tbaloau sVVrrtioer, "Wig= DilfoCll4ll4l PAINCIIMCS CISASJI TO es OSAIZ TO ronow. WIN. N. BRESLIN, Editer4id Proprietor. LEBANON, PA, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1861 NThe reported attack on Norfolk and its capture, with the loss of 600 men on our side, brought to this place on Saturday evening was without foundation. No attack took .place, and no engagement was had. An at tack was also reported to have been made by Gen. Butler on Sewell's Pvirit on Saturday, which resulted in its capture with the loss of 84 men kill ed and wounded; that the enemy lost between three and four hundred kill ed and wounded; that many prisoners were also taken. This report, which even found its wiiy.into , the Monday morn i nes (papers, ..was - til so n tru e. •The following 'letter of Seere. qary Cameron is published extensive ly and has thus far not been contra dicted. If genuine it certainly is ab• surd. Why not let those fight who feel like it, and who will make volun teer soldiers, instead of making so un just a discrienation : • GEL SCOTT'S RECOMMENDATION REGARD ING TEE Appournizrer MIMS. WABIII*GTON. May 22.—The Secretary of War has sent to the Governors of the different States 'a•eireular, of whieh the following, is a ropy WAR DM:PAW:WENT, WARRINGTON, May 27, 1861. DRAB SIR: refeyence to the general orders, No. 15, of the War Department, (a printed copy of which I herewith forward to you, giving the plan of organization of the volunteers or forces Galled into the service of the United :Galles by the President, you will perceive that elt.regienen talo&uwa of these v01..n Mere, from colonels down to second lieutenants, inclusive, are oppointed by the Governors of the Mates. Having 0104 confided to you the appointment of all tease officsrs for the regiments furnished by your State, you will, I trust, excuse the Depart ment for impressing upon you. in advance, the necessity idiot absolute adherence, in your op. ;minimise's, to the following suggestions, which are deemed of the highest importance by the General in -chief, under whose advice they are submitted to you : Drat.—To commission no oneof doubtful tour. ale or patriotism, and not of sound health. &cond.—To appoint no one to a lieutenancy, second or first, who has passed 'the mge of twen 40.-ssvoyears, or to a captaincy over thirty years; =id to appoint no field officer, major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel, unless a graduate of the Uni ted States Military Academy,'or known to possess military knowledge and experience, who- has passed the respeative ages of thirty-five, , forty, anti forty five years: This Department feels assured that it will not be deemed-offensive to your Excellency to add to this general counsel, that the higher the moral character and general intelligence of the officers to appointed, the greater the efficiency of the troops and the resulting glory to their respective States. I am, sir, respectfully, SDI ON CA MERON, Secretary of War. i The editor of the Doylestown Intelligencer doubts the sincerity of the Democratic papers in supporting the wirr. This chap put down his name tovolunteerand then backed out,while Capt. Davis, the editor of the Demo. crat, of the same place, is now in the army serving gallantly. It was Capt. Davis and his company that took on the Ringgold Battery to Washington. Comment is unnecessary, only it trys patience to the utmost to be thus slan. dered,'and have intimations of treason and hanging thrown out by them againsttle Democracy, While at the 'same time they cry out lustily no par. ty—when party and plunder is their only end and aim. - FROM HARPER'S FERRY The Virginia lines of Military recoil noisance have been pushed during the past week, from Harper's Ferry to Sheppardstown, ten miles above Har per's Ferry, and Williamsport, twen ty-three miles above. At Shep pardstown there are three hun dred men and three brass pieces.— Pieces of artillery are stationed on the Virginia side of the river com manding the approaches to the town. The Williamsport force counted ex actly seven hundred and twenty= men. They expect six guns to-night, also tents, and one company of cavalry from Martinsburg; also six hundred Mississippians and Alabamians. Sentries were stationed along the Virginia shore above and below liar. per's Ferry, half a mile each way.— There are no troops higher up the F - tomac. It is believed by the Military authorities that the Sheppardstown and Williamsport movements are feints. The main movement from Harper's Ferry. on southern Pennsylvania will be made us soon as offensive opera tions begin from Washington South or at Norfolk, along the country road leading from Harper's Ferry along Pleasant - Valley, through Hohrers villa. Boonesboro and Waynesboro. I deem this opinion correct, as the Confederate leaders desire to avoid operations offensive to the people of Maryland. This is the shortest.knoWn road into Pennsylvania from.liar• per's Ferry. Ate` The question of erecting a Na . tional Armory to supply the place of .thii one destroyed at llarper's.Ferry, will, It is thought, bo disposed of at the approaching session of Congress, * the selection-of a proper place for.it will be one of great importance. We expect that Lebanon, with its advan taps superior to any other place in the. Union, makes, vigorous ; puss :fiw the location-. Lev Ili lay our heeds together and see if we cannot capture Sikh; great prise. EDITORIAL ''gijk.MAßY The editor of the utliatieland Plaindealer" says he has been a -Itiit'cot.bisi." Democrat all his life, and propbeheto‘die a ..Yankee Doodle Dan dy." Sound - egg !