Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-13
FROM MANASSAS.


they are all gone now; for miles around we have
an unhroken view. On the hills around are the
camps still left. and column OF smoke away on
to the right indicated that Manassas was on are.
Our cavalry had gene there during Monday night,
and found the rear of the enemy still there; but
they were firing the remaining property. A cap
tain, by whose side we rode, told us Of piles OF
new secesh clothes, swords, flags, &c; gallopiDg
ahead of the rest, we reached the Junction.
The sight here cannot be portrayed; the large
machine shops, the station houses, the Comms-
sary and QuarteTmsster stoTehouses, all in ashes.
On the track stood the wreck Of locomotive, and
not far down the remains Of four freight cars
which had been burned; TO the right 500 barrels
OF -four had been stove in, and 200 barrels Of vim
egar and molasses had been allowed to try expe-
riments In chemical combination. Some 80 bar
rels of pork and beef had been scattered around
In the mud, and few hundred yards down the
track dense cloud OF smoke was arising from
the remains Of factory which had been used for
rendering up tallow and boiling bones About
thousand good hides were stretched in i field
close by, upon stakes, and remain uninjured.
a car upon the track, which ran to Centerville,
short distance up, had on II the whole effects
of Printing Office, types, cases, all that Is
needed In an Office; large lot Of paper and
Washington press. The forms had In them
blanks for muster rolls and furloughs. This car
will be great prize for the regiment into whose
hands II falls. An infantry regiment soon came
in and commenced to raDsack the tents aud re-
manning stores, for plumber and relics, but the
printing office remained untouched
single frame shed was left Of the ordnance
depot, and in ii are five thousand cartridge boxes
and kpapsacks mostly, however, old ones for
which new ones had been dealt out.
The hospital stores In the tents of the Seventh
Carolina Regiment were south Of the II abroad
and were uninjuTed; they contained hundreds Of
sheets, bedding, blankets, underclothcs, medi-
cinGs large quantities of preparations for making
jelltes and soups, mostly made In the North.
In one OF the tents was large lot Of blue uni
forms never used; several hundred tents and tent
poles many entirely new; shoes, and stores Of all
kinds But one man was 10 be found in the
neighborhood his name was William Howard,
and in bis pocket he had pass from Gen TYLER
dated last June, allowing him to go TO Alexan-
dria- He lived near Arlington Mills, and was
taken up soon after the battle Of Bull Run, and
has been kept at work by them ever since He
was very anxious to get back, and gave us infof-
nation that showed how regularly and how the
Rebels received news from Washington via Alex
andria, they having one man who has made from
two to three trips, with letters and papers, a
week, passing our pickets at night.
The Rebels, 1t seems, have been going for a
week, in fact, for month, as none returned who
went away. He says that about forty thou
sand went down the railroad on Friday, Saturday
Sunday and Monday This, with the sixteen
regiments Of artillery and cavalry from Center.
Vile, would make al army of ffty-six thousand
for the last week. This stat ement tallies with
everything we have been able TO learn from diff
fereRt sources.
The retreat was well conducted in quiet way
until NJ onday noon, when the rear guard became
panic-strick ken and fed in confusion he railroad
bridge below Manassas fred about noon by
mistake. and when those remaining heard Of IL
the last remaining engine, which could have "a.
ken all the best Of the stores was blswn I'D and
the cars fred. Then they scattered every man
for himself, and in the panic but part of the
buildings were fired, and but part Of the tents;
among the "left'' were dozen caissons-the
horses belonging to them having died therefore
they could not take the guns by the common road
The rebel army Of the Potomac, from all an.
pearances, has been at times strong In numbers
.k.ol M
hundred and fifty thousand men, but we much
doubt If they have had over one hundred and ten
or one hundred and twenty thousand Whether
they could have been cut of last fall or this win
ter, or could have been driven from Manassas In
confusion at any time, is not for us to decide
Such as they were they have gone hence Contra
bands coming In tell US that they said they will
make a stand at WarIcnton for The present but
will not fight this side Of Gordonsvilie, and will
force us &c come 20 their mountain Businesses 10
meet them
The Rebel General Stuart was at Gainesville
last night, with the rear Of his army moving
swiftly on, impressng all the slaves, and driving
them on to work on the new Qualifications Mum
hcrs Of msn suspected OF Union sentiments, have
also been carried away.
This morning about ten, the first bridge north
Of Manassas Junction was fred, on the road TO-
Strssburg, via Manassas Gar. The smoke could
be distinctly seen from here After a while an
other fire showed that another bridge was going;
and 50 on, until near two O'Clock, did the Rrcs
succeSsively start up The last one was burning
near Manassas Gap al y M The read is con
seqsently destroyed. The work was done by
the party starting from near the Junction, and
riding rapidly along, firing each one In success.
sion
TANNING THE RAILROAD AT VIENNA
This morning Capt Scheetz, Typographical
Engineer, attached To Gen. McCaIl's sta A. pro-
ceeded to Vienna, distance Of some three miles
for the purpose Of examining the railroad at that
point. He found hat the track had been torn m
about mile this side of Vienna This jniurv
~ hal hnne IN tha hid L
repaired Tomorrow under supervision Of the
Captain.
MORE coSTRABANps
This morning, some nine contrabands came
within our lines. Seven Of them belonged 10
MIR. Harrison, who lives four miles beyond Hay.
market, In Prince William county, fifteen miles
from Manassas. One Of these negroes worked I'm
June last upon The fort at CentIeville.
sEcEssIoNIsTs ARRESTED
Later In the day our pickets arrested four seces-
stonists, named Lewis Johnston, his nephew
Horatio Lamon, and man named Allen They
were brought to Gen. McCall's headQ uarters
Johnston is the man who entced several SOL
diers into his house for the purpose of giving
them food. After receiving their money he be,
trayed them into the hands Of the rebel troops
These men were all arrested near Walters mills
near Vienna.
THE LATEST FROM FAIRFAX
FAIRFAX Court HOUSE, March 1--we have
here, as prisoners, one second lieutenant two
corporals and eleven privates Of the LIST regiment
p
Station, on Sunday morning last. They had re-
Ieved the 18th Virginia regiment only half a
hour before the skirmish, and were picketinp at
the time Of the capture. They are as follows:
Lieut.. Joseph X. Stewart, graduate of West
Point.
Corporal Edward Shears, who was wounded
badly by bullet in the thigh He was carried
away In blanket. Private Severn Is from Har-
per's Ferry. Thos. b. Angel Is from Washington:
10 broiher-in-law of WIN. Ripley Government
contractor in Washington Angel was formerly
Government contractor himself, and afterwards
enlisted In Winchester. John H. burst Is from
Maryland. Ernst German, Harper's Ferry Jas,
McManus is an Irishman-he Joined the Rebels
voluntarily, and declared that he will give the
Yankees " their rewardn IL he can get chance.
Half dozen Secessonists came In Yesterday
morning and gave themselves up to our pickets,
near Manassas. They belonged to the same regi.
ment.
coNTRABAEDs AT sANGsTERs STATION.
sANsTER's STATION, March ~, A. M.-Contra-
bands continue to come in from beyond Manassas
and report great decentralization In the Rebel
army, Gen. Sumner employs all az servants who
Will remain, and passesthe rest to Washington.
The whole line Of march 10 this point Is one
picture Of desolation.
AFFAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA