The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-30
Accuracy not Vouched for.

southwest or the Long Bridge Col. herrlgan'
Regiment New York 25th) attempted on Sun
day to take possession of a field occupying a com
| manding position south of their encampment
| They moved to the hill without proper reconnois
ance. The consequence was, they did not discove
a battery of the enemys until the latter opened fir
upon them. This battery appeared to be in
wood, west of the Cross Roads. Before the regi
ment could get back to their original position, TIVE
dozen shells from the Confederate battery cam
pumping among them, but | unable to ascer
| tain with what effect.
The men behaved with great GOODNESS, and de-
| sired to be led against the enemy; but as hi
strength had not been aseertained, this course wa
not deemed prudent, and the regiment withdrew
| ag ain to Balls Cross Roads. Here they were rein
forced by two regiments of General kearney's
| New Jersey Brigade and the New York oath regi
| ment, and the whole detachment again moved for
ward to attack the battery. The latter opened
| fire upon them so severely, however, that being
destitute of artillery, they retired out OF reach u
the enemy's guns. Subsequent reconnoisances
have shown that the battery consists of nine twenty
four and twelve Founders, and two rifed cannon.
We have means of ascertaining, with accu-
racy what strength they have what sized body
is behind their advance, which is now quite close
up to our lines peary all the way along the Poto-
mac. Il is safe to say however, that it is not less
than eighty thousand. No fear is entertained of
their attempting to force their way through our
entrenchments. Their scouts have ridden all over
the country, even to within two and half miles Of
Fort Albany and Fort Corcoran, our pIckets hav-
ing fallen back within the range of the guns at the
Notifications.
From Special Despatch to Ns,o York Tribune.
A Federal Advance.
Last night at 10 o'clock, General Franklin's bri-
gade-the 18th, 18th, 3lst. and 32d New York
were ordered to advance without knapsacks. They
marched to within 212 miles of Bailey's Gross
Roads Early this morning the enemy opened
with two rllied cannon a hill top quarter of
mile beyond Cross Roads, drove in our pickets,
and followed them about half a mile.
General Franklin, with about 900 of our troops
and five cannon, marched to point near the cross.
ing, aud 500 were sent into IL cornfield A detach.
ment of pickets, under Lieut.. Col Wasbburn of
the 3lst, went forward. The enemy were seen
about eight hundred yards beyond advance
guard, and tired upon them, but without doing any
injury. Three Confederates seen to fall. 1t
is thought that the enemy is advancing on the
Orange and Alexandria Road.
IMPORTANT ORDER FROM THE WAR
DEPARTMENT.
All Correspondence with the Enemy. Ver-
baliy OF by Writing. Printing or Telegraph
ing, Rsspeeting E Military Movemen's TO be
WASHINGTON, August 29-The War Department
has just issued the following important ORDER
"By the 5Iih article of the act of Congress ent-
tied an act for establishing rules and articles for
the government of the armies of the United States
approved 10Th April, 1896, holding correspondence
with or giving intelligence to the enemy, either
directly or indirectly, is made punishable by DEATH
such other punishment shall be ordered by
the sentence of a court martial.
this article, and it is therefore ordered that all
correspondence and communication verbally or by
writing, printing or telegraphing, respecting ope-
rations OF the army or military movements on land
or water; or respecting the troops, camps, arseDals,
entrepchments or military affairs, within the seve-
raj military districts, by which intelligence shall
be directly or indirectly given to the enemy, with
out the authority and sanction of the General in
command, be and the same are hereby absolutely
prohibited and from and after the date of this order
persons violating the will be proceeded
against unuer the ofth Article OF Wa.
Major BcIger
WASHINGTON, August 29.-Serious charges hav-
ing been presented to the War Department aleg-
ing that Major James Belger, Assistant Quarter
master at the important depot in Baltimore,
abusing his charge by making his purchases from
and employing subordinate agents persons in
imical to the Government, the matter referred
to Major General Dix for investigation. Calling
before him some of the most prominent citizens of
Baltimore, who were in frequent intercourse with
Major Belger, and obtaining from them statements
in writing of what they know as to his general
course in making purchases and giving employ
ment, the General came to the conclusion that the
charges against Major Belger are, $50 far they
allege an intentional bestowment of the public pa
tronage on disloyal men, utterly groundless."
Mcclellan and Russell in Virginia.
General Mcclellan went over the Potomac to-
day. to visit the camps and inspect the troops. Mr..