---The Huntingdon Globe propolei to the Republicans of that county to ig nore the coming fall election, and that party nominations be dispensed with in the selection of Persons to fill the several county offices.---The London 7 imes says' "we are still pensioning the loyalists of 1775, when the conquerors • in that war are destroying the works of their own hands," --The New York Herald says that several gen tlemen who have hold commissions in her Majes ty's army have recently arrived from Canada, and tendered their services to the Washington gov ernment.—Col. Butler and command are now at Fortress Monroe. This fortress is the head quarters of the Department of the sonth, and about 10,000 men are now there.—The dwelling of Hon. Asa Packer, at Manch Chunk,was entered one evening last week and jewelry, money, &c., stolen therefrom to the amount of s4oo.—Gov. 'Curtin passed through this place last week on his way to Easton to make arrangements for the es tablishment of thetatep at that place.—Last week the U. S. Steamer Monticello, had a skir mish with the battery at Sewell's Point,six miles from old Point Comfort, in Hampton Roads.— But little damage was done on either. side, and no lives lose—The Postmaster General has is seed an order tocut off all the steateship mails on the coast, and all the mails ooriver mangles ply ing toltre seceded States.--Mr. Crittenden has declined being a candidate fur Congress ht the ensuing ele'dtion 'in ' , Rea tucky.—The Confeder ate States reeeivifflast week 10,000 stand of arms from Belgium. They were entered at New Or leans.—The President 'Smelt it, and it is said will not, declare war against the Southern rebel. lions states. qitt say papers that know a good deal. They apparently do not know that he can not, as the power to declare war is exclusively vested in Congress by the Constitution.---The prices of flour are much firmer, owing to the large wants of the government, although the Western granaries are beginning to pour upon the East the great Recainula Lions of last year's produce. In the European markets the prices are .deelin ing.—Clement Brooks, Tesq. l ean extensive iron master, died in Philadelphia, lest week,nged 77 years.—Hon. William A. Graham, of North Carolina, who ran for Vice President in 1852 on the ticket with Gen'l Scott, is delivering stump speeches in the tar, pitch and turpentine State in 'favoeof secession.—The Annual-Meeting of the State Medical Society, which was to have been held in Pittsburg, is postponed to the same time and place next year. —John G. Sticker, of Reading, has been appointed Master Mat:hinist at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.—The 2d Ring.. gold "Liiht Artillery Comeany is officered as fol lows :—Captain, Henry Nagle; Ist Lieut., E. L. Smith; 2d do., A. Seyfert. The new Company will serve as Infantry.—The amount of Coal shipped over the Lebanon Valley Railroad, last week was 3,771 tOllB.-The Berke County Agri. cultural Society have offered the use of their Fair Ground and Buildings to Government fur the per. pose of a Camp 41V11011.-Mr. John Rhoads died in Amity tp., Berke county, on the 20th inst., aged 74 years.—Peace and order again prevail at St. Louis.—Tom Sayers is coming to America with Hoare it Cushing's "United States Circus," to take a tour through the states.--Post Master General Blair has issued an order discontinuing the mails in all the Seceding States, and annull ing all the existing contracts for Hie Value. —The Pacific tttles— California, Oregon, and Washington, are unanimous for the Union. Se cession can obtain no foothold on the Pacifiecoast. —Late news froth Europe contains a reitera tion of the statement that England and France will not interfere in our domestic troubles. Large fleets will probably be sent to protect their com merce—but with no hostile-intent. The south ern Confederacy will not be recognized by any friendly power.—North Carolina has forma Ily seceded from the Union. Oa Tuesday of last week the ordinance of secession passed the Con. vendee •by a I age majority.—Notwithstanding the supposed superabundance of arms at the Soutli,it seems that the Mississippians are mainly armed with bowie knives and Colt's revolvers, as are others from various parte of the South.— They charge six dollars a day at the Hotels in Washington for feed and bed.—Of the sev enteen Governors of the free States, this side of the Rocky Mountains, who were called upon for troops, only one of them, Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, put himself at the head of his quo ta tor active service. That Governor is the only Democrat on the list.—Treason !--Thirty wo. men were discovered 'ln Ellsworth'a Zonavea af ter the regiment arrived in Washington. They were sent home.—Senator Douglas since his return to Chicago ha's been presented by several o f his friends with an 'elegant span of banes worth Sl,ooo.—An exchange suggests that if there is no party now, there will he an . "atefal old party" in October. Perhaps . Gov. Curtin. will hear from it.—The Southern papers urge in retaliation for the threathened confiscation of Senator Mason's property in Philadelphia, that the Confederate Government take charge o f Sen ator Douglas' Mississippi plantation.