The Federal Advance into Virginia. Alexandria to find that Commander Rowan, of the gunboat Pawnee, already had given the people warning of the advance ——a hint for the enemy's troops to escape, of which they availed themselves. But a little company of cavalry remained as a squad of observation. The Zouaves, with a small detachment from the New York Seventy-first, landed under cover of the Pawnee's guns, and immediately proceeded to take possession of the town, the railway, telegraph and the approaches. At this time Colonel Wilcox, with his Michigan regiment, came down from Long Bridge; simultaneously the two regiments took possession. The New York Twelfth, took position midway between the Bridge and Alexandria. The New York Twenty-fifth pushed out towards Falls Church. The New York Seventh held Long Bridge, whose approaches they proceeded at once to fortify and secure against any possible assault.* In the occupancy of Alexandria occurred the tragedy of the assassination of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth. The landing of his regiment having been effected in safety, he proceeded at once into the village. Perceiving on the "Marshall House" the secession flag still flying, which had been run up as a taunt to the President's House-from which it was visible-he pushed direct for the hotel, accompanied by three persons, and a Sergeant's squad from Company A, as a guard. The entire company was afterwards ordered up. The Colonel, his three friends and a private named Francis E. Brownell, proceeded to the roof of the hotel, where Ellsworth lowered away the flag. Returning, Brownell led the way, followed by his Colonel with the flag in his arms. They were confronted on the third * This fine regiment, having proceeded to Washington to guard the Capital until other forces could arrive, was relieved of duty by orders of May 30th. May 26th it was returned to Washington by orders of Brigadier-General Mansfield, whose order read : ́ ́The security of this city renders it imperative that you should resume your encampment on this side; and you will this afternoon march over accordingly, and hold your regiment here ready to turn out when called upon." It accordingly returned, giving place to other troops, which passed on over the Bridge daily after the 24th. The Assassination of Colonel Ellsworth. floor stairs by the proprietor of the house, one Jackson, who levelled the double barrelled shot-gun with which he was armed directly at Ellsworth and fired almost instantly-the charge lodging in the Colonel's breast. Ellsworth fell forward, with an exclamation of sharp pain. The assassin dropped the aim of his gun to take off Brownell, but the Zouave shot and bayoneted the murderer in an instant—the shot-gun discharging its contents into the wainscoting over head. Ellsworth was borne to a bed, but was dead. This tragedy sent a thrill of horror through the country. While it illustrated the spirit of insane malignity which controlled the Secessionists, it demonstrated the folly of leniency towards such an enemy. To the Zouaves a corps of as fine soldiers as ever walked the field—the loss of their beloved leader was indeed irreparable. They never afterwards were the model regiment which they had become under Ellsworth's peculiar and wonderfully thorough discipline. His loss was a source of national regret, for a more devoted and promising officer the Union army did not contain. Outcry of Secession Journals. This occupation of Virginia of course excited the revolutionists intensely.— Their press teemed, for a few days, with a rhetoric which ran the octave of defamatory and incendiary expletives. The Richmond journals were not least in that wordy bom The Enquirer bardment of the “Yankees.” said: "We congratulate the people of Virginia that the last flimsy pretext of the Rump Government at Washington, of regard for Constitutional laws, has been thrown aside. The sovereign State of Virginia has been invaded by the Federal hirelings, without authority of Congress, which alone has the war-making power. Heretofore, the pretense that it was the duty of the Federal Government to repossess itself of the forts and arsenals in the Seceded States, has been put forward to justify the aggressive movements of Federal troops. But in the present case there is no such pretense; no forts, or arsenals, or other Federal property have been seized at Alexandria. The bloody and brutal' purposes of 6 McDowell in Brigadier-General Irwin | campaign afterwards worked out. Though McDowell assumed com- changed in some of its details by his successmand of the army of occu- ors, and modified by the force of circumpation May 27th. The military department stances, the War for the Union was proseof the Potomac was created May 28th, over cuted throughout upon the general plan dewhich he was placed. Its boundaries com- veloped by the Lieutenant-General in the prised the section of Virginia lying east of early stages of the struggle. It comprised the Alleghanies, and north of James River, simply a crowding of the enemy toward a exclusive of the Yorktown Peninsula and common centre. To this end camps were Fortress Monroe, where Major-General Butler | formed at Cairo, Chambersburg, Washington then was in supreme command. McDowell and Fortress Monroe, from General Scott's Plan. issued (June 2d) his orders (General Order each of which to advance; No. 4) requiring, from the commanders of brigades and officers in charge of forti- | fications, “statements of the amount, kind, and value of all private property taken and used for Government purposes, and the damage done in any way to private property by reason of the occupation of this section of the country by the United States troops." The Proclamation further stated: "The commanders of brigades will make this order known to the inhabitants in their vicinity, to the end that all loss or damage may, as nearly as possible, be ascertained while the troops are now here, and by whom and on whose account it has been occasioned, that justice may be done alike to the citizen and the Government." This Proclamation was the key-note of Federal policy: "that justice may be done alike