Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-11
AIe1andria Gas it was and Is.'

same paper, Simply Oec6u1e IL DeFase6 the
negro and the Government. GOTHAM.
Alexandria Gas It Was and Is."
The Cfoed of Scjourners-Seeessiontsts and
Sympat6tzers-HoW they are "let atone"
- Union Hen Compromising of Some VhO
consider MeulselUes SounG-SeGreity of
DwsEEiHgs-THe city '.Jfintshed and fenced
IN"
ALEXANDRIA, Va, Sept. 8, 1853.
Editors IntelligeneeF:
To most of your readers the locality,
general surroundings, and ordinary fea-
lures of this, one of the oldest towns and
now the seat of government of Virginia,
are familiar. But its present appearance,
much of its population, aud other circum.
stances which are component parts of the
life of its present residents. are probably
unknown to many of the citizens of West
Virginia. Though most of the old land
marks still exist, including places of in.
terest as the resorts of Washington and
others of the Fathers of the Union, and
the dwellings of formerly houoEed and eff
cient citizens, but now ignomioiusly dis
graced rebels and PARTICLES, are still ex-
istent, some of them in the keeping of
agents of the owners, and others in pos
session of tenants of the government, ma
ny of them are used as hospitals and for
other government purposes, and retain but
few marks of the false aud assumedlY arts.
tocratic style of living of the former oc-
oupants. A considerable number of the
otrOOts are pFotaetsd4 by zsLORkRdss erected
at the entrance to the same, and there 10 q
stockade erected about the buildings of
the Alexandria and Washington military
railroad.
Upon several of the principal streets of
the city there are number of buildings
used as hospitals, and in their vicinity
there are contrabands employed daily in
| cleansing the roAdways and Sidewalks
Though little patching is done occasion
ally, most of the pAvements are IN a sadly
dilapidated condition. Such repairs as are
made, and such cleansing as is done in
parts of the city not adjacent to the hos
pitfalls, are paid for from the fund accruiug
| from fines for violation of military orders
against selling liquor. etc.
The city is under military government,
though the city authorities exercise nom-
iual sway. The military Governor is Brig
adler General Slough, originally. of New
York, but at the time he entered the ser.
vice against 1.-THE rebellion, Colonel of a
regiment, resident of Colorado territory.
Colonel Wells and Lieutenant Colonel Tow.
ers, (the latter citizen and native of AL
exandria) are the Provosts here stationed.
They have both considerable occupation in
providing for passing soldiers, and carry
, ing out the military orders for the control
of the army followers and others evil dis
posed, and the fruits of fines imposed by
Col. Tow ers, and of the confscations by
him, are not uncomfortable. Although
there are bodies of troops continually pas
sing and repassing to and from the army
of the Potomac, and q goodly number are
always encamped in this vicinity, very lit
tie drunkenness is to be seen here or here
abouts, Notwithstanding there is more or
less success in smuggling liquor and other
eontraband articles to aud from the city
and camps roundabout.
AT some of the wharves along the river
there are always to be seen vessels of eve
ry description of river craft loading and
unloading, almost exclusively for the gov
ernment,5 transporting troops, provisions
and stores. The port is not open. and all
the goods imported hither have to be
taken to Washington and brought thence to
this place upon the ferry-boats, of which
there are two lines, one in the government
and the other in private service, running
regularly at alternate hours, aud several
exclusively freight vessels. These move
ments and those of army and sutler trains
tgive considerable semblancs of business
activity to the city.
Here, as in Washington, the proportion
of sojourners, for business aud MONEY!
making purposes exclusively, is quite
large. Every nook aud corner, fit for any
business from bologna, fruit or confec.
tionary stand, to a first-class commission
warehouse, is filed to repletion. Though
very many secessioists have gone to Dixie
from this city, beside those who went to
fight, there are still not few remaining
here, who are engaged in money-makine.
and many more, the resources of some Of
whom it would be very difficult to discov.
err, are living here unmolested, skulkineiy
lespousing the cause of the rebels, or AZ
least aiding and comforting 1t by refusing
to take the oath. Many of these are en.
joyiug the privilege of being let alone en-.
\ tirely too much. Some, but not half of
these people have been ordered SouthWaP6
and those of the number ordered of who
did not go, seem to suffer no inconveni-
ence from the iisobedience of said order
and the property of some Of them is pro-
tected by special orders from headquarters
at Washington, said headquarters being
The WGr Department. At the same time. AZ
said Department and at other Offices. under
authority of the general government the
treatment nf some of the staunch, uneom.
promising Union men of this region would
seem to be intended as evidence that there
In no natives or even old residents of this
section were regarded rs loyal.
There are two di fieulties inherent among |