—A man was recently hung in Louisiana for expressing Union sentiments. A man was lately. hung in Ulster county, N. Y., for expressing secession sentiments. Extremes meet, but neither of the men was hung.---A woman in Lola, 111., wish ing to keep her .husbencl from volunteering, cut off two of his fingers whilst he slept. The man. says he will go to the wars anyhow.—An old gentleman in Madison county, Indiana,hns elev. en sons in a volunteer company of that county. —A German, who had deserted from the "My erstown Rifles," was captured near Reading on Saturday morning. He was ploughing in a field. We do not think it worth while, in these timer. to take en unwilling volunteers.---A hired man by the name of Ketrer, in the employ of Eli Leinbiteh, in Bern township fell out of the over shot of the barn on' Saturday morning and broke his neck.—lt is 130 miles from Washington Richmond, and 292 from Washington to Norfolk by way of Petersburg. . vm. We scarcely pick up a Repub lican paper that. does -not .abuse the Democracy as freely as ever, and at the same time threatensimnging to any Domocrit that clareff Say word about Republicanism. .4 strike& us that papers so anxious to bury party should be the first to take hold of the shovel to dig the grave. But while the Democracy are patiently submit. ting to such outrages; the time may come when they Will give tit for tat, and if that time is to' be postponed `until the war now on oar hands is set tled is for the Republicans to say.— We desire to bury party at present, but unfortunately, the party-,burying business is, like the handle of a jug, all on one side. • 110%,. The suits of clothing furnished .the 4th Regiment Pennsylvania Volun teers, cost $l7, and are not half as good as those of Rhode Island Regi. it - tent, whith cost not $B. The whole Regiment will have to be refurnished. To say that this is., wrong, would be treason in the opinion of many would be.pntriots. ter It is said that variety is • the spice of life. This perhaps is . theft) many things, but we doubt its appli cability to the coats received, last week, by the sth Pennsylvania Regi ment from Philadelphia, which are of four colors and bad material. After making all the allowance that patient human nature is capable of, and at the risk of being proclaimed a traitor and instilling sentiments of dissatis faction into the breasts of our noble volunteers, we are free to declare that patience has ceased to be a virtrie in unmurmuringly bearing any longer the treatment the sth Regiment, P. V., (to which Capt. TJlrich's eompany belongs,) has thus far tebeived from Government Making all the allow , ance for the hurry ,in which they I were pushed along to the defence Of the-Capital, (and it is now admitted that they saved the Capital, for had they been three days later Jeff. Davis would have been there before them with 55,000 men,) we think there has now been wsufficiency of time to rem edy at least some of the inconveni ences, and do justice to them in sortie respects. The 4th and sth. Pennsyl vania Regiments seem to be the butt of bad4reatment, if ono half is true that is reported. Always ready for duty and uncomplaining in the great est straits, a characteristic of the sec tion of country they hail from, is per haps the reason that they are sub jected to such slights. The very first wrong put upon them was already at Harrisburg, where they were supplied wi th heavy inferior muskets, while the other Regiments received crack arms. This hitter we know to be the fact from personal observation. Is_ An election was held last week in Virginia, at which the people voted for or against secession. In the East ern counties the vote was nearly unan imous 'therefor, while in the Western counties was just as one-sided the other way. The . result in the whole State has not yet been ascertained. MEV' While white men are using their money and influence to. be mustered into the service of the government, and are still unable to effect their ob ject, we think propriety should dic tate to some papers Wad individuals to abstain from pressing upon the government, the acceptance of .negro soldiers. The acceptance of a single negro company at present would ir ritate and disband hundreds of white companies. Mg - It is thought that the entil'o enlistment for three months in the war will be dischargedat the expira 7 tion of that time. The three yea& Regiments by that period will tit be full, and the government will not break up the present organization 'fly taking out the men willing to -stand the long term. This is a .hatd Alf= rangement for many. They wonfd like to enlist for three years but can= notdo so while their present enltit , men t lasts and at the expiration of that time their services will probably not be accepted for the reason above giv-, en—the Regiments being all full.— And.in the mean time Many of them may not have' the gratificatiob of a single brush with the enemy. RUMORS.—it is currently slated that Forney has entered the salt pork business, and lately sold a lot to the Gorernment for-$l 9 per hundred that the soldiers said was half rottan,for which Forney paid about $5. It is also said that a.mao in the employ of the Girard. House, named Martin, has ; been buying blankets at the mills in this county, for $1.2 5, and selling them to the Government fat sa. If these rumors are not true, they ought to he corrected.