Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-17
NAVY WARD

InpOrtnHt Fttsr HGrS- NdetgoftoH Cbos5u-I~
Pdicn.e asd Seminole bots struck - Nobody
hN,t
The steamer Mount Vernon, Captain Mitchell
came up to the Yard last night, about IL O'Clock,
having passed the batteries at and below shipping
Point about 8 O'Clock. About twenty shots were
fred at Ter frcm these batteries-fourteen round
shot and six shell-some passing little ahead,
some astern, and some entirely over her. None
struck. The tugboat Pusey, which passed ahead
Of the Mount Vernon, was not fred at; but the
tug Robert Leslie, which came close after her,
had several shots come very near her.
Capt. Mitchell reports thirty to forty vessels
bound up, with Government stores hay, oats, coal,
oysters, &C, &c, lying at Smiths point, tnear
Sandy Point,) where a portion Of the Potomac
fotilla 10 at present None Of these vessels dare
pass up.
There are three batteries, mounting altogether
10 guns; some officers say .. There appears to be
only four or ave guns In each battery or these,
two are old 3a.pounders rifed at Fredericksburg
and now g. pounders, and the others seem to be
smooth-bore 32S.
There is a battery just opened on Quantico hill,
on the right bank Of Quantico creek, about half a
mile above Shipping Point. The other three are
between Shipping Point and Evansport Points,
distant about mile The river between those
points Is about mile and three-quarters in
width, but widens rapidly below Evanspor,
There Is said also to be a battsry at Timber
Branch, and one gun on the hill above Evans
port.
. When the Pawnee and Mount Vernon went
down night before last, the Mount Vernon with
400 Marines aboard went ahead and passed the
batteries about "moonsdown.n The order wal
given to the Marines to lay down as they passed
the batteries and they accordingly laid abou,
"two deep'' on deck, thus escaping the notice of
the enemy.
The Pawnee passed the batteries a little after
daylight, and was fred at by them in succession.
Thirteen shots were fred at her altogether from
the three batteries, and of these six struck her
One came through her side into the ward room,
very near the magazine; one struck her amid.
ships just above the water line, one struck near
the catheads, one In the hammock rail, and two
aloft A piece (about a fsot long) Of one of her
knees was shown to US this morning. which was
torn on by shot and thrown through one Of her
ports on to the Robert Leslie, which was along
side.
The Pocahontas received a shot in her mail =.
mast, and 1t Is reported that the Seminole had her
mizzen-mast shattered. Forum stely no one was
injured on any Of these vessels.
The Aqua Greek battery Is silent
The Alger Is at the Navy Yard taking In stores.
Some Of the workmen in the Yard complain
that Instead Of getting their pay on the 9th of the
month, as usual, they have had to walt until the
18th.
There was some practise firing at the Yard this
and some capital shots were made with
the heavy guns
The President and Secretary of State visited the
Yard yesterday, and were received with the Gus
tomary salute of twenty guns
OF IMPORTANCE TO SOLDIERS
HEADQUAR1ERs, ARMY OF THE PoroMAC,}
Washington, October 10, 1861. :
General Orders, No. %.
L. AL soldiers In confinement In charge of the
various guards in this army, against whom there
arc no charges, will be released from confine-
ment and returned to duty. The attention Of all
omcers 10 directed to paragraph e26 Of the Re-
vised Regulations Of 1861, which requires prs-
oners under guard, without written charges, to
be released at guard mounting, Unless orders to
the contrary be given by the commanding officer.
?. All applications for leaves Of absence for
Officers and furloug hs for soldiers for period ex-
ceeding forty. eight hours, must be forwarded for
at these Headquarters; nor can any
ofacers or soldier pass beyond the limits Of this
j. Regiments Of Infantry, serving as such, be-
longing to this army, are prohibited from retain
ing In their possession pieces Of field artillery
All field guns now In the hands of such troops
will be turned in, without delay, to the Wash
ington Arsenal
4. The Cavalry assigned to divisions will be
under the immediate orders of the division COM
nd txyfn he
except for special service.
BY Command Of Major General Mcclellan:
s. WILLIAMS, Assist Adjutant Genl.
b. IRWIN, Aide-de-Camp.
ARMY AFFAIRs-DorSGs ACROSS THE POT oMAc.
Col. Taylor, Of the SD New York Regiment,
has been temporarily appointed to the command
OF Gen. Stevens brigade, the latter having been
detached for important service elsewhere
The New York 10Th or Highland Regiment IL
now under command Of Capt. Morrison, the
senior captain Of the regiment, who 10 neither
Lieut.. Colonel nor Major.
Morrell Allen, Of the New York 35th Regi-
ment, company H, was dangerously wounded
Yesterday by the rebel pickets at Barrett's Hill,
beyond Falls Church.
From the observatory at Upton's Hill yesterday
large rebel force, consisting Of cavalry and de-
'~ANU VI lHIdH'IY, were seen on the
Leesburg turnpike, four miles from Falls Church.
Twenty three army wagons accompanied them,
aud the superstition 10 they were on a foraging
expedition.
The divisions on the right Of our army were
ordered under arms at 2 O'Clock yesterday morn
Ing, In consequence Of an alarm caused by the
firing Of the pickets Of the 10Th Regimen, be-
tween Falls Church and Lewinsville, but there
was no noteworthy result
coNsIDERArE.
IL 10 stated that "Capt. Motts, Of the New York
Battery, reports that while protecting the volun-
teers Telling wood at Lewinsville, be saw dis
tinctly a prominent bel officer, but RETAINED
from shooting him on a moments reflection that
picket firing was a barbarous and murderous
practice"
TAKING THE OATH.
BY order Of the Government, Justice Dom pro-
ceeded to-day to the military prison, on Capitol
HILL to administer the oath prescribed to the pris-
oners ordered TO be released by the Government,
and named in the Sta, Of yesterday.
OF swoR TO GENERAL ANpERsoS
The sword voted by the Philadelphia City Coun.
ellis to General Anderson, was privately presented
10 him Last MIG ht by a deleuatiop NJ fha pbI,a.l