The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-07-22
WAR ITEMS.
FROM FORTRESS MONROE.

ton on Thursday evening to visit point nea
New Market bridge, were attacked BY the Cor
iederates, three OF them killed and some ten q
twelve taken prisoners. As snon as news ,
the attack reached the fortress, two companie
OF A3uaves were despatched to the locality, but tn
Conlederates had retreated. The ZOuayes foup
one dead body, which proved to be that of Thoma
Il. rawlings, artist of the New York Illustrate
Ne'os The body was brought to the fortress
man named Baker, who has been engaged fo
some years a broker, left Norfolk in A smal
ooat ana was picked up BY the Quaker City. Fl
states that he was compelled to leave On accoun
OF MS Union sentiments. He gives ANYTHING but
pleasing account to the Federal forces OF the con
ditlon ot things alb ut Norfolk. He says the Con
| Iederate force, which exceeds ten thousand a
Nortolk, Is in excellent condition, well armed anC
well provisional, and anxious for a fight Ever,
prominent point is thoroughly fo tiff ed with heavJ
cannon, and every step of the road the city viii
oe defended with the most desperate vaIor Skill
| ful and experienced mechanics are enpaqed in ri
hing cannon at the GospOrt Navy Yard
me Minnesota has steam up. Her destination i.
t nor known. The Monticello yesterday fired into a
| oody or Coniederates short distance above New.
! port-NeWs. The COnfederates fired Soma beavv
guns last evening from Pig Point battery
me steamer Quaker City last night picked up a
man man In saiiboat from Norfolk. He reports only
what was well known before, amelv the RAISING oi
three United States ships OF war in Norfolk barbur
ana the riHlng OF cannon at the NAVY Yard. There
are now ten thousand troops at Norfolk and vi
cnity. he SAYS the Confederates feel sure of suc
cess, and declare their determination to fight to
| the last extremity. Jeff Davis is in Richmond -
| Ihere was much depression on account of the de.
| leafs which tho COnfederates had sustained in
| Western Virginia.
Correspondence of the Associated PrsssI
FORTRESS MONROE, July 20 "A spy who is inst in
from Great Bethel reports that Captains jenkins
ana ohurthh were wounded Yesterday and carried
OH as prisoners. The Confederates had two killed
company of Massachusetts, men made a scout
last night to Great Bethel. They report only fifty
light horse at that point, but say that the Confed
crates VIII make stand Cockletown eight miles
TINS side OF Yorktown, whore considerable force
Is now assembled. Near Great Bethel eipht of the
party captured three officers horses. The officers
escaped in the woods
Recruits for the different regiments arrive by al
most every steamer.
Colonel Bakers regiment numbers 5OO yyha
ther he enectuay command his men and at
the same time occupy seat in the Senate, remains
TO be seen.
Formidable preparations are being made for an
advance In the direction Of Yorktown. The Gov
ernm ent it is stated, is about 30 furnish the means
OF offensive operations, which should have been
placed IN General Buffers hands long ago. These
amount mainly IN cavalry and field artillery.
Uenersi Butler is making a vigorous effort to
prevent the smuggling Of Intoxicating liquors into
the several camps. Much of the insubordination
and want of discipline here Ito say nothing of ill.,
ness may be attributed to the vile wbiskey which
mas been introduced in large quantities
General Butler is to-day at Newport News
ihere is a report here of brilliant but bloody
victory OF our troops at Manassas
, Inc body OF Rawlings has been brought to the
fortress, and will be sent to New York for burial
Inc Minnesota has steam up every night in antici.
patton OF descent of the steamer Yorktown from
Richmond. She is said to be armed with several
6S Founders.
The gunbOatS and TRANSPORTS in the Roads arc
very active.
Several persons arrested at Hampton for selling
liquor will be sent to Baltimore Tonight
Army Officers Shot by Their Own Men
As proof at the dIsatf4CtiOn which exists in the
Northern army we give the following, which was
reported by two men who recently passed through
Montgomery county. They were attached to the
Massachusetts regiment which was engaged in the
battle OF Big Bethel. They say that one of the
members of their regiment had been quarreling
with an officer, with whose treatment he was par
tcularly dissatisfied, and threatened that should
the opportunity offer he would shoot him.
These men Affirm further that at the battle of
Bethel they the private delib aratey aim at
the officer in question, shooting and killing him.
They say that similar threats have been made re-
spectiDg oher officers, great is the dssa tsfacon
OF the men; and tey do not doubt but that thev
will be mastered by he men at the first oppor-
tunity. The statement of the soldiers we give for
what it is fgorth. If true, it shows either state of
gross INSTRUMENTATION on the part of the men, or
utter incnmpeency or despOtc overb arance on the
part of their officers.
From Manassas Junction--The Fortiiications
--Gen. Beauresard aud his staff.