—Del. Gazelle. - . . . . Im. The above in ..relatlen to For ney might and it might not be true. It has not yet been contradicted:. " In relation to the celebrated beef con tractof George M. Leman, the Press steps forward as its defender, and says that 'Amman is one of four gentlemen who have it, and that they are going to held government strictly to the . contract, , Which, in connexion' with thb above, creates a strong suspicion that Forney is also one of the four gentlemen. The beef contract is said to be worth half a dozen independent fortunes. Lauman & Co.'s contract is for sup- plying the army with 20,000 beeves at 8 cents per pound, live weight-- equal to fourteen cents per pound when slaughtered. The contractors expect to realizea'netproftt of $600,. 000. Sfir IC seems that in Ohio things are managed not much better than in Pennsylvania, if. WO may judge, from the following article in the Cincinnati Commercial : TAB FOOLS IN HIGH PLACES In the name of the people of Ohio, wo demand the instant attention of the Governor to this matter. The fuss and circumstance of-listening to the chatter. of people who :have no busi: ness to transact must be stopped.— A time of war - is not a succession of of liolidays in which the popinjays office are to sun themselves and rus tle their plumage and imagine them selves in discharge of an' overwhelm- ing amount of business, becaute they talk 'a great deal and assume in their insignificance to be in the pangs of a ' great performances. We want to know Who the fools and the thieves are,who are between the abund ance of the people, and the impoverish ed, demoralized and starving soldiers.-- It is manifest that there are fools in:high places. We want them , hurried out. There are thieves in the Commissary De.. partment. = Let us know who. it is that is stealingoar soldiers lives in a miser able speculation. THE SWINDLE A "Native of York" iritidg "Camp Scott" gives the following in teresting aceount of the condition of the clothing furnished the soldiers by the State: SHOES I have now in my possession and shall leave at your office, for inspection, a shoe worn by one of the soldiers two days. It has cot A vestige of sole left upon it. I have - been fortunate enough, also, to secure a portion of the in sole or filling. What do you suppose it is made of ? A pine shoving Think of that. Such shoes furnished to the men who are to fight the batten of our country I In some cases the in soles or fillings, are made of pasteboard. The heels in many ca ses drop off in one hour's wear. The man who could furnish such shoes is as soulless as the old shoe above referred to. MEM= Such material and such workmanship the ver iest slop strop in Chatham or South street never saw. With two fingers the cloth can he readi ly seperated,rind in inany'instances, the soldiers . cannot try them on without bursting them in some part. I have secured two pairs of theie fitirgbilicent sirecideris nf army clothing which I - shall - leave at your office, and to which I Invite Special attention. =1 I saw-a pile of blankets thrown outside the commissary's tont of one of the regiments, any one of which could be torn to atoms as rewlily as a sheet of brown paper. Field by the four cor ners, ,pleaihn't brecte would split there fit& end th end. They tiro not tit for a do cent horse or dog, much less for- brave men.— Theyareabout as well calculated to keep men warm and comfortable in a cool night as a -piece oftbobbinet. The 'only use I can bud fdi 'them will be to make mosquito bars, should they hold together until the soldiers reach the South. EMIEZEM These are far from coming up to my idea of what a soldier's overcoat should be. The mate rial is flimsy; the workmanship wretehed.—ln some eases, several shades of color appear in the same coat. In others, the cloth is cut wrong, turning the nap upwards instead bf dovib. As a conclusion, or tailmnd tb this sed story, I will state. upon the ribthoriry of Gen. Wynkoop as well as eifbtheir officers high in command that many of the nien are compelled to wear their overcoats all day, to bide the nakedness conse quent upon the rotten fabric of which their pan taloons nremade, and these pantalooni in marlY cases worn not more than a day or two. To mend them is worse than useless. The stftehes won't bold. VIEWS OF HON. S. A. DOUGLAS.— The subjoined is an extract from a letter written by Senator Douglas to the' chairman of the Illinois .State Democratic Committee : know of no mode by which a loyal citizen may so well ihnnonstrate his devotion to his coun try as by sustaining the flag, the Constitution and the Union, under all circumstances, and un der every isdittinistration (regardless of-party politics) against all assailants, at home and a broad. The course of Clay and Webster toward the administration of Gen. Jackson, in the days of nullification presents a noble and worthy ex ample for all true patriots. At the very moment when that fearful crisis was precipitated upon the country partisan strife between the Whigs end Democrats was quite as bitter and relentless as now between Democrats and republicans. The gulf which now seperates party. leaders in thoge days was quite as broad and deep as that which now separates the Democracy from the Republi cans. But the moment an enemy rose in our midst,' plotting the dismemberment of our Union and the destruction of the government, the voice of partisan strife was hushed in patriotic silence. One of * the brightest chapters in the history of our country will record the fact that during this eventful period the great leaders of the opposi tion, sinking the partisan in the patriot, rushed to the support of the government. and became its ablest and breve defenders against all assail ants until this conspiracy was crushed and aban doned, when they resumed their former pasiticn ifs party leaders upon political issues.' These acts of patriotic devotion- have never 'been deemed evidences of infidelity or political treaeh cry on the part of Clay and Websier,to the prin ciples and organization of the old Whig party.