Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-05-31
The Advance on Virginia.
Important Military Movements.
MURDER OF col. ELLSWORTH.


towD. The operations were conducted bv tbraa
bodies of troops. 90 the right, column
crossed The Potomac at 0eorgetogn st The
centre, another column, at Washington. cross.
ed the L1Dg Bridge, aud marched on Alexan-
dra; on the left, third was taken from tI,e
Navy Yard by steamboats,, and landed st A.
exaudra AS these movements we're bnt ~.
perfectly related in the papers Of yes,erdav
We give the following detailed accounts Of
them.
AT ten o'clock 90 Thursday night last. fan,
companies OF picked men moved over the Long
Bridge as an advanced guard. They were
sent to recanu3tre, and if assailed were order.
ed to signal, when they would have been rein
forced by corps Of regular Infantry and q
battery.
About IL o'clock on Fridag morning sir
companies Of the District volunteers, includ.
ing The National Rifles and Turner's, stepped
frem the Long Bridge uToa ''tbe sacred so,l
of fugihis. 1t had been intended TO capture
the ir~t rebel patrols by boats, but the bright
moonlight prevented II. The patrols crossing
the first bill, took TO their horses heels.
This vanguard vss commanded by Iuspsc.
tor .Gcnera Sine, uplcr whom Capt Stnesd
led the ceptre. Adjntant Abbott the LEFT, and
Capt Stewart, son Of Com. Charles Stewart, tho
right wing. They stopped within balf mills
Of the tvs waiting for the main body, having
made sure that The coast vas clear
The District volunteers are entitled to great
credit for their readiness to march into Vir-
gina. The understanding, when they aers
sworn 10, vas shat they were not to be march
ed ouf OF the District. OF all the volunteers
enrolled, only cue mas refused to GO when re-
qrested by Col. Stone. Ttis lnan il not ia
good odoF among his comrades bere, aud is very
sorry now that be did nos 20,
The real btuLt of tie land expedition fell
upon he SIX cnmpa2jes from the District, led
ty Col. Stone, forming the advance guard
Ou the march over the bridge single hovit-
zar might have swept them away, aad at other
poiats the passage was SO narrow thai it vas
easily defended, or, being fsnked By .hieksts,
easily anbushed,
Geo. Mansfield took tie greatest co o TO in
stFuct tie troops just before entering upon the
bridge to take the ronte s;ep--that il, to avoid
marching together. as the solid step together
might injure the tIldge.
The District voiuateers we're followed BIZ tina
main furce Of volunteers. The New JERSEY
brigade, toe Michigan regiment, and the
Twelfth and Seventh of New York, came down
the avenue with quietneSs. So little noise did
they cause thas hardly any of the denizcns of
Washington were awakened from tAeir peace
tnl siumpers. The army crossed the bridge
10 lbs following order:
Twelfth Regiment, New York.
Twenty fiih Regiment. New York.
Flrst Regiment, Michigan.
FIRST, Second, Third, aud Fourth New Jer-
sey, in the order named.
| Two regular cavalry corps of 80 men each.
aud Sherman's two batteries; next and last
came The New York Seventh Followiup these
was ioHg t7ain of wagons filed with Wheel
barrows, sbovels, &c. Altogether there we're
at least IL 600 men in the advancing army.
/ Tbs scene at the bridge was grand and inn
Pressive beyond description. The uight was
| cool and clear; thousands Of men wers drawn
up IL ine aud defiing past, but hardly whis-
| per Was heard from among them.
They all preserved solemn silence, as
though sensible IF the momentousness of the
occasion; but the rumbiing of ARTILLERY, tho
| cat eriDg of cavalry, the muskets ani ord
nance glltteiing 10 the mooD,igh,, the sup
pressed a~mmands of the Ulcers, impsrted.
nevertheless, Iiveliness to tho imposing speo-
Iacle.
The troops took rAticus for ouly two DAYS
along. All the troops at toe Long Bridge
carried their knapsacks, blankets, canteeDs,
| &c
The main body of the troops Wero all across
the bri3ge in two hours after they commenced
entering upon it Three or four companies
marched over time in broken steps.
| The few spectators that witnessed the cross
ing were momeniarily expecting TO hear re-
potts OF firearms from the other side. but thev
| we're sadly disappointed 10 their expectation,
net gun being fred up to four O'Clock, A.
NJ.
| Secretary Seward witnessed the crossing
from the sidewalk near the foot Of the bridge
lie came very near being ludely treated BY ons
Of the pickets put out to keep the streets
clear.
Major General Mansfield commanded ths
movement of the troops until the last corps lsft
The District. The first regiment of the main
body that crossed the Long Bridge started at
twenty minutes past two, and tSe last corps
left lbe District at about a quarter 80 four
o'clock at four o'clock Msior General Sand
ford and staff left Wizards, and proceeded
to Virginia to take command Of the advancing
forces.
After passing the Long Bridge the lroops
we're divided lnto three bodies. 0ae detach-
nens wens along the Alexandra rod, another
along the road b. the .riyer, while another
dropped down IN boar 10 cut of the patrol,
which the moonligbt presented. Small bodies
guarded the road about half wsy TO Alexan-
d.ia. The rest of sbs distance Mzs reconnoi
tered within half n mile.
The seorssy At the movement wss suoh that
the colonies Of the regiments ordered 90 march
Il w..aA h-nr r.. ~ a.. AAam
we're 10 DO sent; nor did the regular army col
onels, the heads OF bureaus, nor the Chief
Clerk Of the Navy Department. TIE Seventh
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