also very scarce, and can only be obtained at a | machines-two to be used in Virginia and one price ranging from five to fifteen cents per in North Carolina. He is also busily at work pound, and then not without a physician's pre- at an infernal machine, to blow up forts and scription. For a glass of ice-water fifteen vessels. It is connected with clock work, so arcents are charged at some of the hotels. The ranged that, in any period after it is set, from cargo lately taken to that city by the St. Nich-five minutes to twenty-four hours, fire may be olas, after her capture by the pirate Captain communicated to a barrel of explosive matter. Thomas, was disposed of by the State taking It is on an entirely different principle from the half of it, and the other half was obtained by machine recently found by one of our vessels Mr. Crenshaw, the proprietor of the Spotts- floating in the Potomac, and the Richmond sewood House, where Jeff. Davis and family are cessionists seem to entertain great hopes of its quartered. utility in inflicting injuries upon us. time, there was a great want of powder in the South, which is now being supplied by manufacturers in North Carolina or Tennessee. Notwithstanding all the precautions which have been taken, goods of great importance to the insurgents are still occasionally forwarded to them from the North. On the Fourth of July thirty barrels of linseed oil arrived there from the city of Philadelphia, and was of great use to them in the manufacture of oilcloth for haversacks and knapsacks. It was obtained by Purcell & Co., of Richmond; and it might not be amiss for our authorities to inquire what one of our establishments furnished it. About six weeks ago buckles and sewingthread, for the manufacture of military equipments, became very scarce; but Mr. King, of the firm of King & Lambert, went to Massachusetts, by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and obtained a good supply, which he took back with him by the same route. There is still plenty of employment for all who understand any trades useful in assisting in the equipment of the army, and they are kept busily at work. The Union Manufacturing Company, which is under the superintendence of G. P. Sloat, formerly of this city, has a contract to alter 5,000 guns from flint to percussion locks, which it is now doing rapidly. At one The machinery for the manufacture of arms at Harper's Ferry has been removed to Fayetteville, N. C., where two hundred and seventyfive men have been sent to put it into operation. The design is to chiefly manufacture there Morse's breech-loading rifles, for which they have obtained all the necessary patterns. The Tredegar Works at Richmond are very busily engaged manufacturing arms for the rebel army. They turn out two sixty-eight pounders and two six-pound howitzers, or smooth-bore cannon, and a great quantity of shot and shell every week. Mr. Anderson, who is at the head of the establishment, has formed the operatives into a military organization, called the Tredegar Battalion, of which he is the commander. small currency are shinplasters issued by the corporations, which are worth about twenty per cent. less than the bank notes. The bills of the Government are paid in treasury notes, State scrip, or corporation money. The people of Richmond think it utterly impossible that our Government can obtain a loan of $250,000,000, and declare the effort of the Administration to do so to be absurd. The currency of Richmond is in a very disordered condition. On the best bank bills a discount of from fifteen to twenty per cent. must be paid to obtain gold, and of ten per cent. for silver of the denomination of twentyfive cents or upwards, but five and ten cent pieces When the war first broke out there was a are very scarce, and cannot be obtained withscarcity of caps in Virginia, and it was esti-out paying a much higher premium. The chief mated that there were not more than three for each soldier in the Southern army. A Mr. De Bow then commenced to make a machine to manufacture them, and finally succeeded in constructing one capable of turning out 40,000 per day, without the fulminating or detonating powder. The first efforts to make this powder were fatal to those employed. Mr. Finch, a chemist, after succeeding in manufacturing it, endeavored to continue the business in his house; but an explosion occurred by which his building was destroyed, his wife and children terribly hurt, his own eyes blown out, and such other injuries inflicted upon him that, after lingering a short time in great agony, he finally expired. Undaunted