incursions of the invaders. I clip the following account from the _Whig_
of this date:

"Nearly every house was visited, and by deceptive artifices, such as
disguising themselves in Confederate gray clothes, stolen, or otherwise
surreptitiously obtained, they imposed themselves upon our credulous and
unsuspecting people; excited their sympathies by pretending to be
wounded Confederate soldiers--won their confidence, and offered to hide
their horses and take care of them for them, to prevent the Yankees
from taking them, who, they said, were coming on. They thus succeeded in
making many of our people an easy prey to their rapacity and cunning. In
this foray, they abducted about 1000 negroes, captured from 500 to 700
horses and mules, a large number of oxen, carriages, buggies and
wagons--stole meat, destroyed grain, and robbed gentlemen, in the public
road, of gold watches and other property. There are some instances
related of personal indignity and violence. They returned with their
spoils to camp, after a week devoted by them in the Northern Neck, among
our unhappy people, to the highly civilized, brave, and chivalrous
exploits of theft, robbery, and almost every species of felony committed
upon a defenseless, unarmed, and helpless population--chiefly consisting
of women and children! It was an easy achievement--a proud conquest--the
more glorious to the noble and heroic Yankee, because stained with crime
and won without danger to his beastly carcass."

This is but a fair specimen of their conduct whenever they have been
permitted to devastate the country with impunity.

A few days ago I addressed a letter to the Secretary of War, suggesting
that the department encourage voluntary organizations of non-conscripts
for local defense, and that they be armed with every superfluous musket
that the government may possess. If this be done, the army will not be
so much embarrassed by vehement calls to protect the people from raids
everywhere; and in the event of serious disaster, the people would still
make resistance. But an unarmed people would have no alternative but
submission. This plan would also effectually prevent servile
insurrections, etc.

To-day I received the reply, saying it would be done. But will the
_arms_ be distributed among them?

JUNE 10TH.--We have news of a fight on the Rappahannock yesterday, above
Fredericksburg, the enemy having crossed again. They were driven back.

There are also reports fro