The Alexandria Gazette, of yesterday, has the following:
‘
Washington,May 21.--It is currently reported in
Washington that as overpowering effort will be made to adjourn Congress as soon as supplies for the war shall have been voted, in order to cut off all attempts at compromise.
Col. Vossburg, of the New York 71st Regiment, died this morning, from the rupture of a blood-vessel, at the
Navy-Yard.
The horrible sanitary condition of the various barracks in this city, now occupied by the
Federal troops, creates alarm, from the fear that some terrible pestilence will break out, which will depopulate the city.
The
Pennsylvania Fifth is quartered at Inauguration Hall, under the floor of which were found on Saturday several pools of stagnant water and a dead hog. One member, who was perfectly well Saturday night, died yesterday, without any apparent cause.
His body was as blue as indigo an hour before he died.
His name was
George Shreck, from Schaylkill.
Arrests of those who publicly express sentiments favorable to the
South continue to be made.
None of the usual drills or parades took place yesterday evening, from the fact that the troops had been ordered to be ready at a moment's notice for action.
There have undoubtedly been intimations received here that strong influences are at work in
England and
France to induce those powers to recognize the Southern Confederacy.
They are alarmed at the prospect of a short supply of cotton.
England will be likely to do so if it will be to her advantage.
It is stated, and currently believed, that
President Lincoln, on Saturday last, crossed the
Chain Bridge, and visited
Arlington Heights.
Gen. Butler left to-day for
Fortress Monroe, at which point the Republicans say 15,000 troops are to concentrate this week.
Gen. Wool expected to be assigned to this command, but
Gen. Butler peremptorily refused to be stationed under him.
’
The Washington Star, of Monday evening, says:
‘
The New York Fourteenth Regiment (chasseurs) arrived in this city last night from
Brooklyn.
They number about nine hundred men, and in traveling hither were divided between two trains, for greater facility.
A delegation, headed by
Col. Julian Allen, and
Major H. K Kalussowaki, of
Pulaski's Legion, who came to offer a Polish regiment from the States at large, was to-day very kindly received by the
President.
The
Secretary of the Treasury has directed that the usual oath of allegiance shall be administered to the employees of the Treasury Department.
Four gentlemen from this city, yesterday, or the day before, visited
Mount Vernon, and, after a careful inspection of the condition of the tomb and its contents, are positive that everything in and about the tomb remains precisely as it was before the passage of
Virginia's Ordinance of Secession.
William J. Donohoo, late tax clerk, who has been in jail several days, on a charge of conspiracy with Secessionists, took an oath of allegiance to the
Government yesterday afternoon, and was released from custody.
Saturday afternoon, during the review of the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment in front of their quarters in Louisiana avenue,
Mr. Christoper C. Grammer was heard to exprees himself in a violent manner with reference to the soldiers.
It being alleged that he had spoken treasonably, he was at once arrested and taken to the
Colonel's quarters.
There was considerable excitement among the men at what
Grammer had said, and not a few expressed themselves in favor of hanging him on the spot.
To avoid difficulty
Grammer was taken to jail.
He was examined yesterday afternoon at the jail, by
justice Donn, who afterward transmitted a copy of the testimony to
Col. Mansfield.
’
From other sources, generally Northern, we gather the following:
‘
A man known as
Thomas Ryan was arrested early on Saturday morning last, about three miles from Georgetown College, by the
Federal troops under
Col. Nugent, on suspicion of being a spy. He is from New York, and when arrested was armed.
The Washington Republican says he was taken to the guard-house at the
College and heavily ironed.
On Saturday afternoon, as the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment were being reviewed, on Pennsylvania Avenue,
Mr. Christopher Grammer was, according to the
Republican, heard to utter some language of a treasonable character near by. The soldiers immediately took him in charge, and quite an excitement was raised, many of them being in favor of hanging him on the spot.
The officers, however, by much persuasion, succeeded in getting him in the
Colonel's quarters.
He was afterwards removed to the jail, where he had an examination on Sunday.
George Cop way is in
Washington, and, it is said, has tendered to the
President a company of the Indians of
Michigan.
He has made a selection of one hundred tall, fleet
Indians, whom he proposes to use as scouts and runners for the army, and to occupy the advanced posts from
Cairo to
Eastern Virginia.
They are not to be armed, except so far as is necessary for self-defence, but from their fleetness and knowledge of forest life are to be employed as messengers and auxiliaries to the army on the outposts.
A detachment of the 71st Regiment, returned from a cruise down the
Potomac, report that a heavy battery has been erected by the Virginians at
Acquia Creek.
As they passed down the battery was masked by trees, but on their return it was exposed to view.
Measures will be immediately taken to dislodge it.
