From Gloucester county.
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.
