Year: 1861

y X
| andria and Washington is through a tract of
country abounding in beautiful scenery The
| succession of hill and valley of cultivated


larihs and patches of woodland of pasture
land and meadows, makes it delightful to ira


sei through Near Manassa the land is quite
| level, but Immediately beyond it is rolling and
broken Still farther on the hills grow larger
| and sleeper, until they run into a chain Of
continued hills that lie opposite the cities of
Washington and Georgetown


Taking the Centreville road. one soon c.res
70 the site of tho battle of tho 18th near
BACK ourn's Ford. On the Man,assa side there
~ road meadow and long line of in tervaIe


ANU, put Across the Run there is a steep cliff
covered with n dense pine thicket 1t was
mere that the washington Artillery did such
good service OH the 18TH


There are few signs of the battle left to at.
tract notice. The graves of the Eederalists ra
visible still; but everything in the cha no of
balls, broken guns, cartridge boxes. .hayersacks
ct crtera, have been removed as relics by curios
ny hunters. great many canes have been
cut from the spot and even the stones have
been carried away
short distance beyond the thicket is a
smaii mouse near which the Federals plant.
ed thelr large gun on the morning of the 2l lst
ana commenced firing on our centre Tho
Dattery was stationed partially behind the
mouse and in an excellent position to rake the
thicket Where our men might be hidden As
Is now well known, this firing was but a fpint
10 cover the main design on the left: but
Generals Johnston and Beauregard were too
sagaclous and too skillful in their profession
to be caught by it. The lands cane ne seen
from this hill, is very picturesque and tharn


is many Il delicious bit that would furnish
material Tor an artist. When this war Is
over, ana the events now transpiring have
become matters Of history this spot will IT, =
tract thousands of visitors and l have little
DOUBT VIII become place of popular resort
during the summer.
nnr No.
loomDS, VINO now commands a brigade of the
Army. He was seated in front of his tent
busily engaged in q military work and did
not ut 1irst notice our approach. His encamp-
Inent IS near headquarters and situated npon
gentle slope towards the road and is com
pletely surrounded by forest crowned hills
Located in n deep vale, with his trusty SOL
diers around MIN, this famous man is now
busliy engaged in studying the art of war
ana IN perfecting himself in the profession he
has SO recently adopted. Eminent in every.
thing he has yet attempted, have no doubt
ne VIII dlsuhshish himself in this war, and
VIII come out OF 1t with as great reputation
1or military skill as he has always mainta ed
! IN every walk of civil life. AT our approa ch
! he greeted us kindly, and for An hour we were
much interested in his conversation unon tho
present state OF affairs and of the future pros
pect IL was with regret that We Quilted his
nospltabie quarters, and pressed forward to
Centreyille.


On the way were several camps. in soma of
which we stopped and passed a few moments
Inc men, generally, are in very good health
| cheerful, and in fine spirits Contentment
marks every camp have yet been in, and thu
lar l have not heard single word Of com.
piaint at any hardship, or at any occasional
prlvation. The love of the men for General
Beauregard is very remarkable, and the bare
mention OF ms name causes a feeling of en-
thuslaSm and pride that is clearly seen on
every countenance. Gen. Johnston is yery
much respected, but as yet is not as well known
as Gen. Beaurrgard The soldiers have mn
| bounded confidence in his ability and bravery.
and speak of him in n very fattering manner
Win two such Generals as these and with
the brave hearts and strong arms of the men
VINO can doubt the success of every battle
un!ess the ODDS are greater than at the battle
of Marathon?


wrote you yesterday from Fairfax, and
gave an account of the small fight near (Ireat
Falls Since that time no reliable news has
come in Of any skirnishes, or of any firing
beyond that OF the pickets, who keep up 4 con
tinual fire upon each other. The many rum ors
| OF general fight which l see have gained
credence in Richmond are entirely untrue
Nothing can be learned from the passengers
! on the Manassa train, for they report the
most extravagant lies with great prodigality
lhey 90 not wllfully intend to deceive, but,
OF course, circulate such stories as are told to
them. l saw in the Dispatch, of Yesterday
that the story of the taking of Halls Hill was
believed in Richmond. Not word of it was
| true; nor have there been above eight or ten
| OF our men anywhere in the vicinity warn


you again to put little trust in the reports tha


are brought down by the daily train from Ma
nassa.


Our men hold Munson's and Masons Hills,
but nave made no attempt to extend the line
The pckets are within shooting distance and
keep up continuous fire upon each other
Strange to say, none are killed on our side.
and how many on the other is not known
Inc - firing and heavy cannonading -
| which is heard every day, and from which the
| large stories Of battles and horrid slaughter
| proceeds, is from Fort Corcoran, a little above
Arlington, where the Federals waste a grea
deal OF time and powder in endeavoring to be.
| come good marksmen. They practice at 4 tar
! get every day with heavy guns and howitzers.
That is the cause of the " heavy f1ring,' and
| do assure you there Is to day no reason for the
belief that We are on the eve of great battle
| or that our army contemplate an immediate
| fight. What may transpre to morrow, it is
! impossible to say; but it seems very ridiculous
| here to read in the papers that the army is
ION the march,, and that a ''great battle will
| begin tomorrow. The object of the pub.
lie journals should be to allay rather than ex-


cite the feverish anxiety of the public, and I
| know no better way of doing it than by pru-
| dent statement Of facts by careful and expe.
| riencsd reporter who is near the army


&. NJ