Army of the Potomac.
[our own correspondent.] Fairean C. H., Oct, 3, 1861.
On account of the storm yesterday the general review that was ordered did not come off. The day was very wet and disagreeable, and nothing of importance transpired.
This morning the sun rose clear, and the sky remained unclouded until night.
About ten o'clock it was noised about that there would be a review of a portion of the troops, and the streets of Fairfax began to fill with people, horses, and wagons, and soldiers dressed in uniforms of every conceivable style and variety.
A long time before any of the brigades came out a crowd had collected to see them, and so thick was it that one had to elbow sharply to get across the road.
The first of the military that came in sight was Major Walton's battalion of Washington Artillery, consisting of three companies.
They were waited near the Court-House, and while there the fourth company, under the gallant Capt. Rosser, came in from the outposts and joined the procession.
The 17th Virginia, Colonel Corse, passed up the road, looking exceedingly well, and, followed by the Artillery, marched to the spot selected for the inspection.
General Longstreet's brigade, General Cocke's, and Gen. Jones's ranged themselves by the roadside, the whole forming a line nearly a mile in length, commencing a short distance beyond the village, and extending to the forks of the road, near Germantown.--Meanwhile, Gen. Wm. Henry Walker's brigade at Germantown had been drawn up, and all awaited the arrival of the President.
Gen. Davis, accompanied by the other Generals, and their staffs, and escorted by the Adams troop, rode first to General Walker's camp, and after having the brigade pass in review, went on to where the others had been stationed.
After passing along the line, saluting the colors of each regiment, President Davis took a position by the roadside, and remained until the three brigades had passed him. He then returned to Gen. Beauregard's headquarters, and at five this evening was escorted to Fairfax station, en route to Richmond.
The review was a grand sight, and was, on the whole, very satisfactory.
The men were dressed neatly, and looked much more cleanly than one would imagine after having been so long in the field.
The 1st Virginia looked exceedingly well, and, preceded by their fine brass band, marched with great regularity.--The 17th Virginia also looked well, and as it passed the solidity and compactness was remarked, and the apparently good fighting material contained in it. Several other regiments were particularized for their appearance, but I cannot give the numbers, being unacquainted with them.
Attention was drawn to the second company of the Washington Artillery, under Capt. Rosser, which has been constantly in the advance for some months, and has been engaged in several rights and skirmishes.
The review over, the troops returned to their quarters in excellent spirits, and spent the remainder of the evening in recalling the incidents of the day. This visit from the President has had a very good effect upon the army, and has gratified thousands of young men who have had an opportunity of meeting face to face the first President of the Confederate States.
The Federals have made no further advance upon our lines, and I feel confident are not out of their fortifications in any force.
This evening, while examining the horizon from the signal station, the ‘"stars and stripes"’ were discovered flying from Taylor's hill apparently, which is but a short distance beyond Falls Church.
On Wednesday night the old church, built prior to the Revolution, was fired by the enemy and destroyed.
What the object was for this piece of vandalism, it is difficult to imagine.
Fires are seen in every direction, and it is believed that the Yankees are making a clean sweep in their course.
Yesterday two videttes were captured by Stuart's cavalry and brought into camp.
They had lost their way and run into our lines.
A few changes have taken place within a day or two. Gen. Johnston has moved his headquarters into the village, and now occupies a cottage at the extreme end of the street leading towards Centreville.
Gen. Smith is also here.
Gen. Longstreet has returned from Coyle's Tavern, near Annandale, and has given the command of the outposts to Brigadier-General J. E. B. Stuart.
Three days out of the five that have passed this week we have had no mail, and have been deprived of the Richmond papers.--When it is known that every copy of the Dispatch that is brought into Fairfax is sold in five minutes at a dime each, the anxiety to get them seems to be considerable.
To loose three in one week is a little too heavy; and I beg some one will have a big talk with the Post-Office officials in Richmond.
There is a grand field for an enterprising young man to make money, by establishing a newspaper agency here, and furnishing the Richmond papers, especially, to the soldiers.
The way the thing is managed now is only an exaggeration.
One night the stage drove up with the papers — a bundle containing about one hundred copies of the Dispatch and half as many of the Enquirer--and before I could elbow my way into the crowd every copy was sold.
That is but an example of the way the papers go. I believe that five hundred papers could be sold here every day, as easily as two hundred.
The Dispatch and Enquirer are the only ones that come with any regularity, and it is a rare thing to get hold of a paper from the South.
Please tell some good agent to come up, for the mail arrangements are of no manner of account.
Wearied by a ride of twenty miles in the early morning, and also by the three hours and a half occupied by the review, I feel little like writing.
Until one has been in camp and has seen the inconveniences of it, he can hardly tell how difficult it is to write at all. The conveniences for penmanship are by no means luxurious. Bohemian.
