The national Republican., 1862-11-04
From the Army Of the Potomac.

" nsoAo n'"a1o snSA"
From the Army Of the Potomac.
Scenes by the wayside-Fort Johnson
the Town scarcity Of Provisions.
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
LEEsBURa. Va, Oct. 81, 1862.
Your correspondent left Goose Creek Meet
ipe House Yesterday morning for this place. by
the way of the Leesburg and Winchester turn
pike, some eight miles distance.
The pike that we travelled on to-day was In
| first.rate condition -hard and solid-and from
appearances capital road to move artillery
on. The farms and dwellings on each side Of
| the road, with few exceptions were cozy and
genteel In appearace, and several might be
called lordly mansions
About halfway between Purcellvills and
Leesburg Is the little town Of Hamilton, or
Harmony, as 1t ia often called. 1t Is u very
nice and tidy place the houses being mostly
white frames, with green shutters, looking quite
genteel. As we passed through we could see
female faces peering OF us from within they
no doubt, with the usual curiosity incidental
| TO country folks and females In particular,
wondered who we were, and what our business
was along the lines.
We logged on, up hill and down dale; now
on the top Of high hill, from whence we
could see for miles and miles away In the dim
distance, until the far-off mountains in Mary
land locked like blue mist.
Within mile Of Leesburg, upon very high
hill, commanding the pike and the surrounding
country, we observed an old fertilization. This
II Fort johnson, thrown up by the rebels last
fall year ago, by the Mississippi troops, at
that time quartered in this region The works
are very creditable TO those concerned in con-
structing them. 1t was mounted with twelve
cannon when occupied, which was only for q
short term Of six months, and then abandoned
| TO its fate. II Ia built In the form OF star,
| with ditch on the outside The principal
barracks in the fort have been destroyed, but
those remaining are built Of heavy white oak
| logs, with earth heaped on the roof to make
them homb proof. The works are of earth,
thrown up over logs and stones. The plat.
forms where the gun.carriages were are of hard
clay, the rains net having domagvd them In the
From the parapet Of the fort the white tents
OF our troops in Maryland can easily be seen,
while the Potomac can be traced ior miles.
The whole country around Leesburg, from
this point, looks like one vast plain. Some of
our batteries on the Maryland shore, three
| miles distant, got the range of this point and
threw SHELLS directly in, often compelling the
garrison to flee out into the road for safety.
Leesburg looks much better in the distance
than it does upon nearer inspection. The
stores in the town are all closed, and, from ap.
pearances, might stay closed, for all they have
got to SELL The majority Of the houses are
| small and quite mean In their looks, yet there
are q number Of fine houses, of rather an an-
cient appearance. In fact, the town has un old
look about it-wide and arched alley way.
alongside the dwellings. The court house il
A a1l..
country church. This latter building is USED
O. Confederate hospital, now containing abou,
Q dozen sick and convalescent soldiers. In
another building, which had been used by the
IConfederates as an hospital, some troopers
were busy in throwing out filthy looking gar
ments and bedding, for the purpose Of hsnliDg
them away to be burned.
There appears to be more negroes in and
around this place than all the rest of the coun
ty. About Lovettsville and vicinity we did
not observe any Of the colored race-likewise
at Purcelville, except the servants connected
with our army.
There are some few Union people In Lees
burg, but the great msjority are strongly
secesh, and take no pains in hiding their con-
tempt for the "Yanks." We went into the
hospital, where the rebel sick arc, and when
we came out the ladies residing opposite had
to 60 over and see what We wanted there.
The citizens here complain that they have
been knocked about like unto shuttle.cock
First, the Federal cavalry would dash into
town, and after an hour. or two visit, would
leave, when the rebel cavalry would dash in
neither party holding the town. Several cav
airy fights have taken place in the streets, and
q number Of water.spouts, doors and windows
still show the marks of the bullets.
About six weeks ago, some forty shells were
| fred into the town by the Union troops. This
was done, as stated by the Union commander,
on account of the citizens firing on bis troops
Several houses we're completely riddled. The
hotel In which we are stopping had three shells
to pass completely through the house, while
one burst in the very chamber we are now
writing in, breaking furniture and scattering
bricks and mortar oil around. At the time Of
the shelling, there were fifteen wounded Union
soldiers In the hotel. The citizens complain
very much of this, and say that there was only
q rebel provost guard IN town at the time OF
the firing. There being always two sides to O
question, Of course we have nothing to say,
whether it was right or wrong; only one thing.
Whites guerilla band was not far of when the
occurrence took place.
Captain Means's independent company of
Union Rangers had fight in the streets OF the
town with the rebels. The fight was quite des.
perate for q time, both parties losing men.
| There IL not tne hilgntest particle oi bual-
ness being transacted In the town-even the
barber shop being deserted. The Loudoun
Hotel, at which we are stopping, has both Fed
eral ard Confederate soldiers boarding. They
seemed to understand each other, and get along
quite amicably.
Like oil other towns that our forces have
succeeded in capturing from the rebel hordes,
the inhabitants are cleaned out Of everything
in the eating line. The hotel proprietor got u
little coffee yesterday, paying $3.50 per pound
Whiskey sells at SIS per gallon; bacon 40 eta
per pound, and sugar $3.50 per pound.
E,XECUTIvE MANSION,
II NOVEMBER ., 1862.