Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-24
The Rebel Army OF the POtOmac>'-Gen
BeaureEaTd.
Correspondents Of the Ns- OrIssn, PioAyuns.

Correspondence Of the Ne- Orleans Picayune.
M,v,ss,s JUNCTION. (VA)July Z, 1s6I.-This place
still continues the headquarters OF the army OF the
Potomac There are many indications OF an intend
Cd forward movement the better to invite the enemy
to an engagement but the work of forthcstlons
still continues By nature, the position Is one OF
the strongest that could have been found IN the
whole State About half way between the eastern
spur of the Blue Ridge and the Potomac, oeIoW
Alexandria, itcommands the whole country DetWeen
so perfectIy that there is scarcely pOssiolty OF us
being turned The right wing stretches off toward
the headwaters of the OccOquan, through WOODED
country which is easily made lmpasslole Dy the
telling of trees. The left Is rolling table land,
easiIy commanded from the successive eleYalons,
fin Won reach q couRtry so rough and so rugged
that II ia defense to itself The key to the whole
nOsiton in fact is precisely that point which Gen.
Beaurepard choose for his Crnter and which ne mas
fortified so strongly that, IN the opinion OF the mil
tary men, 5000 men could there hold ZOOOO az
bay.
tpre herself 1t is succession of hills nearly eguI-
saaut from each other in front OF which IS raVne
50 deep and so thickly wooded that it is impossible
at two points, and those through gorges Wnich MY
men can defend against whole army IL was at
one of these points, that the Washington Artillery
were at first encamped, and though Olly hall the
battalion was then there, and we had only one com
panv of infantry TO support US, we slept as soundy
under the protection Of our guns as Il we had Oeeh
in fort Of the smplest dimensions.
of the Notifications supperadded here BY Gene
raj Beaureeard to those Of nature, 1t Is OF course
not proper for me to speak. The general reader'
in fact will have a sufficiently precise idea OF them
bv conceiving line Of forts some two miles IN ex-
tent zig gag in form. with angles saients bastons,
casemates and every thing that properly belongs 10
works of this kind.
The strength and advantages of this position at
Manassas are very much increased by the tact that
fourteen miles further on is position OF similar
formation while the country between ls admirably
sdaDted 10 the subsistence and entrencnment OF
! tro0ps in numbers as large as they can easny De
maneuvered on the real battle field. Water Is Good
and abundant forage such as Is everywhere iOund
j., the rich farming districts of Virginia ard the
communication with all parts Of the country easy
Here overlooking an extensive PLAIN. watered Dy
mountain streams, which ultimately nnd their way
IN the Potomac snd divided into Yerdant helos o.
! wheat and oats and corn. pasture and meadow are
the headGuarters of the advanced forces OF the army
| oF the Potomac They are South Carolinlans Lou
isIanians Alabamians, Mississppians, and Irg n
ans for the most part the first two singular
enough being in ont, and that they they VIII keep
IL their friends at home may rest assured Never
| have seen a fner body of men-men who were
more obedient TO discipline or bresthed more self
/ sacrificing patriotism.
