The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-29
Special Correspondence of Daily Exchange.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, May 2S 1861.
The Occupation" of this city by the troops of
the Federal Government on the morning of the 24th
inst, has totally changed the aspect of the place.
think state but the simple truth when write
that there might have been in Alexandria previous J
to the entrance OF the troops, three hundred per-
sons all told, who desired continuance of the
union of Virginia with the Federal Government |
am confident that there are not now fifty.
Nor can it be alleged that the troops came hither
to enforce the laws. The United States laws had
never been interfered with in Alexandra. The
Collector discharging bis functions uu er the
laws ofthe United States without let or hin drance
The past-oice receiving and sending the mails
and accounting for the to the Post flee
Department at Washington No writ of Court
authorized by the Federal Constitution had been
resisted. and so far active and usual
uf the United States authority is concerned it was
complete and thorough as it was the first day
of Mr.. Buchauan's Administration. Whatever was
the case at other points in the South, at the point
hrst invaded, the custom and postal laws of the
United States was fully operative and the pro-
perty ot the United States fully in possession Of
the officers of the Federal Government as in Bos.
ton EsStport.
The circumstances which attended the seizure of
the town have now here fully stated. gather
from sources entirely reliable that about o'clock
on the morning OF the seizure, flag of truce was
sent from the steamer Pawnee, lying off the port
to Col. JerEett, in command of military forces
of Alexandria and its neighborhood, with a mes
sage demanding the surrender Of the town at
o'cl ok. Before the flag of truce had returned the
seninels posted at the wharves gave the alarm
that the federal troops were advancing, and the
few companies, some five hundred men in all, were
ordered to retire up the turnpike leading to Fairfax
Courthouse. All retired except the Fairfax Cav
airy, which. not expecting early entrance,
surrounded and compelled to surrender.
llnc of . hat h.tin En Ianth nF
Col Ellsworth and Capt. Jacksnn--for the latter
held a commission Captain of an Artillery troop
recent Y organized in Fairfax-and the otherwise
peaceaoie occupation of the town have been told
TOO often In the newspapers to need repetition.
NO sooner had the military obtained full posses
soh vi the town than guards posted on all the
leauS 'eau'hg from the city; ingress allowed only
"aHm a,'el ai examination, and no egress without
pass from the colonel in Command Onite n
humber OF persons left the city with Tho ..nssas
AppIlcah ons Tor them are exceedingly nunor
Gus; they are granted or not lat diacreton br Cant
Whittlesey, Provost Marshall y o'''
The natural result of this state of thin, l.,
been an almost total suspension of business ~ -
day of the occupation, nearly all the stores were
c sed and even now mo- more than One-half are on.n
ed-and these, except in rare instances, We're more
from habit than an expectation of business. Nor.
folk in the dark hours of its pestilence, was not
gloomier than Alexandria now, except when the
movements of a squad OF soldiers about to search
house for arms arrest some sick soldier left be-
Y,
attract crowd of silent gazers, the parade of the
troops, with military evoutons and music, ,gathered
groups of lockers on, the town is silent the
Sat bath.
The Alexandria Gazette, which has never ceased
Its morning call upon our citizens since the year
1900, except for short while during the war of
Sl4-when the British held possession of the town
suspended its issue, and closed its establishment on
Saturday morning last. On Sunday afternoon, a
squad of soldiers entered the establishment and
have since held it, doing there the printing of or
ders, proclamations, &c, which appear with the
imprint of "the printers OF the Michigan Regi-
ment." The military also hold possession of the
office of the Virginia Sentinel most of whose type
had been transferred to Warrenton before the occu-
patton.
The only ''life" at the wharves, is the unloading
of provisions and camp equippage from steamers,
which gives some employment to the carts and
drays. All else is waste; trade and ANNA ton
have succumbed to the Occupation" which see
some papers report as giving great satisfaction to
the people of this city. photograph of the town