arter of a mile in advance of his command.
The object of the reconnaissance having been accomplished Gen. Heintzedman ordered the troops to return to their encampments.
Last night four hundred rebel cavalry reached Pohick Church, but left before the arrival of Gen. Heintzeiman's to-day.
From the lower Potomac Washington, Nov. 12.
--The steamer CŒur de Lion has returned h. Navy-Yard from the flotilla, and reports affair shown the Potomac as unchanged.
The rebel steamer George Page still harocks in Quantico Creek, and may be seen from Budd's Ferry.
Taree schooners ran the blockade in open day yesterday.
They came above the Confederate batteries about 11 o'clock in the morning, when the rebels opened their fire upon them.
They sailed closely up the Swash channer the Maryland shore, and although forty-three rounds wore fired at them they all three escaped u touched.
Most of the shell fired were apparently from rifled guns and struck on the Maryland shore.
range of hills, is what remains of the old colonial town of Dumfries, the point from which your correspondent is now writing.
Entering on the Brentsville road, one passes over a sandy and rolling tract of country, and comes to a terrace, if one may so call the ridge that rises abruptly from the valley, which completely overlooks the town, and gives a good panoramic view of the stream upon which it is situated.
Stretching out in a southerly direction, widening gradually in its course is Quantico creek, and beyond it the Potomac, a silver-like thread of water, just visible between the headlands at the mouth of the bay. Still farther on, the shore of Maryland is visible, dotted here and there with farm-houses and patches of woodland, its line of hills forming the distant horizon.
The land around Dumfries is generally poor, and covered with a dense growth of young pines, or with forests of stinted oak, showing it has at sometime in its history been cleared land.
Coming in from the Nort
ading vessels are concerned, the blockade of the Potomac is no longer effective.
The rebels find the waste of powder upon oyster and bay transports is an unprofitable investment.
The venture of the rebel steamer Page to leave her berth up Quantico creek was too hazardous to be often repeated.
Interesting statement of a deserter--one hundred thousand Confederate soldiers on the Potomac.
The Herald's Washington correspondent says:
A deserter from the rebels, by the name of Willch to the Herald, dated Washington, Nov. 30, says:
Capt. Mister, of the oyster sloop Broom, that escaped the clutches of the Page, on Thursday night, confirms the statement of Capt. Paul.
He says he saw the Page take two schooners into Quantico creek. One was loaded with coal, and the other with lumber for the Government.
The coat vessel had a white bottom, and he supposes her to be the French, of Baltimore.
There were four vessels opposite the batteries that night besides the Delawar
e the mouth of Mota woman creek.
At both batteries heavy guns are mounted evidently, as they threw shot over upon the Maryland shore.
The steamtug Pussey left Indian Head last night and reached the Navy-Yard early this morning.
When she left, the Harriet Lane and Yankee were near Indian Head, and the Anacostia, Resolute, Reliance, Jacob Bell, Stepping Stones, Murray, and the Herbert, were between the new batteries above mentioned and the station of the rebel steamer George Page in Quantico creek.
The Union, Freeborn, and Satellite, are below Quantico.
The Reliance was to have run the blockade last night.
The Europa at Boston — special British and American messengers. Boston, Dec. 17.
--The Europa arrived at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
She encountered head winds the entire passage, and was 40 hours from Halifax to Boston.
Within 30 minutes after the Europa touched at Halifax, the British steam sloop-of-war Rinaldo, 17 guns, lying in port, got up steam
omac river correspondent reports that the Reliance was sent down on Monday night to protect two schooners that were fired at by the upper battery at Cockpit Point on their way down.
Her presence probably prevented the Page from coming out of Quantico creek and pouncing upon them.
Sometime before daylight yesterday morning, as the Wyandank was coming out of Mattawoman creek, a steamer with a walking beam was seen in the river above Quantico creek.
Supposing her to be the Page from her manœuvreQuantico creek.
Supposing her to be the Page from her manœuvres, for she ran down the river as soon as she was seen, Acting Master Foster reported the circumstances to Lieutenant Commanding Badger, of the Anacostia, senior officer in the absence of the Commodore, upon which Captain Badger, entertaining serious apprehensions for the safety the Reliance, weighed and stood in the direction of the batteries.
The Page, however, did not appear, but shortly after the Reliance was seen coming up having convoyed the schooners safely down.
None of the vassals were
