The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-09-27
Advanced EanL nL Lha ARMY
rea 9r. ssafs4r9( GEORGETOWN A,,n
ALEXANDRIA

CAlr eL1-rW MrNsqSs HLL. VA
September 4 leQl.
fhH f. the eucampmeut Of the second
.dmpnuv 81 the Washington Artillery
lJi ander tile command Of Capt. Rosser
e s. A.. ani named 5y general consent
alter t4e aGst Lieutenant 10 j. iha ad
Yanced outpost al tbe whole army in The
/ direction 0t Washington From i can
be seen the city 81 Georgetown and ada
cen, country the Federal Capitol, Airing
ton Heights Shutters Hill, Fort Ellsworth,
and The whole line at the Potomac from
tAe Great Fails 10 below Alexandria
From almost every position also Is present
ed one o. the most charming views to be
bad IN Virginia. There rises Georgetown
30 lhe LETT its neat white houses having
the appearance ot country village IN
the distance 10 the right Is the city Of
/ Washington. only the Capitol distinctly
seen. while still further to the right is the
navy yard, near which are anchored
several steamers one Of them apparently
with the steam up. Further down,
through the opening between Arlington
/ Heights and Shutters Hill, you set
glimpse ol the sail riding at leisure in the
Potomac, altogether most beautiful
-ght. Directly above this, on the heights
beyond Washington, house Is to be dis.
tuetly seen which is said to be the resi-
dence of Mr.. Scaton, of the National In
teligencer
The chain of hills. Of which this is one,
constitute a very strong defensive position
in front Of Arlington Heights between
three and four miles distant On the
right is Mason's HILL from which can best
be seen Fort Ellsworth Alexandra and
the Lower Potomac. In the centre is this,
Munson's Hill, which takes its name from
a residence near BY On the extreme
left, and beyond the Loudon and Hamp-
shire Railroad, is Halls Hill, place said
to be well enough known to the fast men
Of Washington, and especially the officers
OF the Northern army. In all, the three
elevations make crescent Of about six
or seven miles in extent, completely
oirclng the whole inner line of hills
known as Arlington Heights and Shutters
/ Hill When well fortified it will consti-
tuJo a very strong line of defence. At
present It IS principally held by the un-
coasiug vigilance and strong arms Of our
brave troops, who are daily being rein
forced The whole Northern army, in
deed, could not drive them out Of it now
The principal artillery support Of the
army OF occupation, all Of which is under
command OF Col. Stewart, Virginia Cav
airy, is the company Of Major Walton's
Battery, above mentioned, which has been
here now nearly week, in the enjoyment
of the best Of health, and a succession OF
daring adventures When they arrived
here indeed Munsons house was occu-
pied By the Federalsts, and they were
10th to give il up. a few shots from the
Artillery, however soon sent them scam
pering away while the infantry drove in
their pickets for the distance Of some two
or thrne miles in almost every direction.
The day after, Captain Rosser directed
n few shots TO Bailey's House, at the juno
ton OF the road which there strikes off
from the Alexandria and Leesburg Turn
pike in the direction OF the Chain Bridge,
known as Baily's Cross Road, and again
sent them scamperlng away sun further
in the rear. Subsequently they appeared
on an open field about three miles in
front of Halls Hill, with balloon for the
purpose Of accommodating our position
Seeing this, Captain Rosser took riHed
piece and moving round under the cover
Of a skirt Of woods got TO good range
Iupon them at fair distance, and the first
shot ADVISED Prof. Lowe of his danger
The second shot, indeed, came within
three feet Of the bag of gas, Just as 1T was
nearing the earth. A third, had they not
a disappeared in the descent behind the
Z hills, would have sent the whole concern
4 to Dayy Jones's locker.
q The pickcts of tho two armies are now
O about $50 yards from each other. Some
0 times they approach within the distance
0 Of 100 yards, but that is only for the pur-
o pose Of getting a good shot, and it is al.
% WAYS done with caution. For the most
% part they lie behind fences, and houses
0 aad barns, or conceal themselves in skirts
70 of wood with which the whole country is
o cheouered. When behind fences they
% protect themselves by little eaTthworks,
u which the rails serve to support. II IN
" houses or barns, they cut loopholes,
" through which they fire, Altogether il
y makes rather busy and exciting work.
y As | passed along about n mile Of our
" pickets Yesterday occupying with the
y DELAYS and return about an hour, some
M hundred shots must have been fired on
n both sides principally with MIME rifles
m The shots, however, were said to have
10 been more numerous that morning than
% usual, on account of the appearance oil
30 our party, who made good target Very
DO few OF the shots, however, could be called
60 GOOD ones, If they were aimed at US,
20 In the course of our passage along the
90 lines we noticed one fellow creeping al
Do near q eeader tree, not more than one
% hundred yards distant. We discovered
% him, however, in good time, just before
% he got his piece loaded and one OF the
y pick cts near by got a shot at him with a
o' Minnie rifle. Whether he hit him or moi
q we cannot say, but he did not make hi
appearance again during our stay. Shortly
q after Capt. Rosser gave shot at stealthy
" fellow hidden behind n snake fence, o.
rather leaning on it. lie came down like
% blaekbird before fowling-piece.. Sub
% sequently as we passed up the open road
05 after we had left the field, party Of fou
90 or five came out, some three hundred
az yards distant, and fred upon us, but thu
0l shot iell short by q long way.
90 OF course it would be casy with on
% force here to drive the enemy still furthe
9. back, but nothing would be gained there
o. by at present: besides, they do very littl
81 damage with all their shooting. Only on
Of our men has been hit within a week
al along the whole line Of pckets. Gu