The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-31

OUR BALTIMORE CORRESPONDENTS.
BALTIMORE, Oct. %, 1856


Southern PieU Of TIE action al Eoards' Ftrry-foncn
| and Strength Of General Johnston's Army-7ac Rebels
EIpecs an Attack Their Potomac River Bakeries
OVERWHELMINGLY Orders 10 General Exams Before
| ne Hattie Of Leesbnfy--AR the Retet Movements Mar
Ls%seayy Ase feias 20 Induce Banks to C.oss7ae he
bs hi Make Stafd at Goose Cteei--Surqfies for
NE army al Washi'scr cSe,fng Through Bs,,iaote in
Order 10 Arofd the Ree1 Hattcfcs en- the Poerac de-
have learned Tho following facts to day from Southern
sources, IN regard 10 tho recent action Ieesbufg
Neither the occurrence Of the action tsef its result,
has made any change in tho plans OF General Johnston
The iorcos under the command OF that officer are row OK
tended over larger extent OF territory than fo nerly
but they arc thoroughly organized into corps da,m.e
and 80 arranged in divisions that General Johnston
by means of military telegraph and swift couriers,
can control the movement Of the whole mass or
any OF its parts. While the extremity of the right
WING IS stationed as far down Fredericksburg
Tor the support of the batteries the Potomac the rcg
men's ON the extreme left posted at Leesbug fifty
niles distant The entire rebel force which cannot BIO
less than $50 600 strong, posted between these
points The centre is at Manassas Junction. and tho
headquarters Of General Smith are at Aide General
Johnstons design Is TO draw tho Union army towards
Centrcyiie or Ball run 70 induce thcm Ed
wards Ferry at either Of which places he expects to
be able 70 defeat them. He will make attack upon
vi
upon tho defensive until attacked.
The vast preparations for great naval expedition 10
SSH from Fortress Monroc perfectly VOL known at
Richmond. Not only the OF all the vessels are
known taerc, but also the number Of guns troops
board OF each II not beloved there that the exre
diiom was to sail up the Potomac but in view of the
possibility OF such thsg General Johnston directed
two weeks ago, 10 hasten tho completion Of the line Of
river batteries to see aat they properly mounted
with cannon Of suitable range and cabro, and album
dainty supplied with ammunition and support them
in the by adequate military force. In accord
with csc nsructionwtte batteries the Potomac
completed, additional guns brought up from
Norfolk and Richmond furnaces heating hot shot
constructed at tho bakeries at Aqua creek aud
Shipping Point largo quant.y Of eleven inch shells
sent TO all se batteries ia which thcy be used,
aud 25 900 troops posted short distance back from
the line OF batcriss extending from the mouth Of the
0ccoqnaa river to She elbow Of s Potomac cast OF FIRE.
deyicksburg. After all these proportions had been
made. General 'obsston accompanied b. Ceaeral EeaL
regard and the STATS Of both officers made he tour Of
the batteries, and that everything readiness
Tho report of General Johnston nado Gcnes Cooper
at Richmond. after this visit, expressed tile con
dept belief that be VIII be able to hold these batteries
aud TO destroy with thn any Gotin however large that
may be sent against them. 1t is said TOO that number
OF ireships have been provided, aud lying
ccalcd in Aqua creek, Quanco creek and Powell river
They are merely odd huks containing barrels Of urpen-
tar pitch resin nnd Other coinbustibles The de-
sign inprovding them out in the river on
the approach Of hostile fleet and when they re near
enough, to set IRE 70 them and pencil, them drift
among the Union vessels. II we'll enough 10 be ad-
vsed Of this contrivancc, inorder tnguard agaris< it,
II is the belief of JEFF iavs aad cc Geacras Johns
much longer Inactive thattbey nrot strike btw
where on Tia rebel lines; and that, ut whatever
point they strike, the ra1els viii be able 30 defeat
them by concentrating larger forcs and by superiority
in artillery The Union army t,eH make the advance
by the way % Lncsbuig must cross Goose creek Par
ticuiar attention. therefore has bccu paid by General
Johnston TO the deenccs Of ns crees II is somewhat
broader ani deeper than Bull r,sl but its ha.ks
considerably higher Between It's mouth and Aide
fifteen miles crossed by les, than six bridges
Guiding The railroad bridge These s,dyes all stand
ing now but guards are atatsorsd al each enc with
orders destroy thcnin the Union army crosses
at EDWARDS Ferry aud lrrison's Island ia sslhcient
force 70 Lake Iecsbuig. 1he plans OF the rebels do
not include retaining possefeaon 81 that place il Is at
tackled with strong force. say 20 oaS troops Tsordes
gwen to Gen Evans, When hs placed in charge OF
leesbnrg TO induce the Union army under Gen.
