Affairs on the Potomac.
The Fredericksburg Herald has the following statement of the proceedings of the Yankees on the Potomac:‘ There were 10,000 of the enemy reported in the vicinity of Dumfries on Tuesday, mainly, if not altogether, it is supposed, of the force heretofore lying on the Maryland shore opposite our Evansport batteries.
’ As several of these regiments passed farmhouses, they stopped and helped themselves. At Mr. George Conway's they broke every lock about the place — the farm being under the management of two servants that remained — ate the meat Mr. C. had left for the servants during the summer — and took what ever they wanted, but it seems did not engage in any merely wanton destruction of property.
At Mr. Glasscock's they wanted to borrow or hire a horse, but being refused they took him, promising to return him. They asked Mr. G. if he had not suffered from our regiments that had quartered near him all the winter. He said that to some extent he had. "Would you not rather have our regiment here?" said one of the party. "That," said Mr. G, "I regard as hardly a fair question." The Colonel of the regiment responded that it was not.
From the Potomac below Aquia Creek.
A note from an entirely reliable source, dated the 19th, says: ‘"A fleet of sixteen large steamers and transports anchored off Matompkin Point last night, but at midnight got under weigh and were last seen off Mat Creek. They were filled with troops, and think contained at least 10,000 men. Of courses their destination is a matter of conjecture."’From other sources we learn this fleet is put at from 20 to 26 vessels.
Messrs Carolinus and George Turner, of King George, have lost 100 negroes; Mr. Fitzhugh, and almost every one in that immediate section, more or less. It is estimated that King George county has lost 300 negroes within the last week. Mr. Arthur Bernard has lost five from his farm in Westmoreland, Mr. Daniel Coakley, of King George, nearly all of his, &c., &c.
We understand that a large number of negroes have been captured by our pickets and returned to their masters.
Reported skirmish
We have a report that during last night Captain Murphy's Westmoreland county Cavalry, (of the Lee Legion,) had a skirmish with the enemy near Chatterton, close to the Potomac, and that we lost three killed and several wounded. The enemy were reported as several hundred strong.Another report has reached us, believed to be later, that we lost none either killed or wounded.
An Adventure
On Monday, a small party of Federal came to Dr. --'s house in the upper part of Stafford, and after getting something to eat left. Soon after leaving, they overtook a cart of the Dr's loaded with bacon, which he was sending off. They seized this, together with the cart and horse, as booty, but the negro boy who was driving escaped.After this party had left Dr. --'s, he was surprised by the sudden appearance before him, in his room, of a Federal soldier, a picket, armed with a musket, who called out--"You are my prisoner!" The Dr. sprang at the man and wrested the gun from his hand, coolly answering-- "No, sir, you are my prisoner." The Dr. started the follow before him, but before they had gone far, the soldier said he would go no further. Dr. -- told him he would shoot him if he did not, but the fellow said he would as soon be as be taken prisoner. Fortunately at this juncture some of our scouts came in sight, and the prisoner did'nt seem to be at all disposed to die, as the Texans were willing to accommodate him. He was forwarded to Richmond on Wednesday.
The fellow is a Chinaman; so if seems the United States are hiring of all nations their refuse people, to subjugate the independent people of the South.
