New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-16
so,ae Interesting Letters Captured
VOW MANY REBELS WERE THERE ?
AL SORTS OF ESTIMATES
nav, They ALI Recrcssed the Potomac

.s~ciaI Dspsieh to The n Y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON Friday. July IS, ls6..
The following letter addressed TO Mrs. w.
D.sw. care Of Edward NJ Drew, neat to the Rank o
washington given 10 farmer near Silver Spring Il
Bang into the city and deliver came into the posses
slon-ci the Government yesterday;
HEADQUARTERS Co. T. 23p REenESr CAvALBr.
SILVER SPRINGS. miles from Washfngtnn' I
Mt DLRLMe BROTHER: tt seems hard thet here an
within sight Of my home and cannot get ihere. can
hardly realize that an here, it seems hSe pe"s'
dream 10 be in such familiar pls'e
certainly expected 10 have been IN Washington asi
night, hn fate decreed other wise. and fr fear We "
rot gsttbere will write | Am well; have NOT peeh
& boree hns been shot Nom under mo, bnt have n.i
IN wounded. I wonder how You al lo,k "Oni
vs. worlds Ia ser you all again, aud knew vow 81,
Est To see me; but suppose we will have 10 wait VII
pd Providence grants cnr PRAYER 49,
I feed Up nicely 20 core to Wsshington, and II we
ion get there 1t viii be sore DISAPPOINTMENT 10 ne
but as good soldier viii have TO trust In the sagec
.sy Of our General and valor Of our boys. we hsVe
been diminishing here all the morning but no gener
engagement has taken place When It does come n on
viii light hard 10 get home. All the boys are ell
Tell Bette and the girls 70 write whenever they can
Give the inc esed 10 Billy Bayley.
AH SSr,os S;.s rm,.G.rs Univ ~ 1854
SGY DEAR WILL expected TO have seen you last
&c ht but as you see, doomed 20 disappointment.
for fear that should not succeed in seeing you w
write We CROSSED the river about week ago, and
received BIZ tho people Of this section OF the state
nu n better than anticipated and assure you had
. most glorious time t
5sye real good Old talk ! only pray that we may
meet soOn have been very lucky been fitting almost
every day for seven or eight week and have never
yeceiued scratch. My worse was shot from under me
~ Salem while Harry Gilmore and myself were charg
.as some Yankee cavalry. have had tine company,
sd my muster rolls show fne record out OF - men
- lYfffhl Gov lnfv q
est are either killed. wounded or prisoners
At the battle Of New Market. my company snfcred
than any in lne fight having lost two kilec and
seven badly wounded Tom. DaISon, I'd. Jones. and
Jack Eyerett with me here, and all wish 20 be
remembered. Remember me TO Charley. your mother.
Geore Jour WIFE and all friends. Say The tOiss OF
horne that ell right, and hope that yery usual good
fortune may attend you Fasr sends lore TO and
all Very Sheet0na'ey' your 5f'e ., D,vw
farmer WHO came IN this afternoon ii,l the neigh.
borhoOd Of Poolcsve states that tAe Rebels stole over
800 head Of cattle from the farmers Of Montgomery
County, beside 1000 horses and large number OF
sheep and hogs to say nothing Of poultry. which they
cleaned out completely.
From the first day they crossed tie river they have
been driving immense droves Of live stock into Virginia
scroSs the numerous fords Of the upper river. The
forces operating under Bradley johnson in the vicinity
OF Frederick and Baltimore constantly sent herds OF
Tho Robels did little damage to the growing siegs.
bot took all tho hay they could find
Several hundred conscripts, collected between Fred
eck and Rockville were marched into Poolcsvillc OF
Sunday under guard. ...........
The main force Of the Rebels crossed at Edwards
Ferry on Wednesday morning. the rest at MUDDY
Branch Nolans and Whites Ferries later in the day
They did no. have much artillery with them.
While thor main infantry force lying ia front o
Qualifications tIe north sid5 Of Washington, d.,
cavory, Offered or eaij principally by Alayanders
was securing every nook and OF She country in
search Of live stock which they coveted than any
other property.
Our informant who 10 very careful man. thinks that
net less than thousand head Of oxen cows horses
mules, beside large drOves of sheep and hogs were
driven across the Potomac by tho Rebels within ths
three or four days they threatening arlington
leir infantry mounted a. quickly as the stoer
rises were brought in.
The Rebels to bis own language, came into Mary
snd ragged and barefooted band and went out look
ne like gentlemen.
1t hos not yet been definitely ascerane1 whether n,
cbels carried of any Of the valuable correspondence.
longing 10 the Hon. Francis =. Blair When oul
frees occupied the Silver Spring farm come Of II,
pess had been ransacked and were strewn about III
'or Of his hbraryi but the older and more valuable
Pers, which were in the garnet. had not been dis
rbed
Gen. Rhodes had his headquarters in Mr.. Blair
Iuss. Gen Early occupied for a similar purpose ID
ansion Of Geo. W. Riggs, prominent banker here
I'd the partner Of W. w. CorcOran who Is now i
urope spending his money in the interests Of ID
Rebel government Mr.. Rigss premises suffered bu
triHing damage. Gen. Breckinridge had his head
quarters at Ohuts Crossroads. mile and half aboT
Mr.. Blairs house