As might be expected frcm the sSlIi win "hlc n
/ he has chosen his position and the system Win
yybicb he encamps and moves his men, General
| Beaurerard is very popular here. l doubt II Ma
noIeOn himself had more the undivided commences
/ of his army. BY nature, as also from wise poi
iay, he is yerv reticent. Not an individual mere
! knows his plans or single move OF regiment oe>
fore II is made aud then only the Colonel ana MS
men know where it goes to. There IS not man
! here who can give anything Ike satisfactory an
svyer how many men he has or where ms exact
| lines are. For the distance Of fourteen miles
| aTo,nd YOU see tents everywhere and from them
vo, can make rough estimate Of his men, but no "
yynaryy more are encamped on the by-roads and IN
| tbe forests none can tell. The new conner, from
what he sees at first glance, puts down the NUMBER
| ot abOut 50 600 men; those who have Deen mere
Irest estimate his force at 10000 10000, and
some even at co GEO strong And there IS the same
| discrensnv as to the quantity OF his artillery %
close does the General keep his affairs to mmseh
his left hand hardly knows what his right hanc
doetb and so Jealous is he Of this preTogauye oi
commanding officer that verify believe II ne sus
n. eted his coat of any acquaintance win ms plAl
revolving within HIM, he would cast It from him'
| Tho Geueral's headquarters IS little tarm hOusS
about fifteen feet by twenty ironing on Oe - Lli'
| -oo5s that lead to Alexandria The ground hoor 1
d1viFad into two rooms. The front one IS nilet
Ii,b desLs ct which clerks sit writing, or engaged
in business of varied character Inc DaeK one aP
,,sars To be used for stOrerOom ana klIchen AOOt
Inc sane division continues, and the front room
! a. Generals apartment 1t is about fifteen Zee
| ionr bv ten wide, and hung with maps OF the otaV
and countv around. In the center Is plain pint
tobIe on which he neatly folded up, what the Vls
tor would naturally take to be plans
FT=WnV
siJe r1i,itary reports. Every thins has the ar
oH+ross caolntss and mathematical calcuistioT
; OF course there is nothing in the roem out wns
| ,,oirs n the Office and to most eyes 1t would az
near somewhat bare, but what there IS Is arrange
with so much taste that the geheIal III - =
no means unpleasng.
The General is in his room the greater part Of tn
dav apparenty occupied with ms plans and report ~
Then hour after hour he sits alone by his neat ntI
Di1a table mans plans, and speclhcauOIs Delor
t;, ov5 large omen windows behind and arOun
bir, at first sight the cold, calculating unsymp5
tb;1ing mathematician. Every now and then an al
enters with report or message, Whlch Is ueI!Eere
IN r,;lftsrv style deliberately examined IN slenc
the corresponding order promply written out or d'
I7,sred in "a few words as possible, and our math'
! rnatical iceburg is alone again Hhen a VlsI'o
droDs in however, al leisure moment, the Iorna
tv Of the officer readily gives way to that easy Il
terchaDge of civii'ies which "harsc'erlLes Ou. II
ME at home but nothing more. Even at the taol
; when the General Is daily surrounded by the mo-
distinguished gentlemen Of the country there -
. pears to be distance which suppose Is n4,u[ai
his position but which IS rarely tound else"n
, / Tho leading characteristic of Gen. Beauregard
mind ia cIesrness of perception. Superadded
tbis ia strictly mathematical educauon' IhlsyO
500 in every word and look even IN the eXpressl1
" of his face Sines cosines, and tangents, suck O'
v everywhere. In person he Is s,enGeT' ous 'onPa.
p Iv bTilt and extremely neat Add 10 thls Pree
D., Sion of manner slightly modified by me ease "hlC
cbaracterizes the well-bred man OF the "orlu, a.
"A Won have a correct idea Of the man whose "ord
law and gospel throughout one OF the AreeSt o mo
N intelligent and best appointed MIhles e'SL @9'
, bled on the American Continent
a In his personal staff the General has been Pecu
L i,-i1 Fortunate They are principally from Soa
Carolina, the same he had with him at tlle s serge
Fort Sumter. all Of them accomplished ,aiscre so.
= gentlemen. of the most pleasing manners. Amoi
tbsn1 have been happy TO meet Col Preston,
Z. LONG a resident and so well known IN Loulslan
e whose genial society must be happy relief TO
severe iabors of the day. .
The Generals mess IS very mueh IA Neeplns W ~
his character. and simple enough tor Napoleon ~
saIf II is served on long pine table, set IN
open piazza Of the farm house, and all ms frlsn
are Hospitality welcomed 70 1t three times oa
The General sits nearly in the middle, ms aics i
mediatey side, and his latest gussLs IN On
other: the rest of the company as they may ehOO
- or Change TO seat themselves The viRuds are su
as the country around Affords only fhe rice y
in imported" and with it, suspect SCUM Osroi.