The excitement in Baltimore.
An exchanged prisoner, Mr. A. B. Hanna, of the 1st Maryland Battalion of Cavalry, who arrived here by flag of truce boat from Fort McHenry, Wednesday, informs us that while he was imprisoned Baltimore was in a state of great excitement. Fortifications were being thrown up on every road approaching the city. The streets were barricaded with tobacco hogsheads, arranged in barriers three hogsheads high and four or five thick. The only troops which had been sent there up to the 21st ult. were the 2d Maryland, from the Eastern Shore, the New York 7th, and the 5th and 8th New York Artillery, who were acting as cannonries at Forts McHenry, Marshall, and Federal Hill. The tobacco used in the barricades was all seized from persons of supposed Southern sympathy. The new fortifications were chiefly in the Northwestern and Northeastern parts of the city. A week ago not a gun had been mounted in them. All the negroes in the city had been taken out and put to work throwing up dirt.On the 22d ult. great excitement was produced by the escape of Marshal Kane and Wm. Getzel, who had been arrested on the charge of being engaged in raising a secret organization for the benefit of the Confederacy. They had been paroled with the liberty of the city. After their escape was known, the Yankee authorities at Baltimore sent out cavalry patrols in all directions, but did not succeed in finding them. They are said now to be with Gen. Ewell's corps. It was believed in Baltimore that a large number of young men left with them for the Confederate lines.
During the progress of our army this time through Maryland, large accessions have been made to the organizations in it from that State. The 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, that crossed the Potomac with about 400 men, now has nearly fourteen companies.
In Fort McHenry the Yankees hold Serg't Harry Brogden, of Md, of the C. S. Signal Corps, up the suspicion that he is a prominent officer and conceals his rank. He is kept in close confinement in a cell. The chief ground of their suspicion seems to be that he had on "good clothes" when captured. Wm. Purnoll and John Maignadier, of co. K, 1st Virginia cavalry, are held at the fort as spies. The first is a cousin of the commander of "Purnoll's Legion" of Federal cavalry, raised in Maryland. Lieut. Norvell, of Lynchburg, who was reported killed in the engagement near Winchester, was not wounded. He was taken prisoner and carried to Fort McHenry, from whence he was sent to Fort Delaware.
