New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-29
To the Associated Press
wAsHIxoros. Thursday, Nay 20, 1903

CONTRABANDs PIT TO WORK.
An the male ooptrabands in the neighborng City
Of Alexandria have been put TO work on intrench-
ments in that neghborhood. Tie Provost Marshal
Las had lively tine, in imTressing them. Sunday
YVES busy day for that business
A CAVALRY SCARE.
Great alarm wac caused by report that Stuar; =
Rebel Cavalry Intended 10 make raid into Alex
sndrs. Moseby is at Cailerts Station. Gen.
Heintzelman and staff, on Monday, visited and in-
specsed the Publications
DEPARTgRR OF sECEsH CLERGYMAN.
Tie clergyman who has leit Alexandria for Eu-
rope is the Rev. Mr.. Stewart. lie is the same gen.
temsn who was arrested about year ago while Of
fcia,ug in ST. Paus church by Col. FarDsworth
and about whom much was said in the newspapers
at that time.
PICKET sKIRMIsHES.
Our piekets were attacked yesterday somewhere
in the vicinity Of Bull Run, and one Of them killed
The enemy were chased ten miles, and some Of
them were killed and wounded in the skirmishes.
Itis supposed there are no Rebels IN force from
Warrenton down 20 Acquia Creek. as we bold the
intervening country and all along the Rappahannoek
There may be predatory or guerrilla bands in the
Valley, but not in large numbers.
LEE REPORTED FAILING BACK.
From the statements Of gentlemen who have jusi
arrived from the Rsppshannock, 1t seems probable
that the Rebels have greatly reduced their strength
and are maintaining a mere she'll in front Of our
lnes. II this were positively known TO the military
authorities it is probable that our forces would no.
long remain inactive.
EXPERIMENTS IN GUNNERY.
Experiments in gunuery have been in progress for
several months at the Washington Navy-Yard. The
mort powerful gun tested yet ID that Of Mr. Atwater
of Chicago. 1t lisa rihed S;-pound-r, and threw II
Hotchkiss shell 900 yards, the degree Of elevation
being 8 2J, At 81 the siot made tho astonishing
flight Of 500 ysrds which is 900 yards further than
the Armstrong gun can accomplish with the same
degree OF elevation. The additional velocity is nc.
qGired by The application Of principle which re-
iieves the ball Of atmospheric pressure in front.
MERrrED PROMOTION.
Capt. Stephen II. Weed is to be made q Brigadier-
General for bis services in the battle of tie Wilder
ness. Though only Captain, he commanded 90
pieces Of artillery on that OCCASION He is considered
one of the very best officers in the army.
NAVAL ORDERS.
Capt. Daniel u. Ridgely is ordered TO the CON-
mand of the steam sloop Shenandoah.
! Capt Theodore p Green has been detached from
the command Of the Shenandoah, and ordered TO the
command Of the Santiago de Cuba, to relieve
Commander Robt. Ii. Wymsn.
Lieut.. Commander Thomas G. Harris 10 ordered
TO the command Of the Penguin, 10 relieve Com
mander j. c. Williamson.
Lieut.. j. II. Rowland and Acting. John
w. Bentley are ordered to the Shenandoah, and
Acting Assistant Pay master C.M Guild TO the steam
sloop Shenandoah.
| PROVOST. MARSHAL APPOINTMENTS.
Tie following changes and appointments are an
nouuced by Provost-M ar.hal-G General Fry, under
the act for enrolling and calling ont the national
forces:
IIII,ots Solomon Lewis Commissioner for tho VI.h
Dltric Isso L. bih-n Commi,sioner let District vice
Herring declined Bunel L. Jones, Comni,.Tnef With
Proyost Mrr,hol XInh District, vice Carroll, revoked
fsnt.xI-Wm 8 Smith. Commissioner 10Th dist, vice
JenIih.on, declined, Dr. VIM. y. Colburn Surgeon I'd
dist, vice Cls?P deehnee. p.. s,.son "a d,, via.
RHODE isGlSD james H. Corssshal Comrni'siOner lat
Dp.n s,s',,tV,ssDsvid lie ws.bburns Commi,iossr
vim Disrict vice Widner, cancelled Alexander j. fnck,
Aiis D ss l.! D.e vic.
Sergeant cancelled Matthias H. Jones, Comnhsnonsf '
Nn~.JrasrINss,usI A French COmm'sisns1 V'h Dil-
trict vice Van Worst. declined. , g..
MicHIGAs.-Dr Homer y. Hitchcock suso'"' oec'n'
District - ,,.- us.I ni.,..,
Wiscoxsrs--wm A. BugIs Commssisner. F'nh District
KEn1uckY-Wm. X. Hervsy, Commissioner, rim pi,'
ct vice Bsuvelt declined. Orlando Brown, C0nHohe'
Seventh District, vice Munger, declined
The Star OF this afternoon rays that private niof'
nation from experienced officers now In the vicinity
of vick,burg, written as Gen. Grant was about 70
commence the siege Of that city, expressed Inc
opinion that il would be the work of week or TWO
al least orc its reduction could be looked for.