September 2011

September 28.—A foraging expedition from Gen. Franklin’s division was sent out in considerable force from their encampment. They went eight miles from Alexandria to Edsall’s Hill, on the Orange and Alexandria railroad. The pickets of the rebels retired to Springfield station, a mile and a half beyond Edsall’s Hill. The detachments which went out for forage, had s fine view of the country, but saw no signs of the enemy having had defences of any kind. The foraging party was quite successful in obtaining large quantities of hay, corn, and oats, which they removed to camp. There was no molestation from the enemy. A company visited the Mount Vernon estate of John A. Washington, and brought away about eight hundred bushels of wheat, near five hundred bushels of oats, and seventy-five barrels of fish; all of which was stored in the commissary’s depot at Alexandria.—National Intelligencer, Oct. 1.

—At Cumberland, Md., a Union meeting was held. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. Bradford and Maffit. The “wickedness of the rebellion was portrayed in its true colors; and the deceitfulness of secession under the hypocritical guise of a ‘peace party,’ was fully exposed.”— Cumberland Civilian, October 3.

—The Fourth regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Thomas J. Whipple, passed through Jersey City, N. J., en route to Washington. The regiment is well provided with all the necessaries peculiar to the movable soldier, and has twenty-two baggage-wagons, one ambulance, one hospital, and ninety-five horses, which are provided entirely for accommodation and comfort. It numbers one thousand men, who are armed with the Enfield rifle.

Colonel Whipple is well known as having bravely borne himself in the Mexican war. He is from the same State as the volunteers he now commands. On the 9th of April, 1847, he was made a First Lieutenant of the Ninth infantry, and in the following month he was placed on the staff of his regiment as Adjutant. He was appointed Volunteer Aide-de-camp to Brigadier-General Lane, and distinguished himself in the battle of Atlixco. He resigned from the service on the 23d of February, 1848; but now he is again found ready to take the field.

—Munson’s Hill, Va., was evacuated by the rebels this morning. About ten o’clock the pickets reported to General Richardson that the rebel pickets had been drawn in, and subsequent observation confirmed the report. Information of this fact was telegraphed this afternoon to General McClellan, who at once crossed the ferry at Georgetown with his Staff, and rode to Bailey’s Cross Roads. They then followed the course of the railroad to Upton House and Hill. They saw only half a dozen horsemen on Munson’s Hill. General Wadsworth moved to the right and front with a body of skirmishers, and Captain Colburn, of General McClellan’s Staff, skirmished to the left, without encountering any of the enemy. General Richardson then moved forward with a body of troops toward the hill, the rebel horsemen retiring as they approached. They entered the work with out difficulty, and found that the rebels had taken every thing of value with them. Eight regiments were moved forward to the outposts. A portion of Richardson’s Brigade and a portion of McDowell’s Division occupy Munson’s Hill.

The fort on Munson’s Hill is a closed work, and a great deal of laber has been expended upon it. The site was not well selected, as it is fully commanded by Upton’s Hill, which is now held by the national forces.—(Doc. 61.)