by this disaster, another man was obtained to continue its manufacture, but in a few days a similar accident occurred. His head was blown off, his arms torn from their sockets, and his assistant was also killed. Notwithstanding this, another manufacturer has since been obtained, and the insurgent army is now being well supplied from Richmond, and it is believed, by an establishment in Memphis, with percussion caps. Meanwhile, Mr. De Bow is making three more cap The public generally know comparatively little of what is transpiring in the North, as their own papers do not attempt to give correct information. Their military officers, however, appear to be well informed, and one of their most important avenues of information seems to be the Baltimore Sun, which is received there with great regularity: There are occasional interruptions of a day or two, but these do not very often occur. Jefferson Davis takes a ride in the evening through the city on a fine gray horse, and excites considerable enthusiasm among the citizens, with whom he is rather popular. Alexander H. Stephens was not in the city when our informant left there, but was expected soon. All the secession Cabinet, and a good many members of the Congress, which is to meet on the 20th of July, had arrived there. The secessionists expressed great indignation at the proposed secession of Western Virginia from the eastern part of that State, and of East from West Tennessee, which they thought entirely unconstitutional and rebellious; but when they heard that there was a disposition upon the part of Western Kentucky to secede from the loyal portion of that State, they declared it to be a very righteous and perfectly legal movement. has not reported to me since we have been here, and I have not been able to communicate with him. I think they are at Sangster's Station. The four men wounded yesterday belonged to Colonel Miles' division, who had some slight skirmishing in reaching the position. As an evidence of the aristocratic tendencies of secession, and of the growing unpopularity of it among the working classes, our informant states that the Richmond Dispatch earnestly advocates the establishment of a property qual-done by them, and the number and size of their ification as a condition for the enjoyment of the right of suffrage, so that an aristocratic government may be created. In many of the camps the measles and mumps were very prevalent, and many men had died of neglect and improper treatment. At one camp in Tennessee he saw two large tents literally crowded with the sick. Colonel Gregg's South Carolina regiment, whose term of service had expired, had reached Richmond from Manassas on their way home. The colonel tried to get them to reenlist and go back, but only sixteen out of the whole regiment were willing. The men were nearly all mechanics, and were dissatisfied with the service. Lieutenant-Colonel Bowman and the other officer of the Pennsylvania volunteers captured on the Potomac, had been at large on parole, in Richmond; but on Monday of last week they were again put in confinement in a tobacco warehouse on Main street, near the Rockets, where about fifty other prisoners from our army are confined. Each column encountered about the same obstructions-trees felled across the road-but the axemen cleared them out in a few moments. There were extensive breast works thrown up at this place, and some of them with embrasures resettled with sandbags. Extensive breastworks were also thrown up at the Fairfax railroad station, and the road leading to Sangster's. A great deal of work had been camps show they have been here in great force. Their retreat, therefore, must have a damaging effect upon them. They left in such haste that they did not draw in their pickets, who came into one of our camps, thinking, as it occupied the same place, that it was their own. The obstructions to the railroad in the vicinity of the station, including the deep cut filled in with earth, etc., can be cleared out in a few hours. The telegraph poles are up with the wires on them. I hope to have railroad and telegraphic communication in a very short time. Much flour, some arms, forage, tents, camp equipage, etc., were abandoned by them. I am distressed to have to report excesses by our troops. The excitement of the men found vent in burning and pillaging, which, however, was soon checked. It distressed us all greatly. I go to Centreville in a few moments. Very respectfully your obedient servant. IRWIN MCDOWELL, Brigadier-General Commanding. Doc. 104. In passing through Tennessee our informant learned that General