The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-07-22
to move al moments notice.


When | came from Fort Stevens OH,
! forces were moving TO the west side of the
/ 7th street road. Gems. Breckenridge and
+ Early were at the residence of F /. Blair,
which was the rebel headquarters Cap.
tured rebel solliers say that they were in,
formed on the march that Washington
was onl y guarded by clerks and militia
They confess TO being deceived when ther
saw the beads of the columns of the Penn
! sylvania veterans of the 9Th corps,
The preservation of the mansion Of Mr.
/ Blair is due to the interference Of General
Breckenridge, who was 10 doubt infucn,
ced by the friendly relations formerly ex-
listing between himself and the owner.
The private papers Of Mr.. Blair, com
posed o: correspondence with Henry Clay
Andrew Jackson, and other men Of mark,
have not been destroyed, and bis plate has
neen transferred to the residence of Mr.
Wilson, with note to him " General
breckenridge. While the furniture and
other personal effects of Marshal Benefont
were destroyed, a large quantity of wood
and hay were saved from the torch. The
cattle, horses. calves, DC, of the residents
were carried off
The dead were left unburied, and tie
badly wounded unca, ed for. About 70 OF
the latter were left at F. p. Blair's house.
Ii is stated that the bulk of the rebel
force commenced retreating at II a. IN,
| yesterday.
The residence of Hon. Montgomery
Blair was destroyed, With all its contents,
causing him considerable loss.
Al an early hour Yesterday morning the
rebeis fell back from their position north
of the Notifications. at Tenallytown, to
Rockville, pursued bv our cavalry to the
number OF 500 These engaged them
throughout the day with varying success.
Rockville was 10 our hands half dozen
times; but, reinforcemen.s being sen, to
! the enemy, thew would occupy it until
our turn came again. Such was the fiqh,
ING in the vicinity Of Rockville Yesterday
neither party gaining anything worth
speaking Of
At the time We left reports were very
conflicting, some stating that our forces
were falling back, while others stated that
our men were driving the rebels. Some
officers with whom we conversed express.
| ed the belief that the rebels would occupy
the same position at nightfaI tina, they
did on Tuesday night
Preparations are being made to drive
/ the rebels from their position before Wash
/ iugton and it will be matter Of SUNRISE
! If any not prisoners remain north Of the
/ Potomac.
a rebel Captain was captured Yesterday
while leading a charge. About 30 pri
Yates and non-commissoned officers we're
also captured.
Washington, July "A.
Tie investment of the northern defence,
OF Washington BY the enemy, for :he first
time in the progress Of the war, commen-
ced ear! Y last Monday morning
On Sunday last, after defeating the for.
ces Of Gen. Wallace at Monocacy BriAra
the enemy sent column Of troops dowf
the Washington and Frederick turnpike
1t entered Rockville on Sunday morning
appropriating all the supplies it could Law
hands on, and then moved of toward
Washington. Five miles from George
town and two beyond the Notifications, i
drove the plckets IN one mile, on Sunday
night.
AT daybreal on Monday morning Skin.
miShing commenced within the rifle pit.
three miles from Georgetown. The for
startled the citizens of Georgetown By
opening its heavy guns The diminishing
lasted all day and into the night, the enc
my not seeming in force enough to al
vance their lines.
simultaneously with the appearance o
this force another division OF troops ap>
peared on the 7th street road, four mile.
from the city, directly north and immedi
ately in from, Of Forts Stevens and DeRns.
sev. Here they seemed in larger force. -
In sllirmisbing with the invalid regiments
and militia our forces got the worst Of i
at times The rebels cot within 200 Wis
of the forts, and their sharpshooters pick
ed off q good manV men who stuck their
/ heads above the parapets.
On Monday noon the enemy bad a
strong skirmish line. and some sixty were
/ 'N'''''' "H' "'uh'N' ttib a. '!ueh We CT AL
troops came up and advanced TO the front
where fighting became severe for skirmish-
! inc. The rebels began to use artillery.
and Forts Siocum and DeRussev opened
in reply with their five guns. The fight,
which was seen by hundreds of spectators
on the 7th street road, was very exciting
to novices. The country was we'll si,ua
ted to see all the firing, infantry and
heavy fort artillery; and the burning Of
residences, barns, and other buildings,
which had been fired by both parties to
get better range of each other, lighted up
the fields and woods that skirt JUS. out
side our line of Qualifications.
! Great doubt had existed all along as to
the strength Of the enemy il our front
and much difficulty was experienced, even
to the end of the invasion, in getting that
information. Prisoners were taken, who
stated that the troops just in front of US,
! a Ia