Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-09
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
NOT so.

tale so carefully ana elaDoraely prepared never
theless we may assure the public that In what 1t
says of "the situation" on the other side of the
river, opposite the Chain Bridge there Is no truth
whatever. Thus, 1t says:
seen Johnstons most advanced regiments are
| thrown forward to within two miles of the Chain
| Bridge, where the Leesburg turnpike intersects
the road running from the Little Falls Of the Po-
| tonac to Balls Cross Roads. They are busly
engaged here In throwing up intrenchments under
cover Of wood, which com pletely conceals their
/ operations. These woods OF course will be cut
down as soon al their intrenchments completed
and their guns are mounted on them. The Chain
Bridge will then be in full range Of their guns,
1 which will cover Ii completely. A skirmsh took
/ place day or two ago between two Of General
McCalls regiments and those Of Johnston. troops
that stationed In the woods to protect those
/ work at the intrenchments few shells were
thrown into the woods, but the rebel troops sailed
out, attacked our two regiments, and, being in
superior force, compelled them to retreat over the
| Chain Bridge, with trifing loss "
We are sure that no disunion pickets even ap-
| proach anywhere within three and half miles
Of the Chain Bridge; nor have they 80 much as a
company Of troops stationed nearer than Munson .
| Hill, point at least Ave miles from the Chain
Bridge by an air line: the nearest point at which
| they are in small force even-upon the George
| town and Leesburg turnpike-is at least seven
miles distant from the Chain Bridge-not two
miles, as this Herald letter AYERS.
PARDONED.
Headquarters Army Of the Potomac,
| September g, 1861. : 1.
Private VIM. Scott, Company X, Third Yer
mont Volunteers, having been found guilty by
court martial Of sleeping on his post, while a
sentinel on picket guard, has been sentenced to
be shot; and the sentence has been approved and
ordered to be executed.
Il
regiment and the company of the condemned,
together with many other ofncers and privates OF
his regiment, have earnestly appealed to the ,jor
General commanding to spare the life Of the Of.
fender, and the President Of the United States has
expressed wish that, as this is the first condem.
nation to death in this army for this crime, mercy
may be extended to the criminal: This fact
viewed in connection with the inexperence of the
condemned as colder, his previous good conduct
| and general good character, and the urgent en-.
treaties made in his behalf, have determined the
Major General to grant the pardon 20 earnestly
prayed for.
This act OF clemency must not be understood al
anording precedent for any future case The
duty OF sentinel IL Of such nature that III
neglect by sleeping upon or deserving bis Dos
| may endanger the safety Of command, or even O,
the whole army, and all nations ax to the ofYense
The penalty Of death.
Private William Scott, Company X, Third
Regiment Of Vermont Volunteers, will be released
from confinement and return to duty
BY order Of Major General Mcclellan
s. WILLIAMS, Asst Adj't General.
The SECESSION SIGNALS DOWN RIVER.
Editor Star: The accompanying postscript Is
from the Port Tobacco Time, of the 5th inst:
| MI Editor: In casually CHANGING over the Daily
Exchange OF last Friday, under the head of E "a
| test News" my eye fell upon the following ex-
I" Condition of the Potomac Rip., The steamer
Philadelphia has just arrived from Fortress Mon.
roe she reports that the river Is passable, and
that although the secessionsts are extremely lively
on the Maryland shore, navigation 10 not in any
way interrupted. As the steamer made her way
up the Marylanders sent up a rapid succession Of
signals 70 notify their Virginia neighbon Of the
steamers approach "
/ Is this so or mott IL not, why should our peo.
pie be SO wronged' This will account In some
of of of vessels and the de-
This is so. From Piney Point to Fort Wash.
ington there is regularly established line Of sig.
nails on the Maryland shore Of the Potomac A
steamer cannot move at night but she is tele-
sraphed by signal lights at every three to five
miles Of the river, which signals are answered on
the Virginia shore. There has not been a vessel
| or boat taken from the Maryland shore where
there has not been an abundance Of evidence tina,
they have been employed In unlawful commerce
AN OFFICER OF THE PoroMAc FLorILLA
THE ROCKETS LAST NIGHT, ETC
The fact that signal rockets were sent up las,
night along the upper lines Of the enemy-from
opposite the Chain Bridge, apparently quite up to
Leesburg-is being construed by wonder mongers
| around US to indicate some movement Of their
army In that direction. We have every reason to
doubt the fact, however
Last night, portion Of our troops, numbering
two or three hundred only, made reconnaissance
In that direction, and the chances are ten to one
| that the enemy's signal rockets were designed
| simple to give notice Of that movement on our
part This reconnaissance, by the by, was thoroug h
and ex' ensve, embracing a considerable range OF
| territory between the two armies 1t developed
no change In the enemy's position or force, OF
| importance to the situation Of affairs.
PAYAAsrERs TO TAKE TURNS, ETC.
Hereafter the acquisitions upon the Treasury
Department will each take Ito regular turn Here
| tofore exceptions have been made in the case OF
army Paymasters' acquisitions, for which other,
| have been made to wait. II il found that the
dilatory habit Of company and regimental officer,
have been encouraged and increased, rather than
diminished, by the favoritism thus shown te
| them. The Department asks but single day In
which to pass finally upon such acquisitions, thai
| time being necessary to prevent mistakes; and 1,
regiments fail to receive their pay immediately
after 1t is due, they may understand that in every
such case the delay 10 the fault Of their own com.
Pany or other officers, who are dilatory In pre-.
pairing the proper rolls, on which alone the pay
| ments can be lawfully made.
| GEN. N'cLELLAN
AT III a. m. to-day, Maj Gen. Mcclellan with
his staff, attended by squadron of cavalry, wen,
over to the Virginia side of the river, via the
Long Bridge, doubtless upon one of the daily
tours Of inspection through which he has alread v
done so much in inspiring his troops with a
proper spirit of readiness. They know not a,
what moment his eyes may be upon them, and
all Of them rest constantly under the i'm or on
that he may be hourly expected to pay them a
visit
NOT THE MAN.
We see II stated that the Confederate Office,
killed according to rumor) at long shot bv one