Anderson, in command of THE FIGHT AT BLACKBURN'S FORD, VA. Nashville, ordered two regiments on Wednesday to East Tennessee, and two more were to go the next day, to overawe the Union men in that region. -Philadelphia Press, July 18. Doc. 103. GENERAL MCDOWELL'S DESPATCH. FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE, July 18, 1861. To Colonel E. D. Townsend, Assistant AdjutantGeneral, Washington :THE First Division, under General Tyler, is between Germantown and Centreville. The Second (Hunter's) is at this place, just about to move forward to Centreville. The Fifth (Miles') is at the crossing of the old Braddock road with the road from this to Fairfax Station, and is ordered forward to Centreville by the old Braddock road. Barry's battery has joined it. One of Colonel Heintzelman's brigades (Wilcox) is at Fairfax Station. Colonel Heintzelman and his other brigade are below the station, but he JULY 18, 1861. REPORT OF GEN. TYLER. HEAD QUARTERS, 1ST DIVISION, DEP'T N. E. VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, July 27, 1861. Gen. McDowell, Commanding Department:SIR: On the 18th inst. you ordered me to take my division, with two 20-pound rifled guns, and move against Centreville, to carry that position. My division moved from its encampment at 7 A. M. At 9 A. M. Richardson's brigade reached Centreville, and found that the enemy had retreated the night before—one division on the Warrentown turnpike, in the direction of Gainsville, and the other, and by far the largest division, toward Blackburn's Ford, or Bull Run. Finding that Richardson's brigade had turned the latter point and halted for the convenience of obtaining water, I took a squadron of cavalry and two light companies from Richardson's brigade, with Col. Richardson, to make a reconnoissance, and, in feeling our way carefully, we soon found ourselves overlooking the strong position of the enemy, I was in force, and also as to the position of his situated at Blackburn's Ford, or Bull Run. A moment's observation discovered a battery on the opposite bank, but no great body of troops, although the usual pickets and small detachments showed themselves on the left of the position. Suspecting, from the natural strength which I saw the position to possess, that the enemy must be in force, and desiring to ascertain the extent of that force and the position of his batteries, I ordered up the two rifled guns, Ayres' battery, and Richardson's entire brigade, and subsequently Sherman's brigade in reserve, to be ready for any contingency. As soon as the rifled guns came up, I ordered them into battery on the crest of the hill, nearly a mile from a single battery which we could see placed on the opposite side of the run. Ten or a dozen shots were fired, one of them seeming to take effect on a large body of cavalry, who evidently thought themselves out of the range. The battery we had discovered on our arrival fired six shots and discontinued fire. Finding that our fire did not provoke the enemy to discover his force and his batteries, I ordered Col. Richardson to advance his brigade, and to throw out skirmishers to scour the thick woods with which the whole bottom of Bull Run was covered. batteries, I ordered Col. Richardson to withdraw his brigade, which was skilfully though unwillingly accomplished, as he requested permission, with the 1st Massachusetts and 2d and 3d Michigan regiments, to charge the enemy and drive him out. It is but justice to these regiments to say that they stood firm, manoeuvred well, and I have no doubt would have backed up manfully the proposition of their gallant commander. After the infantry had been withdrawn, I directed Capt. Ayres and Lieut. Benjamin, who commanded the two 20-pounders, to open their fire both on the battery which enfiladed the road leading to the ford and on the battery which we had discovered in the bottom of Bull Run, which we knew to be surrounded by a large body of men. This fire was continued from three until four o'clock, firing 415 shots. The fire was answered from the enemy's batteries gun for gun, but was discontinued the moment we ceased firing. The concentrated position of the enemy, and the fact that the elevation of our battery and the range were both favorable, induce the belief that the enemy suffered severely from our fire, and this belief is confirmed by the fact that the ensuing day, until twelve M., ambulances were seen coming and going from and to Manassas, two miles distant. In closing this report, it gives me great pleas of Col. Richardson, Capt. Britchschneider, who This order was skilfully executed, and