Bnks to cross by fsgbiny 70 evacuate the place, If
pressed by superior force withdraw his vhoc
mand t. tho right bank. OF Goose creek, where Gen.
Smith would support HIM, With the whole OF tho rebel
lett wing. II, however, Gen. Stone alone should
cross, with not over 1920 troops, Cen Exams
ordered TO attack and driye linn back and promised
whatever reinoiceIants might be necessary The event
shows that he obeyed thadater order II, however Cen
Stone had had gbt enough have provided pom
toon bridge, andjad crIssed with his whole division the
result o! Mondays engagement would have been
very different, Tho siatcsnent that a. GEO adai.
tiuna troops lElya. seen sent 70 General Evans
since the battle IS incorrect The 1900 loops
those that ccuorod the right bank Of
creek the time d. t5G battle, and who stiH rem an
there. They VIII nq DC sou: across that stream in any
event Independent at them GEN Evans has 90 eco men
and AROUND IeeshuEg The forts which they are Greet
ing between hst Place and the Potomac, and the bac
rics that 81 r. tpgonlard TIA, stream ec0nsructed
after the fashion 81 tn bashear fort Munsen's Ell
and val be abaialael when attacke ~ that was Tic
fast stand Of any consequence which The rebels nteId
aake N that direction viii be made abe right bark Of
Goose creek between the mouth Of the ce,k AMI Aide
q ed
ancho- IN tho Potomac river, heow Matthias pon.,
loaded with valsb,e army stores owing to Tie reports
the effectiveness Ct the rebel batteries between bat
poiu and Ccekpt Point and tho risk Of their capture by
tho 1es was deemed advisable By tile Navy Ncratt
and the War Department the heads OF both II which
consulted on the subject, order the 10 sail
back aown the Potomac. aud ~ the Chesapeake TO Ba
these verses began to arrive here FridsS aud
they have been coming in evsr since. Up q THIS time
nearly forty vessels have arrived Among them the
steamers NrgIna, swan and taapsco, and schoon> Amy
lis Mary, Eurden Wemofe apes Moses, Bede and Va
degwoo The stores with which these vesseis va loaded
gere landed at Locus. pol', and immediately fcshippcd
board the freight cars OF the Baltimore ALL Ohio
Railroad. and taken to Washington by that route The
ABRAMS emcIts made by Wp. r. Smith, ESQ, tho lser
transportation Of bs road for The tralspor;ati Of
army supplies from this city 70 Washington, are aain
rable ana effective ard reflect the create 8, credit upon
that energetic dficec Au immense forcs of iaborers 8
employed, so that there IL not meMcnts delay ~
transferring the sagoes from the vessels 10 the cars
The trains are run cvefy hour, and balloon coul be
sent np over Annapolis JUNCTION. to get BIRDS
eye view Of the whole road from Baltimore 10 Waning
ton it would present the most extraordinary spectacle
seen on aay railroad. Every mile of tho route is
occupied by long train and all in motion at once.
Both at Washington and Baltimore great Iunbers Of
sdings and turnouts have bcen constructed so that
that are loading and unfolding not the way
OF those wing ard departing. This is the only
avenue OF communication with the national capital
PERHAPS these who have rfssently denied that the 70
was closed by the rebel batteries will believe
In addition TO these railroad trains there are two
wagon trains, hsty wagons in each train, which Leave
Baltimore daily, carrying freight TO Washington by tho
old wagon read. They make the trip in two days. This
retain to First principles locks odd enough these days
Of steam travel but In times Of resort must he had
every mode OF facilitating the receipt Of supplies for
the ariuy
The accounts that have received today direct from
officers engaged in the battle at Edwards Forty in
the carly part OF tho week, couGfm aud ccrrobo.
rac to every PARTICULAR the facts stated IL my last two
letters. have also boon PM IN possession Of some new
and highly interesting details, which explain those parts