Russell, of the London Times, was invited to at
tend him. No other correspondent was favored
with pass.
No More kilograms for the South.
The Secretary of War has ordered the stOppage
of all teegraphic dispatches for points South of
Kentucky.
Recruiting and DischarSins.
An order from the War Department Just pub
lished, provides for the recruiting of the several
regiments in the service, in order to keep their
ranks full it also directs that such of the soldiers
have been taken prisoners by the Confederates,
and released on parole, shall be discharged from
the service.
Military Orders.
An order from the War Department provides
that the commissioned officers of all volunteers and
militia organizations, matter whether establish
ed uAder the authority of a State or the United
States, will be regarded as having been commits
stoned on the day when mustered into the service
of the United States, and will take rank in their
respective grades; will be entitled to pay, and be
obeved respected in their several positions from
that date.
Hereafter no minors will be mustered into the
service of the United States, volunteers, with
out the consent of their parents or guardians.
Orders to Commanding Officers.
The War Department has issued order requir-
ing commanding officers of whatever regiments or
independent companies, to take measures to keep
the strength of their commands up to the maxi
mum standard of organization prescribed by Gene
raj Orders, No. Is for cavalry and infantry; and
General Orders No. 16 for artillery. For this pur-
pose, they will detail from time to time, as re-
quired, one commissioned officer, two if neces-
sary, WITH one or TWO non commissioned 0fncer6 or
privates, to recruit in the district in which the
giments or companies were raised.
Dismissed from the Service
Capt Gurdin Chaplin, of the 7th Infantry, ma
tive of Virginia, having given proof of disloyalty
is dismissed from the service of the United States
70 take effect Immediately.
Affairs Across the Potomac
1t is extremely difficult to obtain reliable nte-
gence respecting the results of picket encounters,
the other side of the river, bat there seems to
ha frut in Yhn hot a1 Of
were killed, and others wounded along lines
yesterday and last night.
Capture of Bancroft's Mills.
Last night the Confederates captured Bancroft's
Mills with 200 bushels of corn belonging to Lawyer
Wiley, of Washington. Yesterday Col. McLain
and his chaplain went across the bridge at the
mills, and were fired upon. Upon returning, they
found the floor of the bridge had been taken up BY
the Confederates. They leaped their horses across
and escaped.
Condition of the Potomac River.
The steamer Philadelphia has just arrived from
Fortress Monroe She reports that the river is
passable, and that although the secessionsts are
extremely lively on the Maryland Shore navigation
is not in any way interrupted. AS the steamer
made her way up the Maryanders sent up a rapid
succession OF signals to notify their Virginia neigh
bors of the steamers approach.
To Buy Arms Abroad.
One million dollars were this day placed to the
| credit of the Barings OF London, to be drawn
against by our Minister'S iu France, England, Bel
GUM, and Holland, in payment for the purchase
of arms.
The Blockade by Hulks.
The hulks purchased at Baltimore for sinking in
the entrance of the Carolina inlets numbered 90,
and ranged in price from S400 to $4,000. The lat.
| ter was for large vessels of deep draught. The
total cost of this machinery for putting end to
European mercantile sympathy with the Confede-
| rates was S2l O00-cheap enough.
Information for Postmasters.
| The Post-otffce Department is much troubled by
| Postmasters failing TO add the name of county and
State to their letters, and by embracing different
subjects belonging to different Offices in the same
| letter. This necessarily delays action, and post
masters should correct that evil; particular
! should no other papers be enclosed with the quar-
terly returns and post bills
| Foreign Mails.
Letters will, in future, be charged forty-fve cents
| and must be prepaid, when addressed to China, ia
pan, Java, the Philippine Islands, Labuan, Borneo
siam, Sumatra, and the M0luccas, either VII
southampton or Marseiles.
The mails are forwarded from England on the 4tf
and 10Th of each month, via SOUTHAMPTON, and oil
the 18th and 2Sth VIA Marseilles. Those via tn
latter route are made up in England on the l0tl
and 26th.
Suspected correspondence.
The amount of reasonable correspondence ha
become so great lately that the time of seyera
clerks in the Government Departments is now ex
clusvely occupied in its exampat alton. All sorts @
curious documents have been found upon the per
sons of traitors who have recently been arrested.
The FOrtifications at Federal Hill
| A car loaded with entreDching tools, and accom-
panied by forty laborers, left Washington to day
for the works now in progress at Federal Hill, /
Baltimore. 1t Is the wish of the Government I
hasten the work to completion % speedily q poss
BILE,