to the citizen and the Government," as Beauregard's wretched fulmination, burdened with falsehood and malice, was the key-note of Confederate policy. The movement into Virginia did not argue an early advance upon Richmond. The army was too entirely unskilled in war; its equip- | ments, artillery and means of transport were all inadequate to the forward movement which must, of necessity, be made to "suppress the insurrection." General Scott adapted means to ends. He clearly com General Scott's Plan. prehended the vastness of his work, and labored diligently to acquire all the materiel to promote and insure success. His slow massing of men ere long excited complaint among those who preferred a short campaign and hot work; but, the confidence reposed in his judgment, by the Administration and the people, left him free to act unrestrainedly. He planned the gigantic while naval expeditions accomplishing the To the perfection of the gigantic means necessary to accomplish such results, the General-in-Chief bent all his energies—then impaired physically, but clear, strong and sagacious as ever, mentally. The storm of invective with which the revolutionists met the President's call for troops, and the derision of his order for the malcontents to lay down their arms and return peaceably to their homes within twenty days, were but minor evidences that the struggle to suppress the rebellion must call forth all the resources of the Government. A truly Herculean struggle was impending. The tone of every Southern proclamation was warlike and defiant. The spirit of peace had vanished, and, in its place, arose passions as ferocious as the human heart could well conceive and bring forth. Prodigious efforts were put forth by the revolutionary leaders to throw into the field, at once, an army of great magnitude and recuperative resources. All these convinced the commanding General that haste, or inconsiderate action must peril the Capital if not the country's very existence. He chose, therefore, the policy inaugurated by the movement into Virginia—of an occupation, to await the time when a well-trained army, with plentiful resources should move forward to certain and effective victory. One other course he could have pursued-that of early advance and rapid strokes at every vulnerable point. This system best suited the ardent aspirations of the people. | vicinity excepted. This em- The Military Departments. The Military Departments at the date of May 28th, were as follows: Department of the East, subdivided as follows: OF WASHINGTON: embracing the District of Columbia according to its original boundaries; Fort Washington and the country adjacent, and the State of Maryland, including Bladensburg and Baltimore. Headquarters at Washington. OF THE SOUTH: embracing Eastern Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Headquarters at Fortress Monroe. OF ANNAPOLIS: comprising the country for twenty miles on each side of the railway from Annapolis to Washington, as far as Bladensburg, Maryland. Head-quarters at Annapolis. OF PENNSYLVANIA: embracing the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and all of Maryland not included in other departments. Head-quarters at Philadelphia. OF THE WEST: comprising the country west of the Mississippi and east of the Rocky Mountains, except those portions included in the limits of Texas and New Mexico. Headquarters at St. Louis. OF THE OHIO: including the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Western Virginia. OF TEXAS: embracing the State. | The Military Departments. braced the field of active operations. Brigadier-General McDowell was placed in command, his staff comprising: Colonel P. Stone, Fourteenth U. S. infantry, Captain B. O. Tyler, brevet Captain Joseph B. Fry, and Lieutenant Putnam, of the Topographical Engineers. George B. McClellan, Major-General of the Ohio volunteers, was placed in command of the department of the Ohio. B. F. Butler was in command at Fortress Monroe. These two commanders were nominated to be Major-Generals, in the U. S. army, May 16th. Brigadier-General Harney was in command at St. Louis. Major-General of volunteers Patterson was in command of the department of Pennsylvania, taking up head-quarters at Chambersburg early in June, preparatory to a movement on Harper's Ferry. McDowell relieved Major-General Sandford of the command in Virginia, May 27th, and immediately addressed himself to the work of covering the operations of the engineers, whose plans for fortifications opened out on a very extensive scale. Picket and scout advances only were made the design being to entrench and prepare for the general contingencies of the long and severe campaign which seemed to be assured. McDowell in Com mand. A Gallant Affair. A spirited affair occurred early on the morning of June 1st, when one of these scouting parties made a dash into Fairfax Court House village. The Federal force consisted of seventyfive men of the Second U. S. cavalry, Co. B, commanded by Lieutenant Tompkins, assisted OF NEW MEXICO: embracing that Terri- by Lieutenant Gordon, of the Second dratory. Head-quarters at Santa Fe. OF THE PACIFIC: embracing the country west of the Rocky Mountains. Head-quarters at San Francisco. OF UTAH: embracing Utah, except that portion lying west of 117th deg. W. longitude. Head-quarters at Camp Floyd. These were chiefly the old assignments. The new state of affairs necessitated great changes. May 28th, the department of Eastern Virginia was created, comprising all of Virginia lying east of the Alleghanies and north of James River-Fortress Monroe and goons, and accompanied by three officers of the New York Fifth regiment. Reconnoitering up to within three hundred yards of the village, the party was discovered by the rebel pickets, who fired and fled. Two of the pickets were seized and a dash made into the place from the north. The Virginia cavalry hastily formed. Into their ranks the Federals charged, dispersing them quickly, emptying several saddles and securing the horses. The Union cavalry wheeled and charged back, running the gauntlet of shot fired from houses and gardens. At the head of the street they |