Our army in Maryland--particulars of the passage of the Potomac.
The news received yesterday afternoon removes every doubt that may have heretofore existed with reference to the passage of the Potomac by our forces. We have at last intelligence from the Northern banks of that stream, which gives us the unmistakable assurance that the feet of our gallant soldiers now tread the soil of Maryland. A distinguished officer, who participated in the fights at and around Manassas, arrived in this city yesterday afternoon by the Central train, and left the forces which he commands on the left bank of the Potomac, on Friday night. To him we are indebted for the following particulars: On Thursday, during the day, the cavalry force under command of Brig.-Gen. Robertson, engaged a portion of the enemy's forces near Fall's Church. Nearly the entire day was spent in skirmishing between the contending parties. While this was going on our army was being withdrawn from the vicinity of the late battle fields, and marched in the direction of the upper Potomac. At nightfall Gen. Robertson drew off his force and followed the Army Early the next morning his brigade crossed the river at--,some distance below Leesburg. At or near the same time, the division of Gen. Hill commenced crossing at another point. Later in the day, the veteran corps of Gen. Jackson reached--,and at once proceeded in pass over, and before night the passage had been successfully effected. Gen. Longstreet's corps followed and during the night joined the other corps on the opposite shore. Another division is said to have crossed at--,several miles higher up the river. The officer with whom we conversed informs us that no resistance to their passage was at any time offered, and the whole affair was accomplished in the most admirable order, and without the firing of a gun. The condition of the river greatly favored the passage, of our troops, the water being at a low stage, and easily forded.--The men were in the highest spirits, and shout after shout went up as regiment after regiment reached the Maryland shore. There were not a few reports in circulation yesterday in regard to the movements of our troops in Maryland. These of course originate in the brisk imaginations of those who have little else to do than indulge in speculation. There can be no doubt that the Potomac has been crossed for a purpose, and that purpose will speedily develops itself in the demonstrations and future movements of our forces, we do not doubt, but reports as to their operations since they reached Maryland are premature. Our informant left Leesburg on Saturday morning, and the news he brings is as late as any received.--When he left for Richmond, the main body of the army was in Maryland, but of any active movement there he was not advised, nor would be proper to make them known. In the 4th Alabama regiment were killed and 46 wounded. General Pryor, it is related to us, was at one time a prisoner, but escaped from his three captors, killing two of them with a bayonet which he had seized from the hands of one of them. It is stated that for four days our troops lived almost entirely on corn taken from the fields on the route. A large proportion of them were bare footed, and a goodly number only half clothed. When the army crossed the Potomac at Edwards's Ferry, there was an exciting race between many of the regiments to see who should get across first, and the boys dashed into the water with laughter and cheers. They were in the finest spirits. The following is an extract from a letter from one of the Richmond Grays: Bivouac, Fairfax county, Va. Sept. 2d, 1862.
I expect we will start to-morrow morning and push forward for several days.
We are now in about five miles of Fairfax Court-House.
Longstreet had a small fight there yesterday evening and look some prisoners.
The Yankees applied this morning for an armistice, which, I believe, was not granted.
The fight of Saturday last was the largest of the war. We had about 50,000 troops engaged, and the Yankees some 80,000, but with the usual result.
We whipped them badly.
Our brigade suffered severely.
Gen. Mahone was wounded early in the action; Col Weisiger was badly, and, I expect, mortally wounded a short time afterwards; Major May killed; Adjutant Cameron, Capt. Lewellen, Captain Marks, Capt. Owens, and Lieut. May, wounded.--The casualties in the regiment, which numbered in the fight about 220, were 7 --a pretty large percentage.
George Nicholas and Marx Myers were killed.
Sergeant Heth, A. K. Crump, James Grame, George W. Hill, James Hollingsworth, A. P. Rogers, Bolling Pickett, and Tom Williams, wounded.
The wounds are mostly slight.
I think Crump's is probably the worst.
He is wounded in the knee.
The surgeons say that the bone is not broken, and he will not lose his leg, but it may be stiff, though I hope he may recover and have the use of it as well as ever.
Two hundred and fifty nine Yankee prisoners have just passed, they were taken to-day at Centreville.
That place has been evacuated by the Yankees, and these men were stragglers, they seemed to be in first rate spirits and said they were waiting to be taken.
Gen. Kearney was killed yesterday evening. 