The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-20

The Skirmish Between the new horA
Fourteenth and Rebel Cavairy-What
the British Minister Says Respecting
the Capture OF SIidcll and Mason, &c.

AFFAIRS ALONG THE UNION LINES.
All quiet along the lines of the army tonight.
TIE RECENT sKlRMIsH NEAR FALLS CHURCH.
Mention was made in previous despatch OF skirmsh
yesterday afternoon, two miles and half southwest Of
Falls Church, since which time additional particulars
have been aseertaincd. The charge upon our pckets
Brushs house. made by three hundred or moro
rebel cavalry and this occasoned the stampede. There
was heavy firing on both sides, calamity stand
Ing their ground but compelled retreat to the
in consequence only Of the superior force and
cavalry advantage OF the enemy who wasyesterday
stated fen back the advance Of renorcemens The
charge OF tho rebel cavalry made on the pickes
of Company H. Fourteenth Brooklyn regiment. Tho
following the names q tho
Private Seymour, Private Walker Taylor.
WOUNDED.
Private William Stryker.
Lieutenant Gamman, Private F.. Rich,
Sergeant McNel Private j. +. Rich
Private W. A. Judden, Private VIM Campbell,
Private Daniel McCawey, Private Clinton Petit,
Private George kohier, Private Nathaniel Lyon.
This morning strong force sent out by order Of
Gen. Mcdowell to the neighborhood where the skrmish
took place. The dead bodies OF Seymour and Taylor
found stripped Of their clothing and the skulls mashed in
if done by the butt of carbne. No other wounds
visible. 1t is, therefore, supposed the were
beaten to death
A living in the vicinity stated that the rebels
carried away three of their own dead bodies together
with six wounded From her description Of the uniform
two of the latter belonged TO the Brooklyn regiment.
now THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS ARE AFFECTED BY THE
CAPTURE OF sLlDELL AND MASON
The seizure of my Lord Mason and Monsieur Slde ON
board Of the British mail steamer Trent has produced
unusual degree OF faerng among the whole diplomatic
corps here to-day Without waiting TO ascertain how far
the act iS nv tha
established principles of international law. some Of
the Minister'S from foreign parts have allowed themselves
to be betrayed into expressions exhibiting infinitely
passion and prejudice than judgment and diplomatic in
teigence The representative of one Power has openly
declared that If Mason and Sdel had been taken from
Spanish he would have Immediately demanded his
passports.
Lord Lyons is said to have assumed menacng tone,
and have declared that the prisoners be given up
ample reparaon made for the offence offered to the
dignity OF the British Nothing Of this kind has
been officially intmated, but in ordinary intercourse
these expressions Of dsapproba,ioa and hostility have
been unguardedy made.
The fact has long been apparent that large portion of
the diplomatic corps infected with the poison dissent
mated by the last administration in Washington Since
the Inauguration Of the present administration it
has been continually occupied with the management
o! domestic affairs that there has been opportunity
to eradicate the false impressions thus produced. In
the Of England, the beginning OF the rebellion
there has been exhibited very bitter disposition almost
amounting at times 10 nsolence--a manifestation peca
liar to that government in it's intercourse with what 1t
considers weak distressed governments, and partcu
lary republics. This approach to nsolence has been
than occasion severely rebuked by Mr. Seward
in his replies TO Lord Lyons and the castigators thus
administered have not increased the fondness Of the
Ri on tenn hiS
acerby towards nation that is too pround to submit to
such assumption
The diplomatic circle will, however, rave in
vain. The government is determined not TO
BIO moved from its conviction Of right by
all the menaces they can possibly utter. 1t has
decided that the proceeding Of Captain Wilkes shall be
sustained although he acted without special instructions
and that the right shall BIO maintained all cost even
IL should involve the government h with Great
Britain.
The North is not yet fully aroused to the necessities OF
the occasion We could have been better prepared
for foreign than now, by land and sea- would
it ind the of the people in better humor for
fight with foreign foes we'll as domestic enemies.
THE RETALIAToRY MEASURES or THE REBELS
The publication Of the barbarous correspondence DO
tween j. Benjamin. styling himself Secretary of
of the Confederate States and his jaors has aroused
deep and fearful feeling Of indignation. Numerous letters
from prominent and influential citizens have already been
addressed to the Secretary Of State urging rctaatory
measures proposition is seriously talked Of here to
teach the savages of the rebel that they
not with IMMUNITY perpetrate the barbari,es they pro-
pose and have already commenced There are in onr
1rtesses numbers of rebels held prisoners whom the
government are bound to protect. The rebels
would rot like to perhaps retalatory measures
towards Mason and Sdel, and Eustis and Mcfarland
d Morehead and Others Of hardly less note and they
would still less lik such feeling OF popular
Indignation throughout the loyal States as would induce
the seizure and summary execution of every Southern
seourncr present in Norther cities If th ey want
TO discard all humanity and make this war Of savages
they may get the worst of it, and their hcvng secre
tary Of War may yet find that he has feeling in
the loyal States that will be hard to allay.
strong effort is being made here BY prominent Ken.
tuckians TO procure exchange Of Hon Charles 5
Morehead of kentucky confined at Fort Warren for
Charles Anderson, Of Texas, brother Of MAJOR Robt
Anderson, who has been seized and imprisoned by the
rebels FOR his adherence to the Union.
SANITARY CONDITION or THE ARMY
From careful Investigation Of the condition Of the
army during the past MONTH the Sanitary Commission
have arrived at the following general facts:-Ihat the
sickness and mortality Of the army the West is great
err proportonatey, than in the East that the mortality
much less than the average of European wars and that it
is not much greater than in civil life II is expected
however, that on the approach Of cold weather unless
very good arrangements made for winter quarters
both sickness and mortality Will increase
THE INQUIRY RESPECTING THE ESCAPE or THE PR.
vATEER SUMTER.
The Naval Court Martial for the trial OF Commander
Poor who permitted the privaeer Sumter to escape
in session several hours to-day and examined Lieut.,
Adams OF the officers Of the Richmond It
appears from the evidence Of the witness day also
from other evidence that Commander Poor performed bis
duty in proper The material witnesses in that
AFFAIR, however, have not yet been examined. 1t Is
alleged that the government has positive evidence the
effect that the escape OF tho Sumter entirely owing
70 the negligence Of Commander Poor.
IMMENSE SUPPLIES FOR THE ARMY.
within the last few days all the leading TO the
Long Bridge and in the direction of Georgetown have
been led with immense trains Of loaded army wagons