the skirmishers came out of the wood into the road, and close to the ford, without provoking any considerable fire from the enemy. Desir-ure to call to your attention the gallant conduct ing to make a further attempt to effect the object of the movement, and discovering an opening low down on the bottom of the stream, where a couple of howitzers could be put into battery, I ordered Capt. Ayres to detach a section, put himself on the ground I pointed out to him, and sent a squadron of cavalry to support this movement. The moment Capt. Ayres opened his fire, the enemy replied with volleys which showed that the whole bottom was filled with troops, and that he had batteries estabBrig. Gen. Commanding 1st Division. lished in different positions to sweep all the apBrig. Gen. Mc DOWELL, Commanding N. E. Virginia. proaches by the road leading to Blackburn's OFFICIAL REPORT OF COLONEL RICHARDSON. Ford. Capt. Ayres maintained himself most gallantly, and after firing away all his canister shot and some spherical case with terrible effect, as we afterwards learned, withdrew his pieces safely and rejoined his battery. This attack on Capt. Ayres accomplished the object I desired, as it showed that the enemy was in force, and disclosed the position of his batteries, and had I been at hand the movement would have ended here; but Col. Richardson, having previously given an order for the 12th New York to deploy into line and advance into the woods, in an attempt to execute this order the regiment broke, (with the exception of two companies, A and I, who stood their ground gallantly,) and was only rallied in the woods some mile and a half in the rear. The fire which the regiment encountered was severe, but no excuse for the disorganization it produced. Having satisfied myself that the enemy CAMP OF THE 4TH BRIGADE, 1ST DIV., GEN. McDow ELL'S CORPS, IN FRONT OF BLACKBURN'S FORD, ON BULL RUN, July 19, 1861. GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I left the camp at Germantown at an early hour yesterday morning, my brigade consisting of the 2d and 3d Michigan regiments, the 1st Massachusetts regiment, and the 12th New York. A battalion of light infantry, consisting of 40 men from each regiment-160 in allcommanded by Capt. Robert Britchschneider of the 2d regiment of Michigan Infantry, moved in front of the brigade some 500 yards in advance, and threw pickets still further in advance of the road. A section of 20-pounder rifled guns, commanded by Lieut. Benjamin of the 5th Artillery, moved in the rear of the light battalion. The march of the column was slow, so as to prevent surprise. No enemy appeared at Centreville, three miles from camp, he having abandoned his intrenchments the night before. On advancing one mile in front of Centreville, I came to a halt near some springs to prooure water for the brigade, and Gen. Tyler and myself left with a squadron of cavalry and two companies of infantry for the purpose of making a reconnoissance, to the front, which, on arriving one mile in front of Blackburn's Ford, proved that the enemy had a battery in rear of the run so as to enfilade the road. He had also strong pickets of infantry and skirmishing parties occupying the woods and houses in front of his position. The battalion of light infantry was now ordered to deploy five hundred yards in front of the eminence upon which this camp is situated, and a position was at once taken by the rifled guns, which now opened their fire. This fire was not answered by the enemy until several rounds had been fired, and I pushed forward the skirmishers to the edge of the woods, they driving in those of the enemy in fine style, and then brought up the 1st Massachusetts regiment to their support, the skirmishers still advancing into the woods. Capt. Brackett's squadron of the 2d Cavalry, and two 12-pounder howitzers, commanded by Capt. Ayers, 5th U. S. Artillery, now moved up into an opening in the woods, in support. The enemy also opened another battery more to our left, so as to cross fire with the other upon the road. I ordered up at this time the 12th New York regiment, Col. Walrath, to the left of our battery, and it being formed in line of battle, I directed it to make a charge upon their position, the skirmishers still pushing forward and drawing the enemy's fire, but keeping themselves well covered. I now left the position of the 12th New York regiment to place upon the right of the battery the Massachusetts and the 2d and 3d Michigan regiments, when a very heavy fire of musketry and artillery was opened by the enemy, along his whole line. On moving toward