— Nor have I any apprehension that the firm titian litmus support, which the Democratic leaders and masses are now giving to the Constitution and 'the Won will ever be deemed el-Werra° 'of in& deity to Democratic principles, urn iiradt'of loy alty, to the organization and of the Democratic party. If ive hope to regain s,nd perpetuate the •a - scendhhe'y'rif osr Iran, we should neve; forget thuds thanthat tfrilatft h 4 1 e true Democrat - Unless he is toyal pattint. With the sincere hope that these, my cottsei• enoustonvielions may coincide with those of my friends, I atn, very truly, ytturs, STSPIIES A. DOUGLAS. To Virgil Ilioox, Esq., Chairman State Democratic Committee [From the National Intolttgeneer : May in THE. POINT OF HONOR The subjoined letter from Ex Pres ident BUCHANAN was received at the office of the Atational Intelligencer a few days ago. A friend of the Ex- President's who happened to read the letter, and Who feels much interested in the question of honor and duty; whieh the letter incidentally but very strongly states, and thinking that the opinion of one, who has served the con ri try so conspicuously and so long, might exert a salutary influence on the opinions of others, asked and fob; tamed the consent of the distinguish ed writer to its publication, and it is published accordingly WHEATLAND, may 6, 1861. To the Editors of the Rational biteitigencer : GESTLEMEN—In the confusion of the dines I have not .received .your trimumbers, 9,157 and 9,158, of April 29 and 30, I believe. I should feel greatly Obliged if you would send me these numbers. . Several items in the. Intelligencer have awak ened my attention to the facility with which mil itary gentlemen relieve themselves from their oaths and change their allegiance. A military oath has ever been held sacred in all ages and in all coun tries. .Besides the solemn sanctions of religion, !herald superadded the highest appeal to per sena! honer. 'Each military officer swears that he will bear true allegiance to the United States, and eerve Ahem honestly and faithfully against all their enemies and opposers whatsoever.— They do not swear to support the Constitution of any Suite. Educated by the United States, they belong to the Federal Government in a peculiar Whilst I can imagine why an oticer naight'reiiia rather than 'shed the blood gf Viti zMluviir his native State in r war, yet it is difficult Co exeustror paths to the next step, which is to go over to themtenty, and .make ivar upon the time honored flug of the Country. Beauregard, when he discharged the first gun against Fort Sumter, lighted aflame which it will require a lung time to ea tinguiah. The people of the North at present ate enthusiastically unanimous. They 'Sever. were aroused Until` that shot was fired. I often warned Southern gentlemen that this would be the inevitable 'watt. , . . . I enjoy good health, and as tranquil a spirit as the erili impending over my country - will permit.. ; . Your ft loud, very respectfully, • JAMES BUCHANAN Se' The above letter of Mr. Ba chanan's,is denounced- by the Repub lican press as "gratuitous and uncall ed:ter." 'We should like to have point "ed out the word that is either. It is true a demticrat's name is attached to it, but If it is come to this, that dem ocrats may not, even. denounce the traitors, all ,we have to say is ie the language of „Patrick Henry—"if that be treason, make the most of it.". Nor 11SUCII Loss.- 7 The British ship Albino, bound to Baltimore with 800 tons of ? railroad iron, had gone ashore near Cape Henry, a total loss. The Virginians having removed the Cape floury light and built a fire on the heach some half-mile .away, deceived the captain, and thus caused the dia. aster, , . Mgt. OLD POINT COMFORT, Is a rort villager and watering place of Eliza beth City County, Virginia, 12 miles north froth Norfolk - , situated at the entrance of Hampton Roads, on the James river. The entrance is defend ed by Fortress Monroe. SEWALL'S POINT is a new place, four miles from Fortress Monroe, where the Virginians have erected a num ber of batteries. • NORFOLK, .a city, and port of entry of Norfolk county, Virginia, is situ. ated on the right or N. bank of Eliz abeth river, 8 miles from Hampton Roads, 32 miles from the' sea, 160 miles by water or 106 miles by land S. B. from Richmond. The river, which is seven.eighths of a mile wide, separates it from Portsmouth. Next to Ricllimoud, Norfolk is the most populous city of Virginia. it has more foreign commerce than any oth. er place in the state, and together with Portsmouth is the most impor tant naval station in the Union. The harbor is large, safe, and easily acces sible, admitting vessels of the largest class to come to the wharves. The site of the city is almost a dead level, the plan is somewhat irregular; the streets are wide, mostly well built with brick orstone houses, and lighted with gas.. The most conspicuous pub lie 'buildings are the City Hall, which has a granite front, a cupola 110 feet high, and a portico of six Tuscan col unins.;. its dimensions are 80 feet by 60: thi, NOrraik tary, 'Academy, a _Doric structure 91 feet by 47, with a portico of six columns ateach end: the Me'dhanies' Hall, a Gothic build ing 90 feet by 60: Ashland Hall,.and a Baptist church, with a gteeple 200 fe't high: It also contains 14 church es, 1 of which is Roman Catholic, 9 seminaries, a hospital, an7orphati asy lum, 3 banks, and 2 reitaing rooms.