The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-18

relieved here and there nv solitary formstead nestled
down N ,he deep ioge Right in front of YOU and only
Tour es ana nan away, in an air line the great steepe
OF Alexandria, banner crown ed stands up against the
clear sky Ihe town itself is obscured by an intervening
SUPP o. wopd'ana nat the works on Seminary Hill which
connahu ny approach can be with the naked eye
To the left of these lortnaons tho dome of the Capitol
hits its ponderous head from the white shoulders of the
city, winch slope away either side and farther still
the left the once proud ensign Of our discovered country
floats out over the tree tops where the fortified heights Of
Arlington bar the access Of Virginia to the seat of govern
mont winch her Immortal son formed
The country between Munsons Hin and the enemy's
ouworks is broken by low hills, which roll into larger
waves as they recede only half mile below us our own
pickes are outlying by clump of locusts which skirt
the road and by that large barn. half hidden liz the trees
and secrecy mile away, the group Of men whom We
see standing and sitting by their stacked arms are the
eyes OF the foes advanced guard Every now and then
pun OF white smoke jets up from bush wheat
rick in the intervening space and the sharp "ping" of
the Mimic rifle startlcs the ear The pckets are irving
hot shot at each other and keep ND this exciting duel
unnterruptedly The enemy have made great talk
about our barbarity in resortng to this practice but
this nothing more than their usual can't they never
lose an opportunity of picking OF sentres when it
can DC uone win reasonable amount Of safety.
MAsoNs HILL
We next visited Masons Hill an eminence about three
quarters OF mile to the right of Munsons and command
ing partial but clearer view of section the great
picture we had just been studying. From this spot
which Is also intrcuched, glimpse of the Potomac re-
Veas llsc and the works on Seminary Hi which loo
rather feeble from the first stand point out to be
rear nen ioFtihcatiohs OF considerable extent, and,
should think, some strength. The road 10 Masons lay
through hitherto almost unraveod forest; sometimes
our prldlo pain turned abruptly round the edge of
steep precce or ran straight up the face the heavily
wooded NM and once came suddenly on a gorge
whose perpendicular and rocky sides made us hold our
breath as our horses cautiously us down into the
dark ravine at whose base turbulent little stream CUR
gied over It's stony bed.
THE ADVANCE OF THE REBEL. FORCES
correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch Sept. 101
MANASSAS, Sept s. 1861
Early yesterday morning eight thousand of the federal.
marched up to Mluson's Hl which our men were forti
itlnlp IN Iislod n,tr
vance consists Of iongstrcets and Bonhas brigades
stationed near each other and close by MGnsons Hill
Lngsreet force composed Of the First Virginia reg
mon, commanded by Lieut.. Col Fry in the absence of
Col Moore, who was wounded at the battle of the 18th
The seventh Virginia, Col Kemper Lieut.. Col Williams
and MAJOR Patton; the Eleventh Virginia Col Garland
the Seventeenth Virginia, Col Corse Georgia regi
ment attached at present. and several pieces of artillery
Second, Col Kershaw the Third Col Cash the Fourth
Col Sloim and the Fifth, Col Williams.
FARsAx CouRr HOUSE, Sept g. 1851
Inc recent advances against the enemy which have
beeh carried so lar rs To anlrd us now sight Of their
Capitol the capturing, Killing and pursuit of their scouts
and the hourly invitations To battle pressing in their
character as 10 remind one of the cruel bull fights among
the Spanards, when the POOR brute after undergoing the
greatest torture and almost exhausted infatuated for
the last time by having Haunted in his face "a bood-red
flag, at which he rushes urousy upon his tormcntors
and is stabbed to dcah-a prove that the Grand Ar
my VIII not again give us battle, or even combat until
pressed TO the very wall Notwithstanding the important
advantage OF much closer proximity to their bo
dy by which their engaged forces could be more rapidly
swollen than ours they have been driven from all their
otosis IN forced TO take shelter under the cannon of
Arlington and Alexandria. Nor will the terror stricken
brute allow himself 10 b. made mad although the red
flag Is daily flung in his face.
fhe impression prevails among officers and men, in
camp and elsewhere that armies remain idle but
few days longer and that bloody lighting is ahead.
General Blalregard and staff passed through Fairfax
court onsc day or two ago and visited the vicinity OF
Falls Church before returning to Manassas.
The long range Enfield guns with which the skrmsh
lhg companies Of the enemy are supplied, give them
great advantage over pclets and yesterday Tn
shoto,gh tie heat al he distance IF haf
,niie ard infCHfiykikd.
Three Confederate officers passed through Fairfax Court
House this morning route Washington he bearers
supposed, ei communication fran government at
Richmond.
THE CHALLENGE.
from the Richmond Despatch. Sept. 10
Tor ten days at least our generals on the Potomac have
offered battle to the enemy They have done more, they
have made the tender with every circumstance insult
aud provocation They have tei.an r"aeeseia" g
nences commanding the oncmys fortcatiOns and they
have red the lag Of the Conccracy in full view Of the
White House and the Capitol. They have done all this
with IMMUNITY. Theeuemy has exhibited symptom Of
resentment lie has meeky pockced the insult and re-
fused the challenge.
The whole country was on tp-toe of expectation week
ago great batte but the battle has not been fought
for the enemy has acted on that prudent MAXIM dis
erection is the better part OF valor.n He lies close within
his ntrcHcnncnts, and listens with complacency If not
Win tfnut,ul' 70 the music OF our bands paying tho
provoking air Of "Dxen The power that proposes in
Sado and ubugac the South submits 70 be becaeured in
its own capital, and While Boosting its ability, not only to
carry its designs upon the Souh with execution, but TO
H.
Puish any lnyIiel1ncJ i ~ .s qr a on ,e plt oi
EuioE y uitpie 70. " i ~ W. nay INSULTING
" pahlca uloei inc hose VI 10 IfCsiIent
baas'ins tuoiNusI! ost"Hcu uhy VI huiufcd
ho1sau incu a. ouu W. sc'1 VI boNtinich' auu pro
caimhg tt ,iic ooutncih oioes arc sthIeu, hch os
tohtehleu anu o'teini'oU III huiocr 1t na no. INC
Cou 30 toae.ops .uoii U.'Se ~ p'o, ~ nv ioi
us honor or 10 punish mos, earihg peGe Of isoehce
me acc ptanCc % our cI'hcIe " pattc WoIu seem 10
be ced lot NOT less D! uue saSe u pIuo man Ny ,nc
OF me oce son ny tne moving forward OF
our hls 10 poihts 50 heal '1l 1"i, ui py ,io ecu
patton Dy our flght h''lk Oh le pam o. NC ioloac o.
the Dte EoNse III oree we plocnaac mat river, nna
prevent all lurter access 10 te CaPl," ny WAFER we
ti0h cone t'ioi', " o s'bo >, ~ oro'ins ''i
der one OF their largest ana most important navy yards
Sii, va e., yIio,iiGrnnt n ebnct Of ,y,,or nc ,bo
Potomac and the utilizing Of valuable navy yard as
that o! Washington Is worthy OF pac. Their papers
,oi Nv" ;,, ;n, r hJs irahia L. ,rppn,rations
,, ~ .s,,rarI ,noTcinont o,r own @ennrae
- "o.i, , c ar, thoso ,rsachero"s .er,as'aS
- Tth ava e'n,,sod ,o ba,,o cact Tho Vanines
Nv a. I,i nm and now stand in The omen GeL
~, n hi ON terms the couaIitv Of which cannot he
49,, - 1,i1 ali thcir 6nreided nrcnorotinna c,r