Not much news.--a soldier shot.
--There is but little news of note stirring this morning.
The army on the other side of the
Potomac still maintain the position which they took on Saturday.
Some little skirmishing has taken place among reconnoitering parties on the outposts, but nothing serious has resulted.
Gov. Curtin, of
Pa., has not yet forwarded the three companies from
Harrisburg; which are necesary to fill up
Colonel Mann's regiment.
A soldier belonging to the 1st Pennsylvania cavalry was shot while on picket duty yesterday.
Steam floating battery.
From information received here it is believed that the armored ship or floating steam battery now being built after the Ericcson plan, will be completed before the other two are finished, the work upon it being of less magnitude.
A large surplus from the sum appropriated by Congress remains.
Return of the Secretary of war.
Secretary Cameron returned this morning from his visit to the
West.
The good discipline and extraordinary ardor of our troops in their recent movements afford a subject for military encomium.
Gen. Fremont's Removal determined on — the extravagance of his expenditures confirmed by the Congressional Investigating Committee — the Payments suspended.
In connection with the fact that payment has been suspended of the debts created in the Department of the West, it is proper to state that the
Investigating Committee appointed by Congress to inquire into all contracts, and now in session in
St. Louis, have, in their examination, discovered great irregularity and extravagance in the public expenditures.
In view of all these circumstances, it is apparent that the Administration will yield to the necessity of completely reorganizing the entire Department, to accomplish which
Gen. Fremont will be transferred or assigned to some other duty.
The President and his constitutional advisers are determined that this Department of the service shall be managed with prudence, so far as they have and can exercise the power to control it. While the steps necessary to be taken may effect the standing or position of some few individuals, it is considered better such changes should be made rather than the great interests at stake should suffer by hesitation or inaction on the part of the
Government.
The purchase of clothes in Europe.
The statement of the Boston
Journal, on the 18th inst., that letters of credit for £12,000,000 sterling, or nearly $60,000,000, have been sent to
Europe by the
Government agents, to purchase army woolens, is regarded as another evidence of exaggeration which sometimes occurs and causes mischief.
On a careful inquiry, it is found that the sum of $400,000 was sent, and $400,000 more to be sent in thirty days in all, less than $1,000,000, to secure cloths to be made up in this country to meet the pressing wants of our soldiers in the field, until our own manufacturers can supply the goods now so much needed.
Non-extension of M'Cormick's reaper patent.
The
Commissioner of Patents has declared adversely on
McCormick's application for the extension of his reaper patent of 1847, for the following reasons:
- 1st.
That the invention is one of great utility and importance to the public.
- 2d.
That the sums already received by Mr. McCormick and the sums he is entitled to receive from infringements, together amount to an adequate remuneration, and therefore the patent should not be extended.
The parties residing in the
State of New York and opposing the extension, were represented by
Judge Dewitt,
C. Lawrence, and
Robert W. Fenwick, of
Washington City.
A report prevailed on the avenue that
Gen. McClellan would be sent
West, to put the army there on a fair war footing, the quarrels between
Fremont and
Blair having left affairs there in a very questionable and complicated state.
Of course there is no foundation for the report.
Gen. McClellan cannot, under any circumstances, be spared from the
Potomac.
He is in daily consultation with
General Scott, and they carefully review each other's plans before they are put into execution.
Saturday, when two companies of the Twenty-second New York Regiment, belonging to
General Key's brigade, advanced to within a mile of Fair fax Court-House, they ascertained from the inhabitants of that neighborhood that, when the rebels retired, the condition of the roads was such that they were compelled to leave six pieces of artillery behind them, which remained there until the Sunday previous, when the rebels in force returned and took them away.
On Saturday night a private in the 4th Michigan regiment, while on picket duty a mile beyond
Barrett's hill, on the
Leesburg turn pike, received a severs wound in the arm from a rebel.
From the description of the latter, he is supposed to be
a Mr. Williams of
Alexandria, who was confined for some days in a slave pen in that city, but released by the
Government, and who is now acting as a scout.
Orders have been issued that in the event of his capture he be hung forthwith.
A Government construction train advanced out on the Loudoun and
Hampshire Railroad to-day, a mile and a half beyond
Falls Church, finding the road that far in good condition.
Major Johnson, of the 17th New York regiment, who commands the pickets of that regiment on the
Leesburg Turnpike beyond
Falls Church, reports that a body of rebel cavalry made their appearance at 1 o'clock, to-day, within a mile of his outpost.
A detachment was sent out to effect their capture, but they succeeded in making their escape.
Capt. Mundee,
Assistant Adjutant General for
Gen. Smith's Division, with a small escort, advanced on the road leading from Lewinsville, to within a short distance of
Vienna, on a foraging expedition.
The result was the bringing off of about 60 loads of hay and 250 bushels of oats.
Everything in that direction was reported quiet.
The party on the reconnoissance of
General McCall, which advanced to Drainesville on Saturday, returned this morning, the object of the expedition having been accomplished, and valuable information obtained.
The main body remained at Drainesville on Tuesday.
The engineers, under an escort, proceeded to the right as far as the
Potomac, three miles distant; and on the left as far as the Loudoun and
Hampshire Railroad.
Rebel pickets were encountered by the escort of the engineers, and sharp firing ensued.
The result was, five rebels were killed, one of whom belonged to the
Louisiana "Tiger" regiment.
None of our men were injured.
Commander C. H.
Pope having asked an inquiry into his conduct while in the command of the
Brooklyn, in respect to the escape of the rebel steamer
Sumter from the
Mississippi river in June last, a Court of Inquiry upon the case has been ordered to convene in this city on Wednesday.
The
Court consists of
Captains Shubrick,
Stribling, and
Sands;
Judge Advocate, Geo. M. Weston.
The amount of forage issued by the
Government daily, in use in
Washington and vicinity, is, of hay 215 tons, of grain 180 tons.
The
household furniture, etc., lost by the capture of the schooner
Fair fax, on Saturday morning, belonged to
Mrs. Elizabeth Evans, of Williamburg, N. Y., and was valued at about $2,500.
It is stated that Thompson Brothers, Bankers, of New York, have made arrangements, through their agents here, to dispose of a large amount of Treasury notes for Government.