— Five newSpapers are published here. The trade of Norfolk is facilitated 'by the Dismal Swamp canal, which opens a corn municatioa between Chesapeake bay and Albemarle eound; and by, the Seaboard arid Roanoke railroad, which connects it With the towns of North and South Carolina. The canal, con structed , structed with great labor thrmigh the D is. S wam p is navigable for schooners, and brings to this place a very exten- Sive' trade in coal and lumber. With. in a few years past many substantial' warehouses and handsome dwellings have been erected, giving evidence of its 'increased prosperity, consequent on: _these internal improvements:— Norfolk communicates with New York and Philadelphia by regular lines of ocean steamers. The entrance of: the harbor is defended by Forts Calhoun and Monroe. . The capital invested in manufactures is about $570,000, and the value of the annual productions is estimated at $1,140,000. Norfolk was laid out in 1705, incorporated as a borough in 1736, and as a city in 1845. In 1776 it was burned by the British. Population about 20,000. ALEXANDRIA, a city port of entry and capital- of 41exandria, county, Virginia, on the right bank of the Potomac, 7 miles below Washington. The river,- here one Mile wide., forms a commodious harbor t'uffieien tly 'deep for the largest ships. The city is pleasantly situated on i ur.thilliting ground; with a fine view-of the cap. tot at Washingten, add `Of the bread Potomac. The streets OrOsStach 'Oth er at right angles and alt generally well paved and -lighted with gas The public buildings are a court house and about 12 churches: There are 3 banks, 2 newspaper offices, and sev eral excellent schools: The water of the river has recently been intro duced into-the city by means of ma chinery. A considerable amount of shipping is owned here, in which:corn, tobacco, and stone coal are exported. A canal has been opened •to -George town intersecting the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and , a railroad .90 miles long extends from this city to Gor donsville' on the Central railroad.—,l The mannfacture of cotton cloths has -recently' been introduced here, and is carried on quite extensively, a num ber of mills being in successful opera- Mon. , ' Population 'about 10,000. FORTRESS MONROE.—This, the larg est and most important Ibrtress in the United' States, in being reserved to the general governinent in the con test with our Southern rehellion,gives to the governinent an immense de gree oupower in. the work' of 'restor ing Virginia to . tho Union. The for tress,cOmpletely commanding the out let and inlet of James river—whieh is the inlet to Norfolk and Richrnond -commands also the shelter of a blockading squadron for the outlet of Chesapeake Bay;: so that in holding said fort the government, in locking up the bay, can, without'diffibulty, completely lock up 'all - the'navigable waters of:Virginia and of Maryland for' any length of time.' ' The fortress covers some:sixty-five acres of ground, and is defended by 4:10 guns of heavy 'ealibre;' requiring a war- garrison of twenty•fiVe hun dred Men. From 3,000'0'5,000' men are iabiAr stationed inside its - walls : And friim 10,000 to 15,000 outside fOr open-, atiOns in the' neighborhood, The Jo- . cality:of the fortress, "Old Point Corn fort,' eajoye, such a high reputation. for salubrity that it has become - one of our most fanious seaboard sunfiner resorts. The Hygeia Hotel, CloSe der the guns of the fortrees; detibtless be turned over for 'accOino-, dation . of the atilsido' federal treOpS. 'The surrounding 'ivaters . swarm with .fish, crabs and - oysters • *so that the. soldiers` detailed to this military station" . will' beiii Wok.' It is not likely, however, that they Will be allowed to apprOpriate the whale sum mer to sea • hathing, fishing, Milting and oystering. Tbe - seceSsionistScan; not- hold Virginia without holding' fortress Monroe, and 'the people of that State cannot i longrsustaiii a corn= 'plete.lock up . froni 'the sea. TIM MIME RIFLE. The first rifle in vogue in France, was the so-called pillar .'rifle of Thou venin, but the invention of Di. is the one which has completely rev olutionized the fite-firms of the pres ent•day. The improvements made by M. Millie are'confined almost vvhol. ly to the-form of the projectile, and have very little reference,,to that of the gun out of which it is geed. The ball is of an oblong conical ; form, something like an acorn without 44 cup; but instead of being solid, this cone is hollowed out at the base into a cup like form. The advantages of this form of projectile aro that it of fers less resistance to the air than a round ball would, and that having its centre of gravity in its foremost part, it has_ no tendency to turn over in its 'flight; but, its chief merit in a mili tary point of .view, is that, with it the rifle can be (loaded aseasily as the or-. dinary smooth -bored gun, the forcing of the ball into the grooves of the barrel being effected by the explosion of the gunpowder, and . not by the ramrod. Theform of the rifle prop er to these conical missiles differs ve ry little from those used with the old spherical ballet, except that a three grooved rifle has superceded the old two Grooved gun, and it is - still an un settled question' whether four grooves would not be better than three. With this weapon the soldier can' make far better 'pactice at five hundred, or even at one thousand yards, than he could with the old musket. at one hundred or two hundred yards. INVASION , OF VIRGINIA I Alexandriain Possession of U. S. Troops COL. ELLSW6RTH KILLED. 