Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-30

IN. novxurxrsoy .arupn.

aoNkAkNfs OF sATuRDAY.
The fact that few brigadss Of Major General
Mecleilan's army sdvanced bis lines an average
81 three milssen Saturday last, created intense ex-
element here, the movement having been very
generally miseonsrued to meana general 81 for
ward ts Richmond" one. -sr
The truth In, for two days previous Il had been
evident that the considerable force that Beaure.
gard had for weeks kept on his extreme front
from opposite the Chain Bridge 10 Endsall's Hill,
below AlexaRdrta, had retired at Ietst out OF
sight fromthe Union army's points Of observation;
leaving very meagre bli nd in the way Of pickets
III therefore became necessary TO determine how
lar back Bsarregard's main force had gone and
Gen Mcclellan sent out few brigades to that
end They found no enemy In their works at
Upteu's, Munsons. Mason's or Edsall's hills,
their straggling pickets leaving there before
our advance. This proved that the previous
change Of position on the part Of the dIsu nion
army had been u general one, for some purpose
which continues ~ be matter Of surmise on the
part Of the public
Gen. MoDowelps brigade rested on Munssn's
Hll on Saturday night, his pickets holding the In
tesvsning erritoy to the toll gate within quarter
Of mile Of Falls Church. BY daybreak on Sun
day morning they entered the village, and there
learned that the troops previously CHARTERED there
In considerable force had two and half days be-
fors marched back In the direction Of Fairfax
Court House. The village was Immediately oc-
eupied by q strong Union picket force, and is
now held as q picket station, from which the
Union scouts yesterday ranged the country to
within mile and half Of Fairfax Court House,
without nolestation on the part Of the enemy
From points mile and half from the Court
House, the enemy's pickets were seen around the
village.
Washington is full of theories accounting for
the apparent retrogade movement of the enemy,
none OF which strike us az being Trustworthy.
One Insists that the force has been concentrated in
froat Of Gen. Banks. This is untrue. Our infor-
nation from his position Is to noon yesterday,
when there had been no evidence whatever that
johnson 10 stronger now than before
Another theory says that Beauregard has thrown
his army Immediately on the banks of the Poto-
mac, In the vicinity Of Occoquan This we do
not believe, though his division in that vicinity
has certainly been strengthened of late he has
bees building fats there; we think for blind
Our own impression Is that he has simply with
drawn towards Manassas In the hope Of inducing
m attack upon him, perhaps at Bull Run again.
AT any rate we feel certain til 1t his movement will
not cheat Gen. Mcclellan into forward one on
MS part until he has everything arranged az he
IN arranging them at leisure
oeeuPATIoNoE EDsELL's HILL BIT THE FEDERAL
TROOPS.
A foraging expedition started Saturday morn
ing from Sen. Franklin's division, consisting of
infantry, cavalry and artillery In strong force
They proceeded to Edsell's Hill, on the Orange
AID AlsIandria Railroad, eight miles from Aler-
sadria. As they advanced beyond our picket
Haes ne rebels retired to .sprineneld station. a
mile and half beyond Edsell's HILL From this
hill, which our forces temporarily occspied
--Aii~ aosa~hsneus. LA varlous directions FOR
forage, fne view Of the surrounding country
Wa Afforded, but no earthworks or new cons,ruc-
lions OF the enemy could be seen.
The object Of the ex petition was successful, and
tsfgs Quantities Of hay, corn and oats were trans
ported to The camp. Not gun was fred on
either side during these proceedings The party
did not return ill late In the afternoon
company visited the Mount Vernon estate of
tAs late John A. Washington, recently killed in
"atssn Virginis, and brought away about 500
bushels Of wheat, near 500 bushels Of oats, and
70 barrels Of fsh-al Of which has been stored In
The eonmissary's depot at Alexandria
DKPLoRkBLE BLUKpER