The national Republican., 1861-10-18
Affairs ON the Upper Potoniac.
DARNr srowN, October 10, 1861.

'ne TACT OF party OF eleven scouts, from the
New York thirty-fourth, having crossed the
river, and being attacked and cut to pieces by
a superior number Of the rebels. The particu-
lars of the affair are thus detailed by Corporal
Robert Gracy, Of the party, who, until his re.
turn on Monday night, was supposed to have
been dead, as he was seen to fall on the field
of the skirmish:
On the night Of the 18th September, de.
tachmeut Of twelve men crossed the Potomac
for the purpose of reconnoitering and foraglng,
when, reaching about half mile from the
river, they were attacked by fifteen rebels, two
Of whom were instantly killed, viz: o. P. Oar
ling and - Bromley. Among the wounded
was my informant, Corporal Robert Gracy, OF
company H, man Of gigantic frame aud iron
endurance ...,.... ... ..
As Gracy lay wounded upon the ground, a
rebel, named Mccarthy Lowe, q farmer residing
in the vicinity, rushed up and shot him twice,
both balls taking effect, and was stepped from
firing third time by bis captain. One of the
balls penetrated Gracy's back ina slanting d.
rection, and came out ON bis left side. The
other entering the back, lodged In bis left lung,
where 1t still remains.
htttT u RTduu cAutht'Ou w tuc buCCceblub
accomplishment of their feat, the Confederates
took up their wounded and conveyed them to
the village of Dranesville, about four miles
distant Gracy being man Of no ordinary
weight, was placed upon rail and carried by
four stout men until they found a more com.
Portable conveyance. On arriving at Draues-
vile, the victors INDUCED in liquor with their
friends, and held grand jubilee over their
victory. Here Gracy remained about two
weeks, during which term he was kindly cared
for, both by his keepers and the family where,
he lodged. Fearing an attack by General
Stones command, he was then conveyed to
Fairfax Courthouse in one of our own ambu-
lsnces, captured at Bull Run. ..
His two-weeks' stay at Fairfax was not Of an
unpleasant character, considering all the circum.
stances. He was placed in the hospital, under
guard of Lieutenant Thomas Adrian, and bis
command of the Tiger Rifles Of Louisiana, who
furnished him with more condiments, luxuries
and personal attentions than were bestowed
upon taeir own sick. Lieutenant Adrian fire.
quenty and jocularly remarked, as an excuse
for this, that his OBJECT was q selfish one. He
wanted to take Gracy to the South and exhibit
him, a la Bar7,un,, as fine specimen of the
"liying Yankee" who couldn't be killed.
In this hospital the inmates were mostly
members of the first Virginia regiment Every
day or two those seriously iii were sent to
Richmond, as it was feared that Gen. McClel
Ian would attack the rebel lines. Among the
prisoner patients there, however, was one
named Walter Hemmett, who was wounded In
the mouth in some skirmish. Hemmett played
the deaf and dumb role to perfection, deceiving
even Gracy himself, until the day previous to
the latter's escape, when Hemmett agreed to
join Gracy in making their escape. During
Gracy's confinement, his sufferings were in-
tense, as evidenced by a comparison of his former
with his present weight. His attendants iur.
nished him with opium every day for his drink
but this he treasured up as means of his ulti.
mate escape. One night, after he became able
to move about, he drugged the beverage of his
attendants, and then LETT the hospital in pursuit
of some cold water for violent toothache.
After passing the outer guard, he fell IN with
the sentinels of three distinct lines outside the
village. He was respectively hailed and fired
at three times, but all the balls failed to harm
him.
After waiting, as agreed upon, for his friend
Hemmett, and the latter not appearing, he
started towards the Potomac at the point of
his capture, but, In consequence of large rebel
forces, he was compelled to diverge in west.
erly direction, crossing Bull Run, and thence
taking circuitous and serpentine route to
avoid open land and observation. After three
days and nights of hunger and suffering, he
reached the Potomac opposite the encampment
of the thirty fourth at midnight, when he was
compelled to lay there till daylight, as the
pickets declined to cross at night.
While in the hospital, at Fairfax, Graey had
opportunities of becoming familiar with many
important facts. He occasionally overheard
conversations between officers and the surgeon
of the hospital He saw Beauregard and Gen.
Longstreet In conversation on several occa
sions together, and inferred that LonRstreet
held some important commission. On the 5th
instant, JEFF. Davis was at Fairfax, and spent
several hours with Beauregard, Longstreet,
and other officers. Johnston was understood
to be somewhere In the immediate neighbor-
hood, but Gracy did not see him.
On one occasion, General Longstreet said to
the surgeon that the Confederate forces in front
of Washington were so scattered that attacked
at any point In the line, there must necessarily
be an abrupt retreat by all upon Manassas
Junction our Gibraltar where Yankee
blood would refresh and enrich Virginia soil |!
They think 1t impossible to be driven from this
gard would burn the village of Fairfax Court.
House, If compelled to evacuate 1t.
twas impossible TO ascertain the exact mum
Der of Confederate troops in and around Fair
fax Court-House. They were variously esti-
mated at $4,000 to 100000 As far ss Grscy q
observation went, they were better fed than
clothed but he heard Of no complaints in re.
gard to the latter, although their uniforms
presented q curious mixture, grey predomina-
ting over other shades Of color. Salt had been
scarce, but the supply was becoming more
plentiful: He learned that hundreds Of men
were employed on the seashore In evaporating
each man producing on an average two bushels
per day. 1t was also coming In freely from the
western part Of the State.
On his homeward route, Gracy saw, about
one quarter of mile northwest Of Fairfax, q
breastwork about thirty rods long and FIVE
feet high; but no troops were then stationed
there. He saw no large bodies of troops north
of the Great Falls; but laid concealed while 9
baggage train Of forty wagons passed towards
Leesburg.
While at Dranesville, large force of the
Confederates were understood to be shelling
our forces at the Great Falls, and twenty two
of the Tiger Rifles and several citizens wen
thither to see the sport, but did not remain
| lonu A man named Walker who lives IN