The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-01-07

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rapidity. The cavalry were moved dowr
from their position, drawn up in line, ane
directly a regiment charged, at grea
speed, and with shouts, upon the mag
mary enemy. 1t was grand sight, anc
abundanily repaid us for our journey.
We left the field about a o'clock, the
rattle of musketry, and booming Of can.
non, still going on On our return We
had an opportunity 10 note the appear
ance of the country, which is desolatt
enough. The woods which, before the
war, covered the face of the country, have
been cut down and removed. All fences
are destroyed land most of the houses an.
parently deserted. Near Halls Hill we
saw the ruins Of a house burned by the
rebels when they held Alexandria and
used to come within four or five miles oil
Washington. Fine residences seemed to
be going to dilapidation and ruin, and
there was every evidence that Virginia
has paid bitter penalty for her disloval-
ty.
On Sunday we attended church at
Rev. DR.. GURLEY's, old school Presby
terrain, aud certainly heard a very indiff-
erent sermon for a D. D. However, we
were compensated by the music, which
was good, and by good look at Presi
dent LINCOLN and his wife, who were
present. Mrs. LINCOLN is short, plump
and pretty, dressing richly, yet in excel
lent taste. The President is tall, angu-
lar, and almost as homsly as he is repre-
sented. He is built massively above his
ears. however, and has 8 fine eve. He
looked pale, but neither anxious or care
worn, we think.
In the afternoon we crossed the Long
Bridge, which is built partly Of stone,
partly of brick, and partly of lumber.
and is about mile in length 1t is real
ly long causeway Of brick and stone,
built over flat which the tide overflows,
with two or three draws over rs many
channels Of the river. A Massachusetts
regiment is now guarding it, sentries
being placed at short distances. Show
ing our passes, we were allowed to cross,
and wended our way-stopping to show
our passes several times-to Fit. Runyon.
about mile from the Virginia end of
the Bridge. This fort commands the riv-
Grand two roads leading form the bridge
as well as the Orange aud Alexandria R.
X, which i now torn up as far as we
followed it. 1t must have been a sorry
specimen of Railroad, being built oil
strap iron Of all widths. The fort mounts
eighteen 80 FOUNDER Columbads, and is
an earihwork Of considerable strength
Farther on was Fort Albany, n much
larger and stronger work. To the right
We could see the camp at Arlington, and
in various directions notifications with
heavy ornaments.
The number of guns mounted on the
line OF the Potomac, from Port Tobacco
on the South to Harper's Ferry on the
North, distance of some 60 or 20 miles
must be very great, for in our short ex
petitions, extending but some 6 or 6
miles, we saw nearly one hundred
Monday we visited the Navy Yard
| Patent Office, and Smithsonian Institute
They were all very interesting-the Ma
w Yard, with its manufacture of cannon
and ordnance, particularly SO. But to
attempt TO detail what we saw, and what
would doubtless be of interest to our
readers, would more than occupy the
space Of this lengthy epislle, which. we
fear, will fill the paper TO the exclusion
of much more interesting matter.
There seems to be, at Washington, a
tone of general dissatisfaction at the con
duct Of the war. The unnatural ten
derness with slavery-the apathy of the
army-the fear that much further
prolonging of the war will invite the in
reference Of foreign powers-the enor-
nous expenses of the army, here so ap
parent--the removal of FREMONT, con
demned as unjust as generally East as
at the West, and the most bitterly by
those who are in position to enquire
into and learn the facts-the entire
triumph of border State polcy-the
threatening aspect of gland-above
all the impotence OF the troops, who
want to fight and are not permitted,
seem to try the general patience,
though propped, as it has been, by tue
universal confidence in the honesty
and sincerity of the President. The
troops dread the idea of going into win
ter quarters, and the people dread the
effect upon them of such a movement.