Army of the Potomac.
[our own Correspondenct.]
Fairfax, Oct. 8th, 1861.
Last night was one of the worst we have had for some weeks.
The rain fell in torrents, with an occasional intermission, during which the wind whistled dismally through the trees.
The storm ceased about 4 o'clock this morning, after which it turned excessively cold, and thick overcoats and blankets came into general demand.
So much in a metereological way, and now to the situation.
Yesterday morning heavy firing was heard in the direction of Washington, but what the meaning of it was, I am unable to say. As our advance lines are visible from the observatory in Fairfax, we could see plainly it had nothing to do with our movements, or standings, perhaps, I should say, for nothing in the shape of a movement has yet been discovered even by the crowd of rumor-seekers, who catch eagerly at every omen, and read signs of a battle in the straws that fly upon the autumn wind.
Every morning we are gratified by the presence of a few regiments which are on the way to or from picket duty; the streets are constantly filled with transport wagons; dragoons and couriers dash about; soldiers lounge around the town; time goes on very quietly; and that is the extent of our knowledge as to army movements.
It may be superfluous to say that we live in a constant state of expectation, and are anxiously waiting, like Mr. Micawber, for ‘"something to turn up."’
Last night the 19th Mississippi, a very large and fine regiment, passed through the village on their way to do picket duty some four miles below here.
Poor fellows, how they must have suffered during the cold and stormy night.
This morning the 1st Virginia started, also, for picket duty, and at an early hour we were roused by the music of their band as they passed through the town.
They will bivouac near the Accotinck, about a mile from Annandale.
Yesterday some scouts went into Springfield, but found none of the enemy there, nor could any signs of them be seen in the vicinity.
His principal strength seems to be in the direction of Munson's hill.
The fine grove of trees I mentioned in a previous letter upon the summit of Taylor's hill has been destroyed, and the fortification on White's hill, which we called Fort Walton, extended to that point.
The pickets on each side remain as they did a week ago in the vicinity of Falls Church.
Sometime ago the ladies of Warrenton completed a box of clothing for the soldiers, and forwarded it to the 17th Virginia.
The articles were well chosen, well made, and of excellent material, consisting of jackets, pants, shirts, and other substantial wearing apparel.
As cold weather was close at hand, and as the boys were not in good winter trim, the box and its valuable contents was voted a God-send.
The scene which occurred when the clothing was distributed was pleasant, and could the kind ladies of Warrenton have been near enough to have witnessed it, they would have been amply repaid for their trouble, setting aside the feeling of duty that prompted their labor.
On some portion of each jacket and pair of pants an inscription had been written by the maker, and these had to be read in turn around the camp.
One little fellow had a nice, warm jacket, which he displayed to his comrades as proudly as a boy does his first pair of boots, or first pants with pockets in them.
On the inside was written--
Virginia will never be conquered while her sons rally around her standard!
‘"My God!"’ said the fortunate soldier, contemplating the nice garment at arm's length, ‘"I never could run with that jacket on."’ The other day I heard a story very similar in one of the Louisiana camps.
Sitting around the fire an officer read a letter from home which said that flannel was scarce, and very dear.
Considering this, the ladies, who would remain in the warm South, had determined to cut up their flannel skirts to make warm shirts for their ‘"dear boys"’ in Virginia.
The thought that they were so kindly remembered at home, caused pleasant emotions, and many an eye was moistened as the mind reverted to the generous sacrifice.
‘"Who wouldn't fight with such a shirt on?"’ was the remark of a listener.
With or without a shirt, those men will never prove cowards; for the thought that the ladies of their State remember them so kindly, is a sufficient talisman to guide them to the post of duty.
Last week an Irishman deserted from the Federal Dragoons, while on picket duty, and came into our lines.
He says he has long desired to escape, but has never before had an opportunity.
His brother is in the Confederate army, and he wished to join him; but where he was, or in what State he enlisted, the deserter did not know.
He was detained a prisoner until the authorities found time to examine into his case, and meanwhile was sent to Manassa.
On arriving there he was taken to the guard-house, and the first sight that met his eye was his brother lying on the floor, sleeping off a drunken spree, which caused his arrest.
He was not too drunk to recognize his brother, and for half an hour the old building resounded with their ‘"ba gorras,"’ and ‘"arrahs,"’ and fairly trembled at the violence of their hand-shaking. --Both men are now on duty in our ranks.
This evening the gallant Captain Rosser and his company of artillery returned from Annandale and reported to Major Walton at the main encampment of the Washington Artillery.
He left everything very quiet below.
The object of this visit is, I understand, to form a more perfect organization of the battalion, after which Captain Rosser will return again to the outposts.
The heavy rain of last night caused such a rise in Bull Run that it was not thought advisable to run the stage to Manassa.
I am of opinion, however, that the mall, or a portion of it, went down on horseback.
A splendid military bridge is being constructed over the run at Blackburn's Ford, the site of the battle of the 18th July, The work is under the superintendence of Major James, of Louisiana, and will be completed in a short time.
It is very ingeniously framed, with piers and abutments of logs, and covered with heavy plank.
This bridge will be of great service to the army, to the people of Fairfax and Prince William counties, and will reflect great credit upon the skill of the engineer.
A strange propensity exists among the troops near here to appropriate to their own use any little articles found lying around loose that they may happen to fancy.
The principles of meum and tuum are not very strictly adhered to. Chaptains, in their sunday sermons, are accustomed to call these little elips of the fingers ‘"stealing;"’ but that seems a harsh term.
‘"Confiscation"’ will do very well, when applied to a stranger; but when a friend has to be deprived of some valuable, it is done on the socialistic theory of ‘"equalization of property."’ Mr. Augustus Tomlinson used to moralize, while relieving a traveler of his purse, that it was no harm to take from the rich to give to the poor.
Thus far this principle has been adopted here and carried into practical effect.
Exemli gratia--mith has $10 while Jenkins is completely ‘"strapped."’ Smith being rich and Jenkins poor, the latter illustrates the principle by taking the $10 and spending it for his own royal comfort.
Smith objects to the transaction, but Jenkins does not ‘"peach"’ on himself, and finally the case is dropped for want of evidence.
Some take property because they are soldiers, and think themselves entitled to everything within reach; others because the imp of mischief is in them, and others because it is natural to them.
Undoubtedly there ought to be some classification of the individuals who possess these little weaknesses, but for the present I class them under two heads--‘"thorough rogues"’ and ‘"entire rascals"’ Among the latter can be placed the man who has descended so low in the scale of rascality as to steal a black traveling sack from the subscriber, containing a few articles to make life comfortable.
If he has any conscientious scruples about stealing from a ‘"newspaper correspondent, "’ he can return the property to Hubball's hotel — no questions asked, and get a good pull thrown in. Nearly every day men are seem flying around in a terrible stew about lost property.
Everything one can imagine, from a fence-rail to an elephant, has been inquired for within a week.
The success one meet in ferreting out these articles, in never alarming.
This evening a well-dressed man, evidently a stranger, lost his watch, and for half an hour ‘"took on uncommon"’ about it, and would not be consoled by a quotation from the old tragedy of Bombastes Furicso--
‘"Thy watch is gone!
watches were made to go!"’
Another unfortunate lost his overcoat; another his gun, and still another his last pair of boots.
So common have these little pleasantries become, that it is recommended to form a regiment of these chevaliers d'indestri, and send them to some point — as Billy Wilson's Zouaves were sent to Pensacola — where they can practice on each other.
Bohrmian. 