| From the Richmond Examiner |
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| June 4, 1861 |
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| The designs of the enemy in
the movement upon Alexandria seem to admit no longer of doubt. Ten miles
west of Alexandria, parallel with the Potomac, lies a range of hills
which is penetrated by the railroad at a station called Springfield, in
the neighbourhood of he old colonial Back Lick church. These hills
present a stronghold of great value to a military force. The passes
through the range can be easily defended by artillery. An encampment
upon them can be readily fortified against assault, and if in the hands
of the enemy, they are at once near enough to the Potomac for supplies
and support, far enough from that river to escape is poisonous summer
malaria, salubrious from their elevation, in the midst of a productive
country, and so located as to constantly menace the Manassas Junction,
and the communication between all that part of eastern Virginia and the
Valley, by which we hold our connection with Harper's Ferry. The conduct
of a man by the name of McKenzie, President of the Alexandria, Loudoun &
Hampshire railroad threw all the rolling stock of that work into the
possession of the enemy on his occupation of Alexandria, and he has
nothing to do but to build a small bridge over Cameron creek, to open
railroad connection between Alexandria and Springfield
{on the Orange & Alexandria RR}, using the
rolling stock of McKenzie on this first ten miles of the Orange &
Alexandria railroad. |
| The Alexandria Loudoun &
Hampshire road is itself completed some thirty or forty miles in the
direction of Harper's Ferry, to the base of the Blue Ridge; and, though
the bridges upon it have been destroyed, it is probable that the enemy
can, by temporary tressel work, restore the line so far that it can be
used for military purposes; that is to say, for bringing down all the
supplies which his foraging parties can lay hands upon in the very
productive county of Loudoun. ***** |
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