Staunton Spectator

Rumors reached this place last night, about 8 o clock, by telegraph, of a negro insurrection at Harper's Ferry. The dispatch was from the operator at Richmond, and stated that the negroes, under the lead of white men, had taken possession of the arsenal, and sent wagon loads of muskets and rifles to slaves in the surrounding country, and that large numbers had been killed.--They had cut and destroyed the telegraph wires. It is further stated that Gov. Wise had left Richmond with several miliary companies, and that two companies from Washington with three twelve pounders had gone from that city with orders to take the bridge at all hazards by midnight. Troops from Old Point Comfort had also been ordered out, and companies from Baltimore had also repaired to Harper's Ferry. The payhouse is said to have been robbed of a large sum of money.

These rumors may be exaggerated in some particulars, but there seems to be no doubt, from what we learn of Mr. Baskin, the operator at this place, of the fact of the insurrection. We think it probable, however, that a rebellion among the white operatives at the Armory has been mistaken for slave insurrection; though it is probable that some negroes may have been induced to join them.

A correspondent from Waynesboro writes us during the past few days, that very serious casualties have occurred in that community. A son of Spotswood Harrington, fell from a Hickory tree into which he had climbed to gather its fruit, a distance perhaps of 30 feet.--He came down head foremost, throwing out his hands to protect himself, the whole force of the fall was received upon the arms, the right wrist crushed, the bone protruding through the flesh, entered the ground from one to two inches; the other wrist was broken or badly dislocated. The face of the little sufferer, (for he was under 12 years old,) was much bruised, and the concussion being of course great, affected him generally. Drs. Waddell and King were soon on the ground, rendering the needed assistance, and the boy is doing as well as could be hoped for.

Another--Young James Bush, son of Mr. John Bush, whilst in the act of sending up a bucket of stone and earth from the bottom of a well, which he was digging f! or J. B. Smith of Waynesboro, was surprised somewhat, by the return of bucket and contents on his head and shoulders, a distance of 25 to 30 feet, the bucket weighing near one hundred pounds. Death was supposed to be the consequences, but not so; Bush was terribly bruised but is getting well.

Another case of well doing which occurred in our village some time since, perished for want of a chronicler. It fell out on this wise: Mr. L. Shaw abandoned a well he was digging, after obtaining a depth of 60 feet--the mouth of the well was covered with loose thin plank, barely sufficient to support a man. Mr. David Bush's horses had escaped the enclosure and were playing in the vicinity of the well; two of them, large, able-bodied and fat fellows, leaped together upon the plank crossing the wells mouth, which gave way, and together they descended to it dismal depths. Reader, you will say they were instantly crushed to death--not a bit of it--by the skillful management of stalwart men, and by means of ropes and pulleys, they were brought to light and life, and marvelous to say, very little injured.