'WASHINGTON, May 24. Yesterday the Federal 'unitary au thorities determined to make an ad. vance from Washington City. Accordingly orders were issued to such of the troops as were to move. The New York . Re g iment of Fire Zouaves, under ol..Ellsworth, was embarked in boats, and arrived at Al exandria, at about two. o'clock this morning. • They were received with a volley of musketry from the wharf, as the boats approached, but no one was injured. Having landed, they proceeded to take complete possession of" the town,rais ing the stars and stripes, and pulling down the secession:flags. About four o'clock, as Ells worth was corning down stairs in the Marshall House, bearing on his shoul de,rs a rebel flag that he had pulled doivn, he was Shot" by- SaCkson, the proprietor of the hotel, and expired instantly. Jackson was immediately killed by some privates of the Zouaves. Although there were numerous re ports of others having been killed, Ellsworth's and Jackson's were the-only cases of loss of life, while no one was wounded. The death - of Ellsworth has created a general feel ing of `gloom in Washington where he has been Well known and promi• nently before the public ever since the Ist of March. He was small in stature and apparently nit more than twenty five years of age. To day numerous flags are hung at half-mast, out of respect to his dem ory. His remains are laid out at the NaVy Yard, With tlae American colors over th'eM,lind the rebet flag that he capturdd-at 'his feet. . , A ftVP.,i., 'CAVALRY COMPANY CAPTURED WASHINGTON ; May 24.—The tgari Regitnent captured a company of rebel eavalrY jtigt outside of Alex andria, a little befOre 'da.ylight this . . The people in the town were al. most scared to death by the arrival or the Federal troops, anticipating all kinds of horrors. ALARM AT ALEXANDRIA. Washington, May 25.—At two clock thiS afternoon, the city was greatly agitated by the hurrying of the Alasaaeliusetts and other troops' to their quarters,.for a hasty advance toward 'Alexandria, where it was un derstood a fight was _hi : progress.— Three guns were-fired, being the si nal for alll - the - troeps here .'to got un! der arms,. General Mansfield, and staff led the advancing troops from Washington. The report of cannon was distinct ly heard from' the 'arsenal wharf, and dense clnuds of smoke were seen from the honsetops. was soon after as certained that thebattle,engagement, skirmish, or whatever it might be was located net in Alexandria, as was at first supposed,, but . three m4s this side of that city, in .a southwesterly di rection,'SOMCw here in the vicinity of Arlington. - . This' evening some of 'the . troops who so hastily crossed the river re turned-to the city disappointed in their expectation of Meeting the enemy.--;. The proceedinga„ howeven striae the facility and, expedition with which foreci Can he'..throwar into • , An account has since been reebiiied from . ~Yirginia, which seem's. to be truthful. It says the cause of the alarm was that the Federal picket. guard at Little Falls Church,:near linton, had been driven in,.by the se cessionists. The latter were; howev er,so • . o • n put to flight., , The troops which hastily 'left tifie city this afternoon are halting withis a mile's distance. The artillery and eavalrEpaEsed on' in the direction of Alezlindfift. The President, while. I i ,the proces: slim accompanying' the remains of Ellsworth to the' ears, was -ilifOrmecl by a courier of stirring hostilities on the Virginia side. General'Alansheld was similarly advieecl v and i ; this was the foundation of the military move ments to=day. . dense smoke was in p the meantime meantime seen on the line of ArlingtoHeights, and cannonading , heard. The latter, hoWever, it now ,appears, - Were gener al minute guns, and the ;former i)rob ably arose from the eump fres. The troops now here have been or dered to 'have themselves in..readipegS_ to march at a Moment's nirtie. The Utmost watchfulpess on the part of the military authorities to guard against the l approach of Seces sion troops, is being everywhere man. ifest. Washington, April 25.