The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-07
NEWS FROM THE LOWER POTOMAC,
OUR NAVAL CORRESPONDENTS.

Orr INDIAN HEAD, Potomac River, Oct. 80, 1861
Whdt he Rebel batteries are Doirg-Ar'irdl Of the Daion
Loyal Baltimore Skirpa-7he Truth Respecting ne
Rebel Baeries-Iio,o They Situated and Their En-
tnt-Where The Page is Lying, de-, &c.
For the last two three days, save harmless shot
and then from the rebel batteries Shipping FONT
and vicinity everything has been quiet the river DO
low Washington Nothing has transpred worthy OF a
Geographic despatch, and there has been very little
moving TO and fro On the part Of the ota. The Dawn
came down from Washington this morning. and is now
anchored is.
Tho rebel steamer George Page has removed so Ear up
Quanco creek hat she is longer dscernibc from the
river Her commander seems suspect that there is
rod in pickle for her whenever she shall please to make
her appearance and therefore he wisely prefers remain
ing snueiy cnsconced in the creek.
To-day the master Of Baltimore schooner accom-.
panied by three other men, on board the Yankee
and asked Captain Easmans opinion in respect to the
iikcihood OF his passing Quantco creek without being
moiested by The Page adding that he did not care y
for the batteries he drew very little water and could
keep well in to the Maryland shore He said he had
Commodore Cravcn's permission TO 60 down, if he would
venture He was anxious to get down TO be in Bal
tmore IN time for the ensuing election for Governor and
he meant to hoist that flag (pontng the new ensign
nearly as large his mansa then flying at his peak)
when the Union candidate is elected. Captain Eastman
gave the honest man reason sufficient to aay all appc
henson IN respect to the Page and he went board his
own vessel rejoicing, and declaring he would make the
tempt after dark adding that than let tho schooner
OF inc TeDelS, ne would lire
with his own hands and make his way to Baltimore by
land in time to cast his vote for the Union candidate
What is the matter with the Washington correspondent
Of one Of your city Journalist This gentleman with cha.
racieristio courtesy, says " Tho HERALDs story that
the rebel batteries exend twenty miles along tho
mac is a lie well told.', He then dogmaticay adds
" Tho fact is, that tho batteries extend only Ave miles
and are not SO formidable that they cannot DO
silcnccd." shall not initiate the style Of
the correspondent, I might easily retort
by saying that his lie at the commencement Of his very
next paragraph that the rebel Page has been
obliged to tako refuge in Occoquan creek does even
possess the redeemng merit Of being well told Tho dif
ference between the correspondent OF the HERALD and
your contemporary simply this that the former has had
close and intimate acquaintance with these batteries
from the time Of their erection Of those Aqua
creek dating from May last while the latter has always
kept al safe distance-somc fifty miles or so from
them II the man thinks they very harmless why
does he not come and lock at them hear them speak,
and report what they say Tho batteries, far they
are known to exist and without counting such nay
main masked, begin at Opossum Nosc that lire ex
tending four miles, TO Chapawmisio creek Below this
there Is gap Of eight miles to Aqua creek where
well known another line Of batteries begins, extending
Potomac creek distance Of six and three quarter miles
From Potomac creek to Matthias Point is distance OF
fifteen miles, in straight line or, following tic Of
the shore, seventeen miles. From the former place,
nearly to the latter, is o chain OF earthworks but
guns believed to be mounted These
distances were pricked 81 with the diyidcrs on
Phelps chart this morning. and have not been guessed at
With regard TO the batteries, repeat, have them
and more than once came near feeling them to some
purpose The man knows nothing about them but what
he has been told, what he magints-shal add in
VcntI liklng the batteries extending from
sums Nose to Potomac creek, with probable gap be.
tween, for which made allowance in previous communi
cations, line of batteries of nearly twenty miles is
clearly made out and this without taking into account
the works between Potomac creek and Matthias Point or
calculating on the strong probability of masked batteries
between Opossums Nose and FreesoIe Point in the op
positc direction.
One who Is free with the of the vile word on
ought TO be careful To speak the truth himself But the
ink with which he charged the Herald correspondent
with this vice is absolutely not dry before the said
tells the glnng nntruth Of stating that the Page Oc
coquan crcek-that is opposite Indian Head where the
flagship and the principal division Of the otia lying
A grave charge this against Commodore Craven
and the officers under him. The Page, as have
already stated, s in Quantco creek under the
protection Of the batteries there, and in coquan
creek, nino and half miles further up, where there
are no batteries and within easy reach Of several armed
this another se well toldo Your correspondent who
is on tn, spot, and for himself knows nothing
about the matter but gentleman all the way at WASH.
ngton is competent TO correct him. The fact is the
has got himself entanged among the two
horns Of dilemma. Either he exercises his inventive
acultiesor what purpose, sinister praiscworhy may
the subject he writes uponhc geography OF the river
the names Of places &c If he escape the latter horn he
must plead guilty TO deliberately vifyng the Comno.
dore and lis officers in accusing thcm OF permitting an
armed rebel vessel to pass their superior force II on
the other hand he lodges this then he STAMPS himself
as one incompetent TO write the affairs the Lower
iotomac and oil his reports in future whatever trans
pres on this river must be regarded untrue Let him
mi