The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-12-04
Tbe Tar I'm virginia.

!" CHhNTILLY, Va. Nov. 80, 2. m.-Briga
dier General Stahl has just returned. He at
IF tackled the enemy at Smokers Ferry, and 70
= Iowed them with 800 cavalry into their camp
: on the other side of the river, and near Berry
< Vile Our men charged splendidly wheneve
! they met the enemy. Whites cavalry was dri'
en- in ell directions. nearly all Their officers cap
& turcd, aud their colors taken. White himse
fled and hid in house in Berryvile. The &c
18Th and 18th Virginia cavalry were also attack
ed and routed, and forty of their men, wit
, their horses, were taken and fifty killed an
wounded, and two colors taken. One WACO
load of pistols and carbnes was picked up OF
he road thrown away by the flying enemy
{ Eighty cattle and eighty horses were ais
! brought in.
Our loss in killed and wounded is about ff
} teen. Gen. SLahl reports th ere is brigad
under Gen Jones at Winchester, hut that Jack
sons main force was at New Market last Wed
nesday, as reported previously.
TSigued, L SIGEL, Major Geu.
new YORK, Dec. IA Herald special, dat
ed headquarters army Of the Potomac Nov. 81
says:
Considerable excitement has been occasion
ed by the circulation of report here, that g
proposition has been made by the rebels for an
4rmistice of thirty days, and that Lee was al
ready III Washington arranging terms of the
agreement mo cIeoebce IL pun III WIS i"liiOi
however.
The rebels are working with redoubled vigOr
| on their Notifications, and tt er cavalry oflate
have been very active, and have captured a
number Of cur pickets along the :ords Of the
| river, bes ldes two companies of the Sd Pennsyl~
wanna cavalry at Harwood Church.
Longstreef commands the right and Hill! the
left of the rebel force confronting us.
| Deserters coming within our lines report
| that a large body OF their forces has been de-
| facbed and sent off either to Richmond or 70
reinforce StonewaH Jackson
These reports must be received with great
caution. however
Ou cavalry have captured numbers of rebels
along the river below his place.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
November %, 1862
The railroad from Aqua Creek was complet-
ed Yesterday, and a locomotive came down this
morning. Supplies will be received by rail
hencetorwarJ A little more than week ago
Lieut.. Col Pettes, of the goth New York Ten
gineer btigade), landed at this place from a
bark, 100 men of his command, to repair the
railroad. rebuild the wharf &c On the previ~
Gus day a small body Of rebel partisan cavalry
had paid us a flying visit, striking terror to
The. hearts of a number of coQtrabands who had
concentrated here to obtain transportation to
land of freedom. Colonel Pettes found the
place desolate and dreary, bearing only the
vestiges of the recent conhagration. Not know
ing how near or in what force the rebels might
be- Col Pettes posted his pickets and placed
the rest OF his men inside the ruined walls of
the engine house, to prevent nigh; attack. -
On Tuesday he sent out accommodating par~
ties, and during the day was visited by de
tao ment of New Jersey cavalry.
Previous TO leaving Washington Col Pettes
had dispatched ponto0n train via Alexandra
and Occoquan for use on the Rappahannock
When the train arrived at the latter place the
roads had become impracticable from the rains
and the mud, and the pontoOn bridges were
there transferred from land to water, and ia
ken thence to Bell Plain the nearest land trans
porting point to Fredericksburg. On Tues
day Mr. Wright and a corps of mechanics ar
rived. and assisted by the engineer corps under
Col Pettes, Immediately commenced whartng,
bridging. and repairing the railroad. The wharf
and the bridge near Brooks Station were conn
pleteG, and the telegraph corps under Mr. Nc
Caudless had extended their wires to this point,
CONNECTING the line with the headquarters of
Major Gen. Burnside and his grand division
commanders.
The correspondent of the New York Tribune
writes what has been done at Aqua Creek in
a week. time. Thousands OF tons OF army sup
plies have been landed in barges and floats, un-
"a
A, AID forwarded hence to different points,
Extensive frame warehouse are now being
erected. and locomotive with train of plat
form cars was landed on Friday. and made a
zip down the road this evening. All these OPP
e. ations were protected by the presence OF three
gunboats ana mortar Schooner
In seven days time, this place recently so des-
oiate, is now AS densely populated and presents
as active as appearance as the river side OF
populous city. -.
The bridge over the Potomac Creek is now
he only obstacle to steam communication with
the headquarters Of the army opposite Fred
ericksburg, and this will be removed within
the next forty eight hours. The almost impas-
sible state of the roads from Aqua Creek and
Bell Plain renders this connection Imperative
ly necessary for the transportation of army sup
plies. Almost every tarm~hous for miles around
has been deserted by It's occupants, who evl~
DENLY fed southwark on the approach of Maj,
Gen Barnside's army. leaving in most cases
then hocks and herds behind. which naturally
fall 70 the tender mercies'' of our soldiers.
Lamb, mutton, beet, veal, pork and poultry,
Consequently are abundant and cheap, and
form staple dishes on the rude tables of Ihe
camp.
THE SITUATION BEFORE FREDERICKSBURG.
Washington Cor. Cincinnati COMMERCIAL
The contending armies being now brought
face - lace, the ques ion arises, whether they
viii fight decisive battle from their present
POSITIONS Synps oms Of both aggressive in~
tentionS on The par of General BurHsides and
of a disposition for a rigorous defence OF Fred
ericksburg on that Of the enemy. are manifest.
1t is evident that the issue lies with General
Burnside, and that he either considers him
self unable or unwilling TO open it immediate
~. If he was ready for an Jack, 1t would be
difficult to discern reason for its postpone
nent, as every hour strengthens the enemy's
means of defence From what | know OF the
condition Of his army, am satisfied that he
is no ready for any offensive demonstrations
and he will not be until the railroad from Aqua
Greek is in running order and has satisfied his
various wants. and that no stirring news will
reach the public from the Rappahannock before
he end of the present week if then. The need
of our artillery against the rebel position, a.
least, will not be Commenced until there is a
certainty of ready replenIshment OF the am
muDiton to be expended
Upon the whole, public expectation, here
raised SO high at the time Burnside went from
Warrentou, is now much less hopefut than
week ago. Nor has the general confidence in
he state of matters on the Rapr ahaunock been
Strengthened by the intelligence, spread through
the city yesterday afternoon, that The President
had undertaken another of his ominous Visit
10 the amy.
Doletul accounts continue TO reach us as TO
the hardships endured by Burnside's soldier
from the continued cold, wet weather and the
already mentioned shortness Of provisions aud
forage. information of The most positive char
acter has revealed the fact of intense suffering
III General Burnside command by both man
and beast, from the want of supplies.