The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-16
OF THE POTOMAC
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDFNT1

MASassA, Sept l2,h
The village of Manass1, or Tudor Hall. rs
the Post-Dfioe is called, is very much smaller
than is generally imagined. In the village
proper there are uot above three or four houses
and within u circuit OF three or four miles per
haps not more than five or six hundred in
| habitants. The station is situated ON the
| Orange and Alexandria Railroad, some quar-
of nile from It's junction with the Ma
nassa Gap Road. There is no regular depot.
| bnt rudely constructed building answers
the purpose at present. One plain two-story
house, with porch in front to which YOU
mount by halt a dozen steps, was formerly
| the hotel, while the only remaining roofs the
| place can boast, is a small white cottage now
! used as a hospital, and II small rough office
| occupied by Adams Il Co.'S Express -
The telegraph Is in two horse-cars, like those
! used on the city railroads, in ore of which
the battery is placed, and in the other is the
| operating room, receiving room, baggage
room, dining room by daV and lodging
room by night OF the busy operators These
cars are placed st right angles with each
other, closely connected, and over them
among the numerous wires which radiat,.
from this common centre, floats q large and
very handsome "rcb. n flag. From early
morning until far into the night the steady
click OF the instrument is heard. and the
busy operators are seen intently engaged
upon their work, uBmindful of the din and
noise wlthOut-the beating OF drums the
shrill scream of the team whistle or the pas.
age OF triIns-or OF the many curious men
who continually crowd around the window.
Close beside the ears stands the field talp-
graph, with It's large coil OF wire wound upon
the cylinder ready ~ II moments notice to
be iiid from headquarters To any point. The
chIef operator here is Mr. Barnes who has
two assistants, and, can be easily sun
posed, III" three are kept busy us bees
Just beyond the telegraph Office is that of
the Express Company, which ut this time has
quite the appearance OF a curiosity shop The
building itself is filled up with ali kinds q I
curious boxes and parcels, addressed priuci-
pally to men IN the army, and which have
remained here some time mcallpd for (ui.
side large rectangular shed has been built
beneath which the larger boxes and barrels
some three or tOnr hundred in number are
retained until called for by the owners Not
WIthstanding the seeming confusion of the
place, the greatest order prevails Every
parcel is properly labelled and recorded and
Il single glance at the office book tells the
story o. each in a few words All the vacant
space is now filled, and new board house
OF peculiar architecture-somethi on the
hibernian ORDERS being built for winter
quarters The Express messenger leaves here
but once day, and then in the train ut
o clock a. NJ.
said there was no regular depot building,
but L am mistaken. There is Oup--;i low
dingy looking house, extremely dirty, one end
o. which Is used as the Tudor Han Post Ours
and the other rs a variety store, where. bv
the way, soldier can spend Il great deal of
money with as little satisfaction as in any
place this side OF Kansas and Nebraska The
trade here IS principally in matches, pipes
tobacco, shoe strings, thread and buttons
and is divided between this store and three
tier shops or tents ia the Immediate
vicinity. There Is Il long triangular platform
beyond the depot building. upon which is
piled a large amount OF freight, which Is re-
ceived for the different companies and regi-
menis Three or four srntineIs are cons family
a TtI mot N-iu tl.,V.f
enough to prevent about one tAird OF the
freight sent here from being stolen MANY
things have been taken during the present
Wtth, and hoN have Il list ia my pocket of
several barrels and boxes that have been
taken without the knowledge OF the freight
agent or the station master. 1t is very urceS-
soTY that better arrangements for receiving
freight he made, and Il more Vigilant police
system adopted. Soldiers cannot AFFORD To
loose the uecessaries which their friends lt
nome have 50 carefully provided and for
Ivdrtiei TO them.
Sack OF the hotel building is n small grove
which Is generally filled either with rents OF
transport wagons. y the eastern end of this
| j the Medical Pnrveyor's office, while still
further ou - a small white cottage occupied
by Mayor Cornelius Boyle, the Provost Mar
sh;I OF the post. Some distance away, but
sui within sight, are many farm houses
which, with their out buildings and barns
form an interesting feature IN the scenery
Although the place is generally called Ma
naSSa, the correct name is Tudor Hail. This
Is ManasSa Gap, but there is another Y ill4.,,.
OF the same name At the other end of the rail.
road, and It was found that there was often
difficulty having mail matter delivered cor
rectlY- Consequently, the citizens petitioned
10 have the name changed Ia Tudor Hall tht.
name OF ttir EIim upon which the present vii
lage Is built, This was done some five or SIX
years ago, bat still the place retains the name
OF IIaudss;t or MANASSAS Junction. 1t may
be unnecessary to say that ii is IN Prince vii
ham county, i've mile nom BreutsyiIIe The
county ste, and t~enty-stNeu miles from
Alexandria. It's five miles frolu Bun Run.
and about srN en- from the Z. Plains OF Mauas
81, where the battle of the 2Ist WAS fought
Ii may be that L am "carr,ing Goals Ia
Newcastle III speaking 50 minuttIy Of what
nearly every cody knows; but perchauce there
are some to whom the description, as met
gre as ii Is, viii be Interesting.
AT present there are but lev, troops clos, by
the junction, aS most of them are scattered in
order 10 get good camping grounds. ulart-
where good water can be found and good
i!eIGS for dIill aud exercise. The Ei.h ia
LOUISIANA IS clos" by the depot, AMI is now
engaged III guarding the town and ia dom ?
general picket and police duty. This diSa-
greedbie task they bear patiently aud with
our complaint ana, what i more they do
their duty Well. Their excellent band uIays
night aud morning, and while away
many twilight hour in listening 10 the sweet
songs of home or gems from Mozart and Ros-
SIM mingled with the soul stirring music of
Strauss.
The storm of yesterday has passed away
and pleasant weather has come once more.
The mud has entirely dried up ana the roads
are again pdSsablr, ana shall take the saddle
tomorrow for Il trip to The advanced lines
q NJ.