----Evenipg There seems now to be no doubt that, a skirrriish''tO6l,E place' between the 'Federal and :Secession Ittekitta near Arlington, Sir' ARREST OF COUNTERFEITERS On Tuesday officers left this city, says the Pittsburg Dispatch, at three o'- clock, p. m., and arrived at one, p. with six parties charged with eminterfeiting, and in possession of whonOxiges coin and paper money were "found. The parties arrested were ,Jos. Shoemaker proprietor of the Cambria, louse, Johnstown, one of the best kept * houses in t liat7tegion, and two attaches of the house, Ster ret Montgomery and Philip Geo. Rusbenberger,:ieweler, and Dan iel A. GOehenhauer, wholesale liquor Merchant, doing a good, business, all of Johnstown, sold Blijalquller, mer chant, of ,Maryland; (Porrysville, we believe,) . who is quite weattliy, and prominent man, socially and-politi , tally, at home. .1.16 is suipeoed .9f being the seller of the spurious Money. Upon all of these,. or in their psis.: session, counterfeit coin and paper, Money, and upon some of them bothi. were found. The coin found is some of the most deceptive we have ever seen, - and the paper - money is most of it, an excellent imitation. Two.dellar anda-half gold pieces, half-dollars, quarters and dimes, were the kinds of coin found. The paper money inclu , ded $2 bills on the Summit, County. Branch of the State of Ohio; tens on the Farmers' Bank of Lancaster, Pa., fires and tens on.the Forest City Bank of Cleveland; ones and-twos o:t the Batik Amicastio, fiveti. 06 the Bank of York, Pa.,4n4,others„ At the time of Fuller's.'. anirest,' was at the Ctimbria House with horse and buggy, which a stranger took and haetilk - left. The horse. and buggy were said to have been from Toyo toivn, and thither a telegraphic; diet. patch was Omit for the arrest' of the said stranger. : The parties arrested were very, qui et and behaved. in the most gentle manly manner—though most of them endeavored to make way with the boglia Money found upon them when arrested—so say the officers,- to whom much :credit is dnefor the prompt. 'and successful manner in which they accomplished the arrests. - •: "Newcomer," so well knOwn teour 'readers as the detective Nir ci hag been. instrumental in a number of the ar rests and convictions of .Parties charg , - 3 eil - with eeu nterfeitingdurin,„,, ,,, the past year in. -this , vininity had - been in. J oh'stown, ogisociating with, Tort:haw ing Money `of, arid "Makin appoint ments with several of the .pa,rtios= above named, .for several days.: had the ropeelaid to-gather-them-to gether;, aridto hivethem :caug ht i n ! possession of the beams money when OM officers tame to,arrest theft. .11c; purchased some fifty dollars' worts` of the "beges," and was SO complete= ly disguised during the entire opera; tion that though be comedown from' Johnstown in the smile train withlhe parties under arrest, they . did not, then recognize him. YeAerday afternoon. the' rsibi. first nettled were brought before U. S. .Corrimissioner Sproul, and were dis posed of as.follows: GoehenTiMier had a parti.4l hearing, 'eV kVA field in bail ot $2;000 MI his appearance.yesterda.y morning; at 9 o'clock, 'gild the other five were: e om. witted to jail for a further hearing. SAD CONDITION OF TROOPS AT IiAN CASTER.-7-The people of ,Lancaster ci ty have been distressed with the com plaintS made of the condition of the troops n.t, Camp _ .Tuck n---th e, Four and- Fifteenth Pennsylvania Regiments; and t h e Express ef Thurs day evening .eontaina.a eiposhre of the state of the affairs there;which confirms all that has been .said. about. theni. : . So strong have been the grievances. of the troops that the Express declares. they will soon become utterly demor -alized. notwithstanding, the excellent.: character of the men of which ; the_ regiments are composed Already. WO or three campanie.S have. tlrani mously protested against appearing in. dress parade, and but` for the arrivak of a quantity of fresh beef On Sunday,. and a care forthp_hcilictiof their cap tain, one of the compani4 Would' have carried this protest into effect. All .this diseentent is occasioned simply by the shociiing condition of the commissariat, which servos to the• volunteers ran cid,a net oftentimes pork in a state of putrescence, and an en tirely insufficient suppit of ,bread.— The fallowing instances wilt illustrate , the condition of the departmil'at With all. -ecorsomy,ftinv.-'companty of sefenty : four men ,snppeii litst even on lesa, pounds Of ,breittl akin lite'lior4. tiping to be, t away as totally unfit thrown ga. , o l edi )4 . Coen;hy hangiT hien. The - eiti,2ens of Lancaster . cntrrity would cheerfully help' the -troops if the effidal corn n` Wag-cliSpente..• ed with; but they are not willing to' appear to sanction an tiviiinilt`abuse` by &atributing to supply that which! is paid fur, out of a -liberal State trea= - sury.:: They aro, hOW eVeridetermin..- ed out of feelings of humanityas well uspatribtisni, to have' redoitrse to the' most energetic measures to , institute a Worm $ T 13* at Aft. or.avice Ar .. Tna El Reagan; Pi)stroagert4' eral-of the:southern:euldetat,.-- issued 'a prOcliOatiOnAUSPelidiffeand prohißiting the bpe'FitiunlitiOthePost office Department of the 'United States, within the limits Of the „Confederate States ; aft;tr the thirty4trit day Of the presenemonth. 'All postmasters route agents, and special agentanow-aciing under the authority- of;:the Statee are di reqted, uti'd after the. first day of June, to continue in the discharge of their duties,subject to tire - . laws and regulations of the new can, federacy,to which they are required to apply for, new commissions. Postulate. ters are forbidden to collect -postage on mail matter sent to or 'received from the 'United States until srpoetal treaty shall be made by tills govern ident- with the southern confesithlwy, and, until postage stamps andsta m p, ed envelopes are furnished;! matter is required to be Saz 1 forin money. .;.The floatage on single fetters carried within five hundred Miles, is to be 5 eta., and for any: distance ex...v ceeding thisl
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers