, 1862-03-07
GENERAL >BAl(k$'s :eelvbM

GENERAL >Bklks's eatVl, !:
THE PAssAaf or THE POTOMAC.
tatsrss.1as Iaa!z.s* *fna: !. ~. .Hlls9s*'=.
EFmn the phtlada1phia 1aqutzE, March u 81: ..'::.
In aecordaaee with p4siss xih33eh Il present It.
e not advisable to exp}alnt 1t.-Was dee4ded at,
Waahtugton that m sdvznca 1auveMen&o& OF: the
extreme light wing Of -the MmY, stati0eea:a Ut
sndneaE sandy Hook md 1Mde!ick ,undm0eu
ted the spot, and the details having been IL
ranged, the early part Of last week was chosen
for the contamination. -----
On Monday, February q, Econeentration OF
troops took place at Sandy Hook. BIZ tenn
ponly structure thrown scroea the Potomac,
crossed e; the opposite sfdiree,, and occupied
:: Tie construction Of pontooin brfdge was
commenced, but owing to the swtftness Of the
current aud unavoidable delays, It Waa not m
ta Wednesday evening that Il was sufficiently
The pontoon bridge. on Wednesday and
Thursday, was in continual use, and stood the
test Of the heaviest burdens. It was thrown
ACROSS the river: about three hundred yards
above the piers of the railroad bridge destroy
ed By the rebels: It WAS about thirty feet in
Width, one-thlrd OF mile in length, and CON
sisted OF plankB placed upon anamberof small
boats stationed with their bows to the current.
+: 4 few Temporary disarrangements OF the
planks occurred, but beyond this, aud the
Drowning Of several horses. he passage Of the
ofpTopefty was confined to the apsetting Of
an army wagon loaded with grain, the :occu-
Eant making bis escape sitter chilling bath.
The bridge was reached, on the Sandy Hook
side, by short md steep road, made By dig
giDg away portion Of the railroad embauk-
ment. On the opposite shore sharp ascent
led to the principal street of the town Of
Harper's Ferry. Those OF the Inhabitants Of
this place who remained (and they were many)
seemed to take hut little interest in the move
mem, now and then visiting the river banks
l. On "Wednesday, Gen Mcclellan, accompa-.
MED by biz staff and q bodF-guard Of fifty reg
ulats, left Washington in q special train, con
sisting Of Two passenger and sufficient num-
her OF freight cars to accommodate the horses
Of the party. He reached Harper's Ferry in
time to witness the principal part Of the ope-
rations. -:
The crossing continued until Saturday
morning. On Friday afternoon the bridge re-
| quired repairs. and temporary check was the
| result, Gen Mcclellan left the spot On Fri
day evening at O'Clock, in the special train
! already alluded to, in charge Of Mr. Diffy,
| train-1naster Of tho Eastern Division Of the
I! Baltimore and Ohio Railroad He reached
Washington about O'Clock On Saturday
The scene at Sandy Hook during the arrival
| Of the troops vas almost indescr1bab1e. The
| freight cars, for in these the soldiers were
obliged to travel, were lifted up as well as cir
cunlstances would permit, with straw and
wooden benches The trains followed each
| other IN quick succession, and generally
knr1
all the paraphernaIia. These trains occupied
every foot Of the three tracks at the base OF
the mountain opposite Harper's Ferry, ex-
tending in length nearly 4 mile towards Balti-
| more,
The wind upon Thursday, Friday and satur.
day last was exceedingly cold, sweeping
around the base Of the mountains and down
| the valley of the Upper Potomac with great
force. In the face Of thls, tic unloading oi
the cars vas conducted, and the transfer oi
heavy boxes Of cartridges, barrels Of flour,
army stores, officers baggage, and the count:
gaged thousands Of b1ue-coated volunteers,
WHO had found no opportunity for repose fo1
twenty-four hours, in many cases forty eight
hours. There was not a murmur, however:
and the army wagons, stationed at every
leighboring spot where mules could obtain :
tooting on fhe bank above aud below the rail
road track. were loaded as fast as possible
aud the drivers, with a yell and crack O.
the whip, urged the animals down the steet
roadway which led to the pontoon bridge
Crossing tEis, they disappeared up the stree
Of the town Of Harper's Ferry, now aud the1
coming into view between the houses, AMI
finally showing their white tops on winding
road ascending the mountain beyond th'
buildings.
At night, hundreds Of fires burst forth upor
Sandy Hook is situated. They were lighter
By teamsters and volunteers, who passed ant
rcpassed before tho blaze, the outlines Of thei
forms family dafncd against thu dim back
ground. It wasshot remarkably pleasant thu
70 "ca1np" without tents, and to doze bY tn,
cnlbers which were one moment famed int,
life, and the next almost extinguishcd by tn
| gusts Of wind. On the opposite side Of til
river all was dark and gloomy, the intcryenin.
stream roaring over it's rocky hed-thiu sheet
OF foam and spray covering and falling owe
the rocks in the centre. The houses Of Sand
the soldiers, but they were few in number IN
notAmple in accommodations. The headqual
tert Of Gen. Bauls were established in ston
t tcrement, near the eastcru end Of what ~.
ohas the railroad bridge.
Of this bridge, the western span is con
pleIc. On Saturday morning, the cmp1oye
Of he Baltimosc and Ohio Railroad. under til
/ protection OF the military, commenced the RI
construction Of the remaining three span:
The piers have not been injured. but are n
good as on the day upon which they wer
built. Several weeks will be required be!o1
the work will be advanced sufficiently to i
loWthc passage Of trains.
In the movement through Harper's Ferr
, many Of The United States officers met with
hospitab1e reception from citizens whom the
| had previously met at Frederick None
| tho reeimcnts halted for sufficient length
. | time, however, to receive many courtcsie
but advanced By the road leading south#cs
to Winchester.
: Arcterence to the map will show the rel
Gye positions Of Harper's Ferry, Boliy:,
Charleston and Winchester. The distant
from the Ferry, ria Bolivar, ia Charleston,
ten miles, and to Winchester 81 miles.
The roads, on Thursday. were in excellcl
n order, the few preceding dayE having dried Il
mud, and rendered the mountain soil as ha1
= as the most impersious clay. No difficult
was experienced On The advance, from brok.
wagons, or horses lonrdeEing in seas Of mu
The March winds, by their drying influenc
were Of the greatest service. Reconnaissance
+ were made by cavalry companies before Il
IS infantry reached Charleston, but no cne,,
r. I appeared, and not shot was fired.
- Shortly after the occupation Of C1laIle6t2w
!, Gen. Mcclellan and staff made their appea
1t ance, being greeted by the soldiers with t
q | most yocifeIous cheers and the greatest C
Is thuEiasm. The purity extended their trip |
;: yond the town. Very few Of the residents
manned, not more than half dozen ma:
e being visible, although women aud, childr
I. | were Aore abundant, showing that the enet
~ had faith in our willingness to protect nc
~ conabatantE.
FL Il j: not believed that the rebels will ma
G, a stand at Winchester.
=. Bo1iy8r neTer was particularly noted I
:. beauty Of construction or location. Still lei
L, when the inLabisante had left, was it entitl
h. to consideration.
,e The houses were occupied By our soldit
- Immediately upon their arrival, and a1thou
o in many cases the windows and doors |,
been destroyed, they afforded better prot
It, ton than the tin canvass tents. Fires vi
a kindled i'll the fireplaces, heaps Of wood ga
=. cred from fences and frame structures "
"a collected, and in the evening the rations vi
1c distributed to men who, however tired a
&c hungry, had at least 4 roof over their hes
;; and a cheerful blaze at their feet
- Accommodations were found for all the 7,
be Of the tenemcnts in which the furniture
~ been left 4 story vent the rounds rather
n, the discEedit Of western regiment. Tt
~ we're quartered comfortably, when $50 I
Is story gpes) three Of the men undertook
- play national air upon q valuable pial
~ using their feet, however, instead of IL,
a frgers- as sequel, my informant sta
r thst tic whole regiment was compelled
~ turn OFT and take to their tents. not being
p. teemcd proper boarders for houses hayi
pianos. II must be said for the honor Of
I'd concerned, tbaf pr1Eate property has not be
w wantonIy destroyed, and that in all cases d
~ reGaiions have heen properly punished.
- - About Eeventy.tiye miles from Baltino
~ On the Ene Of the Baltimore and Ohio R:
III road, and on the north bank Of the Potion
- River, i Berlin. It Ia small scattered set,
r. | ment Of no particular importance VT
~ I passing this place Oh Friday morning lasl