Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-30
Fson. lhe Armly ID lhe Potomac.
Correspondence Of The Atlanta confsaeraey.


CESTREvILLE, Nov. ls.-Soon sitter my letter O
yesterday was sent off news was received Of /
very gallant affair below Fairfax station in which
q company OF Col. Rsnsom's regiment Of cavalry
from North Carolina, just arrived here. acquitted
itself with much credit The blockading of the
Potomac by our batteries eOmpels the enemy to
send out foragng trains in every direction for the
purpose Of procuring supplies Of corn and hay
One Of these trims, consisting of several wagons
was sent out on Saturday from the neighborhood OF
Alexandria, under escort Of 8 company Of infantry
from Syracuse, New York. A company OF Colonel
Ransona's regiment of horse was on duty near the
place where the enemy had gone to forage They
waited until the latter had loaded their wagons and
paid for the corn and hays then dashing up they
surrounded them and began furious attack upon
the astoRished Yankees, who stood their ground for
5 moment, then threw down their guns and ran for
dear life. The result OF the affair was soon ass
certsined. The Csrolinians on their part lost not
man nor s horse. The enemy's loss was four
killed, thirty-two taken prisoners, including the
captain and lieutenant, twenty-five horses, five
loaded wagons, and a number of guns. good
days work truly for a company which had lust
been mustered into services.
The Syracuse captain says the Federal army
around Washington are nos anxious for fight, and
that they were in daily expectation Of an attack
from US If this be true there would seem to be
but little prospect of another battle here this cam
paign. In this am not disappointed or rather not
surprised. II is thought Mcclellan will find il nee
essary TO raise the blockade if he can of the PoA
tomaG and demonstration ugziust our batteries at
Transport and below is expected at an early day.
The closing Of the river is very destructive TO the
trade Of Washington. as well as humiliatinZ to the
pride of the Government They have been accus~
toned heretofore 20 receive By the Potomac large
supplies of forage, fuel. provisions and stores Of
every description necessary to the subsistence of
an army. Now, not one Of their war vessels dare
run the gauntlet unless i Is sandwiched between
N---E 49, -
our guns. They are afraid to attempt the passage
even at night for by having fire on the opposite
SIDE Of the river, our gunners can tell when craft
is passing between them and the light when sll
they have to do is to fire away. By building mum.
Der of these fires on the Maryland shore and put
ting tie guns in position before hsnd, it would be
next to impossible for vessel Of any size to get BY
even at night without serious damage.
r The bridge OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
at llarTef's I-'-y, was destroyed and portions Of
the trr - torn up last summer by Gen. Johnston
before he 4slt Winchester and tho Chesapeake and
OHIO canal was broken in several places By the late
freshet. The railways from Baltimore and Anna,
polls to the junction are still IN operation but
from the point where they unite to Washington
there is but single STEM This is the only railroad
left the Federal Government, and the only means of
transport for the subsistence Of the city and the
army This single road, even though il have a
double track, Is not adequate TO the demands that
will be made upon it. But few supplies can be
drawn from the surrounding coantry, on either
side Of the river as the farms have long since been
stripped of everything that could be spared. That
an effort should be made uoder these circumstances
to destroy the batteries by which we have closed
tina Potomac, need not occasion surprise. So great
is the pressure already upon the quarterrnaster's
department thar it has been found necessary to
establish wagon train from Baltimore to Wash
ington. --s
sYou viii have heard by telegraph before this
reaches YOU. of the fOrciOle saizura Of Mr. Hasnu
aud Mr.. Sldel our Commissioners to England and
France, on board British Vail steamer 10 mid
ocean. We were disposed here TO doubt the correct
ness Of the report until the receipt this afternoon
IF the Washington &dr. That paper confirms the
statement, ard speeks Of the affair as a glorious