our left, I found the 12th New York regiment had fallen back out of the woods in disorder, only parts of two companies, some sixty men in all, remaining in line, and retreating. The howitzers, and also the cavalry, had been withdrawn; our left was thus exposed, although the skirmishers still held their ground in the woods, and the three remaining regiments on the right remained firm and determined. I now reported to Gen. Tyler that the main body of the New York regiment had fallen back in confusion, and I proposed to make a charge with the three remaining regiments, for the purpose of carrying the enemy's position. The General replied that the enemy were in large force and strongly fortified, and a further attack was unnecessary; that it was merely a reconnoissance which he had made, that he had found where the strength of the enemy lay, and ordered me to fall back in good order to our batteries on the hill, which we did, the enemy closing his fire before we left the ground, and In not returning to make an effort to follow us. Our batteries on the hill now opened fire, sus. tained by the Second Michigan regiment on the right, in close column by divisions-the other two regiments forming line of battle on the left. The New York regiment, after some time, formed under cover of the woods in rear. this affair our skirmishers advanced so close to the enemy's works and batteries that two mounted officers were killed inside the breastworks, and one of our men was shot through the shoulder with a revolver by one of the enemy's officers, and one of their cannoneers was bayoneted by one of our men while the former was engaged in loading his gun. Our skirmishers, also, in falling back, had several of their wounded bayoneted by order of the enemy's officers. The enemy's intrenchments and batteries appeared to be in rear of the creek called Bull Run. The batteries on the extreme right of their line were on high ground, and fired over the heads of their infantry in front. At night we fell back to Centreville for water and rations, and this morning have again occupied our ground upon the hill in front of the enemy, they being in large force, and having their pickets and skirmishers in the woods, and in front of them, as yesterday. I have the honor also to inclose a statement of our loss incidental to this affair. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. Commanding Fourth Brigade, First Division. To Brig.-Gen. TYLER, Commanding First Division. BLACKBURN'S FORD. E, Captain Ayers, Fifth Artillery, commandThird Regiment U. S. Artillery, Company ing. First Lieut. Loraine wounded. 2 privates killed, 1 private wounded. 4 horses killed, 3 horses wounded. Capt. Brackett's Squadron, Companies G and I, Second Cavalry.-1 sergeant and 2 privates wounded. 8 horses wounded. der.-1 sergeant and 1 private killed. 4 priLight Infantry Battalion, Capt. Britchschneivates wounded, (3 of the Second Michigan.) Twelfth New York Regiment, Col. Walrath 1 corporal and 18 privates wounded. 1 corcommanding.-1 corporal and 4 privates killed. poral and 9 privates missing. ardson commanding.-1 private wounded. Second Michigan Infantry, Col. J. B. Rich Third Michigan Infantry, Col. Mc Connell commanding.-1 private wounded. TOTAL.-19 killed, 38 wounded, and 26 missing; 4 horses killed and 11 wounded. J. B. RICHARDSON, Col. Commanding Fourth Brigade, First Division. HEAD-QUARTERS, 1ST CORPS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, MANASSAS, August, 1861. GENERAL: With the general results of the engagement between several brigades of my command and a considerable force of the ene- | Stone Bridge crossing, with Sloane's 4th regimy, in the vicinity of Mitchell's and Blackburn's ment South Carolina volunteers, Wheat's SpeFords of Bull Run, on the 18th ultimo, you cial Battalion Louisiana volunteers, four 6were made duly acquainted at the time by tele-pounder guns and two companies of Virginia graph, but it is my place now to submit in de-cavalry. tail the operations of that day. Early's brigade, consisting of Kemper's 7th, Opportunely informed of the determination Early's 24th regiment of Virginia volunteers, of the enemy to advance on Manassas, my ad- Hays' 7th regiment Louisiana volunteers, and vanced brigades, on the night of the 16th of three rifle pieces of Walton's battery. LieuJuly, were made aware from these head-quar-tenant Squires' at first were held in position in ters of the impending movement; and in exact the rear of, and as a support to, Ewell's briaccordance with my instructions, a copy of gade, until after the development of the enemy which is