Mr. Lincoln occupied himself on Saturday in making a personal reconnoitre on the banks of the
Potomac.
He visited the
Great Falls, sixteen miles above
Washington, crossed the
Chain Bridge, and passed the pickets of the Virginiaus twice without being recognized.
’
The
Washington correspondent of the Baltimore Sun writes:
‘
If anything were wanting to show that a movement in force is contemplated at
Fortress Monroe, it is seen in the fact that a
Major General has been sent there.
Not only will he strengthen that fortress by field works on the land side, but his operations on the neck of land extending between the
James and
York rivers, towards
Richmond and
Petersburg, may require the diversion of a considerable force to hold the
Federal troops in check in that quarter.
The rivers are so broad for a long distance that they cannot be crossed by
Gen. Lee's troops with a view to make a flank attack.
Gen. Scott has said that 60,000 men were wanted along the banks of the
Ohio, which fact precludes the idea that any very large force is coming upon
Harper's Ferry from the
West.
At present the
General Government does not seem to care much about that point, it being held that the seizure or detention there of articles in transit is working harm to the cause of the
South in
Maryland.
’
The following dispatch from
Washington, contains some information which will interest our readers:
‘
Washington,May 20th.--The
United States transport steamer
Freeborn arrived here this afternoon direct from
Fortress Monroe, bringing dispatches to the
Government.
On her way up the
Potomac she captured two small vessels and wharfed them at Washington Navy Yard.
A passenger by the
Freeborn stated that on Saturday two vessels from the fleet paid a visit to the vicinity of
Sewell's Point, almost four miles from
Fortress Monroe, where the Virginians were erecting batteries, and threw sundry shells at the works, spoiling materially the architectural arrangements.
Shots were fired at the vessels, but without effect.
It is not known that anybody on shore was injured.
Commodore Pendergrast sent a flag of truce to
Norfolk with a view of making arrangements for the transportation thence of certain persons to the
North, and received assurances that in this respect he should be accommodated.
A vessel was in waiting to take them to New York.
Some excitement was occasioned to-day by the report of a fight at the mouth of the
Potomac river, between a Federal coast-guard steamer and an armed propeller from
Richmond, resulting, it was said, in the killing of four and the wounding of five on the former.
The truth of the story being doubted, the Navy Department this morning made specific inquiries in the proper quarters, and is satisfied that the rumor is wholly unfounded.
Capt. Dahlgreen, in command of the
Washington Navy-Yard, and who has frequent communication with
Fort Washington, so pronounces it.
The steamer
Niagara has been withdrawn from the blockading forces off
Charleston for a more important service.
Another vessel will immediately take her place.
’
The New York Herald, of Monday, has the following dispatches, in reading which due allowance must be made for the character of the paper:
‘
WashingtonMay 19.--
Major General Butler has been ordered to
Old Point Comfort, with nine regiments, of about twelve hundred men each.
This I know positively.
Aggressive operations are at last actually to be commenced by the Administration.
General Butler left for
Annapolis, on his way South, last evening.
Brigadier Mansfield, of the Army, it is understood, will take command of the
corps Darees that will be advanced into
Virginia from this point.
It will consist of twenty five thousand volunteers and five thousand regulars, nearly three thousand of whom are already concentrated here.
Colonel Henry L. Scott has been appointed
Inspector General, in place of
General Mansfield.
The force that will be detailed to retake
Harper's Ferry will probably be commanded by the newly-appointed
Brigadier General Recover.
General Patterson and staff, including
Senator Sherman, of
Ohio, are here to receive verbal instructions concerning the proposed movement of troops from
southern Pennsylvania upon
Virginia.
’
The
Alexandria Sentinel gives the subjoined account of an outrage by
Ellsworth's ‘"Pet Lambs."’
We are informed that late on Saturday evening the house of the
Rev John Martin, of St. Barnabas Church, (Episcopal.) in
Prince George's co., Md., near
Piscataway, was visited by a party of rough Zouaves, three in number, who demanded a Secession flag which they said was there.
Mr. Martin was absent.
Mr. H. A. Williams, who was accidentally present, and in the act of leaving before they came in sight, demanded by what authority they would come to disturb a private family.
They remarked that they had authority, which proved to be only a leave of absence till 6½ o'clock.
Mr. Williams then protested against their conduct; but they still persisted, saying if three men were not enough they had more in the woods a short distance off.
Mrs. Martin becoming alarmed and fearing violence, said that they could have the flag if it could be found; it had not been up for some time.
One of the young ladies then produced it, and told them that she had made it, and they might so inform their people, and gave it to them.
They used a number of harsh expressions, upon receiving the flag, and threatened that their own flag should wave all over
Maryland.
They then left, no doubt to boast of their
daring exploit.
