wish
to get out of the way, or has inform mstion to
communicate, or has seen something singular
in somebody or somewhere, or wants merely to
get the news or to see what other people are
aboat-goes to headquarters. A man was
about there for hours yesterday, to get the
tion of his son, who wanted to join the army,
and did not want to pay his fare to get TO it; a
woman was there for hours in expectation of
an order for the restoration of a negro hired
to some one who represented himself as a vol
unteer; man,just out of Jail for mansaughtcr
was there for transportation to a regiment, one
ct whose companies he wished TO join; another
had drawn mosquito bars from the Quarter
master for his company, and finding no use for
them wished to surrender and discount them
One wanted indemnity for fence rails burned,
another for pasture lands trampled down; and
| so it is, that the General and his aids and Off
| GERS have something to do besides planning
| battles and fighting them. Matters, however,
| are conducted with much system and order.
| The officers in charge of departments are pa
| tient the General is himself and never losing
| command of himself, never loses command of
| his business. His aids are chiefly from our
| State; and, as is well known. they are distin-
guished for their amiability and politeness. A
| woman suspected of correspondence with the
| enemy, and given to voluntary Mysteries, was
| about throwing herself into the arms Of Colonel
Preston the other day, when he anticipated
her purpose and directed her to a seat with a
4 tact which scarce left room to suspect a want
Of appreciation Of her kindness; and I truly
\ think that as much is done, and we'll done,
/ with the same amount of effort as was ever
done at any headquarters before.
The appearance Of the fortress itself is not
| particularly attractive. The country around
| has little either of form or culture to commend
| it,while within, though the works are advanced
and guns are mounted, yet much redding up
is required to show them to advantage. So,
also there are many merely temporary strue-
tures-frsme works of rough plank foi store
| rooms, hospitals, barracks, stables, and the
like; but the thousands Of tents in rows, with
awning of brushwood in front and streets be-
tween, present pleasant prospect, while the
bands Of music, particularly under the beam
| ing moonlight, lend their charm, and Alto
gether the scene of such as that, such as 1t is,
| the most Of US will remember it for years after
| we shall have left it.