The New Orleans Picayune, copies of which
were forwarded to New York by Adams Express,
has the following from its special correspondent:
MANASSAS JUHCTIoY, Va, July There are
ment, but the work of fortfcatiOn still CONTINUES,
By nature the position is of the strongest that
could have been found in the whole State. About
hallway between the eastern spur of the Blue
Ridge and the Potomac, below Alexandria, it com
maDds the whole country between so perfectly that
there is scarcely possibility Of its being turned
The right wing stretches Off towards the head wa
ters OF the Oc0quan, through q wooded country,
which is easily made impossible by the telling of
trees. The left i. a rolling table land easily COM
msUded frcm the successive elevations, till YOU
reach country rough and so rugged that it is a
defence to itself. The KEY to the whole position
in fact, is precisely that point which Gen Beaure-
gard chose for bis centre, and which he has fort-
fed so strongly that in the opinion of military men
5000 men could there hold 10000 at bay.
The posion,in fact, is fortified in part by Nature
herself. 1t is succession Of hills nearly eOui dis
tant from each other, in front of which is ravine
so deep and so thickly wooded that it is passa-
BILE only at two points, and those through gorges
which fifty men can defend against a whole army
Ut tue fsrtitcatiOnS superaCded here by General
Beauregard to those of nature it is of course i'm
proper for me to speak. The general reader, in
fact, will have a sufficiently precise idea of them bv
conceving a line of forts some two miles in extent
zig-zag IN form, with angles, salients bastions
casemates and everything that properly belongs to
works OF this kind.
The strength and advantage of this position at
Manassas very much increased by the fact that
fourteen miles further on is position of similar
formation, while the country between is admirably
adapted to the subsistence and entrenchment Of
troops in numbers as large as they easily be
mannuvred on the real battle field Water is good
and abundant; forage such as is everywhere found
in the rich farming districts of Virginia, and the
Communication with all parts of the country easY
Here, overlooking ar extensive plain, watered
by mountain streams, which ultimately find their
way to the Potomac, and divided into verdant
fall n yI,nnf md nat and att,
meadow, the headquarters of the advanced
forces of the army of the Potomac. They are South
Csrolinians, Louisianians, Alabamians, Mississp
plans, and VrginiaDs, for the most part; the first
two, singulary enough being in front, and that
they will keep it, their friends at home may rest
assured Never have | seen finer body of men
msn who were more obedient to discipline,
breathed more self-sacriicing patriotism.
As might be expected from the skill with which
be has chosen his pGsiti n, and the system with
which he encamps and moves bis men, Gen. Beau
regard is very popular here doubt if Napoleon
himself had more the und vided confidence of his
army. B nature as also from q wise policy, be
is very reticent Nota Individual here knows his
plans, or single move of = regiment before it is
made, and then only the colonel and bis men know
where it goes to. There is not a man here who can
give anything like satisfactory answer how many
mep he has where his exact lines are.
For the distance of IA miles around you see
tents everywhere, and from them you make
rough estimate OF his men, but how many
none can tell. The new conner, from what he
at first glance, puts down the number
at about $4,000 men; those who have been
here longest estimate his force at 40 900, So,
VOO, ana some even at 10000 strong. And there
is the same discrepancy as to the quantity OF his
asrulery SO close does the General keep his at,
his right hand doeth, and so Jealous is be of this
prerOgative of a commanding officer, that | verify
believe il he suspected his coat of any acquaintance
with the plans revolving within him, he would
cast it from him.
The Generals headquarters is little farm house.
about fifteen feet BY twenty, fronting on one of the
roads that lead to Alexandria. The ground floor
is divided into two rooms. The front one is filled
with desks, at which clerks sit writing engaged
in business of varied character. The back one
appears to be used as n storeroom or kitchen.
Above, the same division continues, and the front
room is the Generals apartment. 1t is about fif-
teen feet long by ten wide, and hung with maps
of the State and country around. In the centre
is plain pine table, which lie, neatly folded up,
what the visitor would naturally take to be plans,
specifications, surveys, geometrical drawings &c,
and by their side, mi itary reports. Everything has
the air of neatness, GOODNESS and mathema cal cal
culation OF fcourse there is nothing in the room
but what pertains to the office, and to most eyes it
would appear somewhat bare; but what there is is
arranged with so much taste that the general i'm
preston is by no means unpleasng.
The General is in his room the greater part of
| the day, apparently occupied with his plans and
reports. Then hour after hour he sits alone by bis
neat little pine table, maps, plans and specifca-
tlons before him, and large open windows open be-
| hind aud around hm-at first sight the cold, cal
| culating. unsympathizing mathematician. Every
now and then an aid enters with report or mes
sage, which is delivered in military style, deIioer-
atey examined in silence, the corresponding order
promptly written out delivered In as lew words
| as possible and our mathematical iceberg is alone
| again. When a visitor drops IN, however, at a
leisure moment, the formality o! the officer readily
| gives way to that easy interchange of civilities
1 ~, anfar rIvos nnnln h,tn,