From the border.
Freshet in the Potomac — the Chesapeake and Ohio Conal injured — the election, &c.
[Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.]
Last Friday night (this night one week ago) this locality was visited by a tremendous gale of wind accompanied by a soaking rain, which comedown incessantly for twenty-four hours. The effect was a "booming river."
The Potomac rose rapidly and soon overflowed its banks, carrying down the stream everything moveable it encountered.
On Sunday, it was at the culminating point of its terrific grandeur, and I am pleased to say submerged the canal in many places, and injured that great artery of Federal transportation to a great extent.
It has not yet been ascertained the amount of damage done the canal; but we know it to be broken at Dam No. 4; and judging from the number of boats now lying opposite this place, unable to proceed further, we are sure that the canal is materially injured, inasmuch that navigation upon it has ceased for this season.
Thus we find that
Providence has kindly interfered in our behalf, and blockaded,
by a breach, one of "old Abe's important feeders. "
The recent gale verified the old adage that "it is an ill wind that blows nobody good. "--It assuredly favored us most lavishly; for I notice it extended from one end of the
Confederacy to the other, doing great damage to our adversaries.
While on the
Southern coast it partially "played smash" with the
Federal armada, which was sent forth to deal out death and destruction to every living Southron; here on the border the grand old Potomac sullenly arose in all its terror and majestically leaped over the
Federal canal banks and succeeded in accomplishing for our cause a
desideratum long needed — the breaking up of navigation on the "
Duck pond." Our good people are thankful for this benevolent interposition, and all lift up their hearts and rejoice, acknowledging the unerring finger of
Providence in our cause.
The destruction of the canal, and consequent breaking up of its navigation, no one can adequately calculate the loss to the
Yankee Government.
Washington has only one railway mining into it. Consequently the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was of priceless importance to them.
It was the great feeder of the
Federal Capital.
For the past three months it has been literally lined with boats carrying immense quantities of coal to
Washington and
Alexandria; as also other boats heavily freighted with precious provisions for the hungry hirelings of Abraham.
This canal was all-important to them, rendered more so from the fact that it had to supply the place of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
It was the only medium of transportation between the
Capital and
Western Virginia, and other points.
They appreciated its value, and sent soldiers to guard and protect it. But soldiers were of no avail.
The power brought against it was mightier than bayonets, and sentinels challenged in vain; the rain descended, the flood came, and washed away the canal banks — and great was the
wash thereof!
The election passed off quietly in this county.
A very small vote was polled.--This is to be regretted; for it was hoped that every voter remaining in the county would turn out and swell the vote as much as possible for
Davis and
Stephens, thereby showing that we endorse the administration of the new-born Government.
The meagre vote cast by no means indicates the feeling of the people.
We all give a hearty approval of the acts of the
Executive; and if the
Yankees can get any comfort from the meagerness of the vote, and wish to try it on with the hope, of success, predicated on those grounds, they will "not only be deceived, but likewise sucked in." The election returns come in slowly, and as yet it is impossible to say who is elected to Congress.
There were four candidates in the race:
Hon. A. R. Boteler,
Hon. Wm. Lucas,
Andrew Hunter, and
Thos C. Green.
This county gave
Boteler a small majority.
It is wholly immaterial which one of the candidates is elected, as they are all sound Southern men, heart and soul, and will represent the district properly.
More anon.
Potomac.
