Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-23

hS Stfeftyt"' ~ t"c 1'VftHeFH Li7Wy-- CNt-
"a gss committed by 1t IN Faiya9-Hanginq
Of taoo South CdroltaidaS confirmed.
The following comes 10 us under the ell.
dorsement Of gentleman of high character
and position. ::
70 TIE Editors Of the Enquirer
FAIRFAX Z. H., Aug. II, 1861
As there still seems to he some uncertainty
AS 10 the strength of the Federal forces at
the great battle Of Bull Run, upon the olst
ultimo, have thought it proper to communi
cate to you some information which, coming
from The source it did, may be regarded as
authentic.
An old gentleman living in the vicinity
Of the Court House, and who was una.
| ware Of the approach of the Federal
forces upon The coming Of the lrth Ju
| ~, started to come to the village with some
clothing for his son, who was in the Southern
army. Upon his reaching Germantown he
says he was somewhat surprised at the unu
sual number OF troops at that ,l,lint, but con-
| cluding that some additional reinforcemens
had arrived, he hurried on. Soon, however,
the usual and now familiar order was given to
halt. The old man drew up, and upon being
asked by the sentinel if he hada pass, the old
gentleman drew from his pocket the pass Civ
en- TO him some days previous by our COM
mauding officers and handed it to the sentinel.
Upon his examining it, he said it would not
answer. The old man replied, "oh yes !; it is
not ont yet; you will see it has two or three
days to run yet, and they told ne it would be
good, even if there was Il change Of the Mar
shall" "Oh, but" says the sentinel, somewhat
quizzically, don't you know that the fortunes
of war sometimes change the ownership of
localities, and you do not seem to be aware
that you may now be in the possession Of the
enemy" "Why,' says the old man, "ain't you
our troops% "No, sir, was the response. 1--WE
are the Northern forces, and yours is seces-
sion pass, and you must so to headquarters"
The old gentleman, not much disconcerted,
however, was carried before Gen. Tyler. He
enquired his name and business, and 10 sll Of
which he received candid and iratk answers -
The General inquired u him WIS he seces-
sionist The reply WAS, Il eolcd Tor the ratifi-
cation Of the ordinance | was sir, what was
called here Union man ; and not until Mr..
Lincoln issued his proclamation, requiring us
to fight our Southern brethren, did l surren.
der my desire for the preservation Of the
Unon and thought, sir, that sooner than
fight our Southern friends, it would be best
to separate FROM the North and the govern.
ment" The General told him i, was their mis-
sion here 10 preserve the Union, ih3t secession
was daomed. and That before il week they
would be in Richmond, aud that he would
never hear OF it again, and that We would all
he friends again. He then questioned him rs
TO the ruulbc- Of Confederate troops at the
Court House, who vas the commander, &c.
The old gentleman then remarked: Now,
General, have answered al your qucs.
tons; will you allow me to ask you the
strength of your forces" The General re-
piled, certainly. We are marching upon
Manassas by four distinct columns By
the Vienna road to Germantown, by the
turnpike upon the Court House, by the Brad
dock road, and by the road leading by SengS.
ters cross roads Each column is 5000
strong, and in addition there is force of from
four 10 ten thousand moving up the railroad,
NIL OF which will be concentrated at the point
where resistance is TO be made" You will thus
perceive thai the force 0f the Grand Army,
upon its frs: days march, consisted at feast CT
$4,000. Upon the next day Thursday) the
writer Of this Saw another large force pass TO-
wards CentreTilse, and with it was the long
black cannon drawn by twelve horses, and
which was christencd, as he has since under.
stood, "O!d Abe" and rs it is now in better
company, presume it has been re-baptized
You have already been informed Of the mum.
ber!ess outrages and the wantou destruction OF
property which marked the progress Of this
grand Union saving army. could, if neces-
sary, ill an entire sheet with the names
of those who have suffered; but as you ere
acquainted with the county, you will have
some idea of its extent when inform you t!iat
every plantation extending from the Allen and
Leesburg Turnpike 10 the road leading by
Sangster's, distance Of about fifteen miles,
with scarcely an exception, was entered, pi!
laged, plundered and aid waste.
truly the county Of Fairfax has suffered be-
yond mcasure-plantations laid waste horses
stolen, slaves to considerable number carried
off and enticed to run away from their owners,
and all this by those who professel to come Is
protectors of oppressed people.
The writer Of this, as you know, was a strong
Union man, and he only now regrets, after
witnessing the vandalism Of The people Of the
North, and learnin. as he his done the dis.
tirc;iveness between the people Of the two Sec
tioEs, that he ever favored q continuance Of the
| Union with them.
| 1t : ould be useless for LIE to specify hti-
there has been one reported to me, so shocking
and revolving to 0 Christian nation, that it
should be made to tingle in their ears, and pro.
woke, if possible, upon the Northern mind, =
sense of Indignation and shame.
4 poor woman, who but few days previous
had buried her husband, was told that there
were arms buried in her yard and the fact that
there was an appearance Of grave was only
intended to deceive, and in her presence they
actually exhumed the remains Of her husband
1t seems to be now pretty we'll established
that two South Carolinisns, who were cap.
turcd near here, were hung By the barbariaIis
understand the evidence will shortly be fur
nishe:s sustaining this fact. VIRGINIA.
Yankee pepredations.
r" tie Editors ef Tie Enquirer.
MoSrgoss, Va, Aug ust Is, l65i.
MEssss. Ep1Toas old Abe's Tug Boats
have been prowling up and down the Potomac
for the last three mol.ths, landing their crew
occasionally, and euivening their nonotonous
life by throwing shot Or shell at farm
house, burning vessel, when there was no
danger TO their own precious carcaSSes-drlv.
ing fishermen ashore, and breaking up or car.
ryipg eff their boats; giving US very lair
specimen of their manhood Gf we wanted any
and in strict keeping with all our pre-conceiVed
opinions Of Yankce,loin.
The most serious foray of these depredators
in this county, took place few days since on
the plantation Of Col Thos. Brown. Landing
under the pretext Of looking for Marylander,
but toilcd in that, they burnt the overseer's
house and carried away ten negroes be-
longing to Col. E., in the absence Of the over.
seer. His wife and little daughter attempted to
save their household furniture, when the
Vandals gave them the alternative Of desist.
ing or being thrown into the flames.
The hero of this exploit, Lieut. Budd (he
thia LIZ. hlnrcnr,,a2 inIl q