The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-19

eome prisoners were taken. and among them.
ionnd in the cellar, was a minister and four
mohsh. 1he'women were released, but the
ilNrson was sent to our rear, evidently to the
great d'stress OF the.weepiug fem ~
Near this house Col. Adams, m amateur
hshter from Mssissippi, saw Yankee en-
. asorahg u cut tbs trace of harness, in
oreteF 10 get a horse from an ambulance to
run away with Col. Adams advanced upon
MN, and with his unloaded gun frightened
AWAY the Yankee, and drove the ambulance
hastily out of danger. Two good horses were
secured BY this feat.
: a shortdistance beyond Miners was house
owned by free negro, in which it was ru-
mored eight Federals We're concealed in the
cellar. Capt Rosser and Mr.. Sanders an
independent scout, from Mississippi, went
forward To make a Reconnaissance, an then
returned for reinforcement Is, but before they
could return the FederalS had tied. Halls
house was some three hundred yards from
here, and still occupied by the gal liant soldiers
on the Grand Army. The howitzer was
again brought forward and Il shell thrown
upon the premises, which drove the enemy
out alter hrirg a lew scattering shou. The
infantry then advanced, and by order OF Col
Stuart the house was fired In u few mo-
ments II was mass of snouldering ruins. r..
Two dead bodies, and one man mortally
woulued, We're found on the field. The'n next
morning two more dead bodies were found in
the wood-haHing been killed by the expio-
son Of shell. On our side there was ''no-
During the skirmish the Federalists sent
up their balloon to reconnoitre, whereupon
our force hastily ran into the thicket and
coppices to prevent the real
force being seen, and afterwards most of the
lighting was done from these coyerts
Thus ended this brilliant little skirnish and
having gained the object desired and having
no Intention Of trying to hold the hill, Col.
Stuart Withdrew his force. BY it we gained
the following points LIST. The Yankees were
taught a lesson for their i'm pudence in press
ing npon our outposts. "a. Our line OF pick.
cts was Strengthened and better positions
gained. Sd. fhpiY observatory was burned.
TO these may be added the fact that the house
stroyed 1 - s' ~
From the point from which am writing
the Potomac is in fun view and occasionally
the White sails OF ships or the smoke stacks
OF steamer can be upon it. Beyond Il
long and magnificent valley the cupola OF
the Capitol iii Washington is visible.
~ xra- eTsat' tIsM. !.
Back a. Manassa--Heary Firing Heard-Iupyored
State Of Health" Our Opn" Sereaaded-Proycssor
MANAssA, Sept. Is, 1851.
Living on the outposts may be very int
espng and very exciting, but a man will occa-
sionally need = change Of linen, and will have
desire to 60 to bed in the usual manner,
without the certainty OF being Obliged to get
into the saddle ia precisely four minutes from
the time he Is reused from sleep by volley
OF " usketry. He will also desire to read u
newspaper before it is four days old and be
gratiled TO walk about little without hav-
ing minnie balls singing about his ears, As
pleasant as idleness and ease may be, how
ever, there Is charm about the wild life OF
the adv ance that binds an adventurous spirit
to IT, and must confess that only the lamen-
Ia bic fact OF being reduced to the last clean
shirt brought me again to Manassas, and to
tie task OF enduring Is present daily routine
OF dizziness. -.
On leaving Fairfax yesterday morning, very
heavy firing was heard in the direction OF
Arlington, which some supposed TO be from
Fort Corcoran and Others from point lower
down the river. l listened atlen lively for
some time I'd hear the reports OF our field guns,
hp1.icHld not distinguish them, and concIud-
ca ,.4.,t he foderals We're either firing Il sa-
~ 20, Il were engaged In their usual morning
occupation of firing at a target. After a
IliA% lie rumors began 10 come in and the
auI.' her, variety, improbability, i'm possibili-
~, aud the magnitude Of them was truly as
tonisring. One man said the Yankees were
Smelling Halls hill from Arlington Heights
that was good, since we do not hold Halls
hill. Another sa I'd we had been driven from
Mnnson's hill and had lost all our artillery;
another, that he distinctly heard the sound of
evident to every one that q great light was
going on and that somebody had been s'cut to
pieces" 1t was plain those heavy gums
meant something. On inquiry at headuuar-
tiers l could not learn any thing unusual, and
SO proceeded on my journey. On reaching
Centreyille, l was told by a man who said he
had just come from Fairfax, that he could
hear the rattle Of small arms distinctly in The
morning, and that fifteen thousand m IN were
eagsged III lighting fifty thousand Yankees
- Is that reliabie2" said q fussy- looking by-
stander." "Certalnly it isl was the reply;
i have just come from the Court House and
heard it myself OF pops "fussy- ilttl. by
stander," and in two minutes the village
knows the alleged fact as generally as if the
town crier had repeated it in the street after a
sonorous 80 yes" 1t WIS useless to contra
diet the story, for one only received look
Which repeated plainly enough Mr.. Samuel
Weller $ lyon re green 'un'i for his trou BILE
What the tale was when it reached here can
be better imagined than described; but there
is one pleasing fact connected with it, and
that is that the yeracious passenger on the
train from Manassas" did not carry the i'm
mense f;alsehood to Richmond
AS there have been no Skrmi shes to record
and as there is general dearth of matter to
write about, l mast fall back on items and
give you what few the wet condition Of the
streets will allow me TO pick up.
The health of the companies is very much
improved, and the daily trains come in filled
with volunteers who have recovered from
sickness, owing TO the country air and the
tried attention of the good people who have
nursed them IN the farm.houses. All the
regiments are filling up rapidly, and unless
some epidemic breaks ont like the measles 1
see no reason 10 suppose there will be more
sickness this winter than is usual where SO
many men are collected. 1t is 4 mistaken
iduI that our troops cannot stand the cold
weather., for, II they have proper tents and
comfortable clothing they can stand il rs
well the United States soldiers did the
severe cold of Utah three winters ago
Ilearn that the Sth Louisiana Regiment
which has been 80 long stationed near the de-
pot to do picket and police duty, has received
will be relieved by a fresh regiment to NOR.
row, which will take the same old Camping
ground with its many nice improvements,
in the way Of hospitals, outhouses, bakeries,
etc. gEa .-ss .5<tiss}0 ra~ 49,
The cars come in loaded with freight every
evening, bringing hundreds of boxes for the
soldiers, sent by their kind friends at home
l regret TO hear so many things fail to reach
their destination, but hope the railroad COM
pany will take measures 70 prevent any fur
ther losses. [ -
IA few mig hts ago your 'own,'' in connection
with his friend '.PersOnne,' We're the reci-
pients of a serenade, but unfortunately were
from home on the interesting occasion. The
Nicksburg Southrons, from whom the honor
came, have their hearty thanks, and they are
proud to say that the ladies who heartf their
delightful music, speak of them in highly
complimentary terms. The latter has nice
little speech prepared should another occa-
sion offer for its delivery, while your GOWN
is studying book of poeticaF quotations
to bolster him up in case he should break
down. 4 v.6zt
stepped into the general hospital this
morning and was gratfhed TO find two or
three Of the rooms entirely eWpty. Consid-
ering the crowded state in which / saw them
for q month after the battle, the changed ap-
pearance was very pleasing. A few cases
only are now under trea tment and they are
all convalescents. ea= 'F~ - @
A few nights ago, Prof. loves balloon
went up so high that 1t could be distinctly
seen ut Fairfax G. H. A great crowd soon
reflected to stare at it, and opera glasses and
telescopes were in as much demand as bits Of
smoked glass dur ring an eclipse.
The weather to day has been exceedingly
cs.pricious, and since morning we have I'm
gered between smiles and tears. Sometimes
tn, rain fell in torrents. and beating heavily
gai'st the w:ndow-panes and under the
door sills, H. ..de little riFulets the floor -
h.. ga " mir iafu and