appended, marked “A," their with- in heavy offensive force, in front of Mitchell's drawal within the lines of Bull Run was effect- and Blackburn's Fords, when it was placed ed with complete success during the day and in rear of and nearly equidistant between night of the 17th ultimo in face of, and in im- McLean's, Blackburn's, and Mitchell's Fords. mediate proximity to a largely superior force, Pending the development of the enemy's despite a well-planned, well-executed effort to purpose, about ten (10) o'clock A. M., I estabcut off the retreat of Bonham's brigade-first lished my head-quarters at a central point, at Germantown, and subsequently at Centre- McLean's farm-house, near to McLean's and ville, whence he withdrew by my direction, Blackburn's Fords, where two 6-pounders of after midnight, without collision, although en- Walton's battery were in reserve; but, subseveloped on three sides by their lines. This quently during the engagement, I took post to movement had the intended effect of deceiving the left of my reserve. the enemy, as to my ulterior purposes, and led him to anticipate an unresisted passage of Bull Run. As prescribed in the first and second sections of the paper herewith, marked "A," on the morning of the 18th of July, my troops resting on Bull Run, from Union Mills Ford to the Stone Bridge, a distance of about eight miles, were posted as follows: Ewell's brigade occupied a position in vicinity of Union Mills Ford. It consisted of Rhode's 5th and Siebel's 6th regiments of Alabama, and Seymour's 6th regiment of Louisiana volunteers, with four 12-pounder howitzers, of Walton's battery, and Harrison's, Green's and Cabell's companies of Virginia cavalry. D. R. Jones' brigade was in position in rear of McLean's Ford, and consisted of Jenkins' 5th South Carolina, and Bunt's 15th and Fetherstone's 18th regiments of Mississippi volunteers, with two brass 6-pounder guns of Walton's battery, and one company of cavalry. Of the topographical features of the country thus occupied, it must suffice to say that Bull Run is a small stream running in this locality, nearly from West to East, to its confluence with the Occoquan River, about twelve miles from the Potomac, and draining a considerable scope of country, from its source in Bull Run Mountain, to a short distance of the Potomac at Occoquan. At this season, habitually low and sluggish, it is, however, rapidly and frequently swollen by the summer rains until unfordable. The banks for the most part are rocky and steep, but abound in long used fords. The country, on either side much broken and thickly wooded, becomes gently rolling and open as it recedes from the stream. On the Northern side the ground is much the highest, and commands the other bank completely. Roads traverse and intersect the surrounding country in almost every direction. Finally, at Mitchell's Ford, the stream is about equidistant between Centreville and Manassas, some six miles apart. On the morning of the 18th, finding that the enemy was assuming a threatening attitude, in addition to the regiments, Longstreet's brigade covered Blackburn's Ford, and consisted of Moore's 1st, Garland's 11th and Crose's 17th regiments Virginia volunteers, with two 6-pounder brass guns of Wal-whose positions have been already stated, I ton's battery. Bonham's brigade held the approaches to Mitchell's Ford; it was composed of Kershaw's 2d, Williams' 3d, Bacon's 7th and Cash's 8th regiments South Carolina volunteers; of Shields' and Del Kemper's batteries, and of Flood's, Radford's, Payne's, Ball's, Wickman's and Powell's companies of Virginia cavalry, under Col. Radford. Cocke's brigade held the Fords below and in vicinity of the Stone Bridge, and consisted of Wither's 18th, Lieutenant-Colonel Strange's 19th, and R. T. Preston's 28th regiments, with Latham's battery and one company of cavalry, Virginia volunteers. Evans held my left flank and protected the ordered up from Camp Pickens, as a reserve, in rear of Bonham's brigade, the effective men of 6 companies of Kelley's Eighth regiment Louisiana volunteers, and Kirkland's Eleventh regiment North Carolina volunteers, which, having arrived the night before en route for Winchester, I had halted in view of the existing necessities of the service. Subsequently the latter was placed in position to the left of Bonham's brigade. Appearing in heavy force in front of Bonham's position, the enemy, about meridian, opened fire, with several 20-pounder rifle guns from a hill, over one and a half miles from Bull Run. At the same time Kemper, supported by two companies of light infantry, occupied a |