We learn from a gentleman just returned from
Gloucester county that the
Federal have two or three regiments at
Gloucester Point, and make frequent scouts into the surrounding country.
On Wednesday, the 12th inst.,
Mr. Peter Smith was captured on the charge of having been concerned in the burning of the ship
Alleghenian, in
York river, and after being put in double irons was sent to
Fortress Monroe on board the gunboat
Chicora.His
brother Washington Smith, who was arrested on the same charge, was released.
On Saturday last, the
King & Queen Rangers made a dash on the
Yankee pickets at
Gloucester Point, killing four and capturing three.
That night the
Federal dashed into Gloucester C. H., with cavalry and artillery and captured three members of the
Gloucester cavalry, (two of whom afterwards succeeded in making their escape,) and two of the Rangers.
While there they went to the post-office and tore up the mail books and destroyed the goods of
Mr. T. B. Taliaferro, the postmaster.
They also visited the house of
Miss Yates, carrying off everything movable in it. Up to a late hour Monday night they were picketing on every road leading to Gloucester C. H., in order to catch the mail expected there.
On Saturday last a tug towed two barges up
York river, laden with laborers, who were landed at different points, and tore down the barms and out-houses of the farmers, carrying off the timber to make winter quarters for the troops.
On Monday a gunboat went up the river twenty miles above
Yorktown shelling both sides of the river as she went.