The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-09 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1862.

Washington again in a panio I Mr. COBDEN may
now, indeed, write a pamphlet on the Washington
panics. In one before the troops from the Northern
States collected for its defence ; a second ,a as after
Bull's Run ; and now,a third is, consequent on the re-
pulse of BANKS, and the advance of the Confederates
towards that notable old passage of the Potomac—
Harper's Ferry. The singular thing in this third
panic is that while M'CLELLAN'S gunboats are
within eight miles of the Capital of Secession, and
his army within four miles, the capital of Fede-
ralism should also be trembling for its safety.
But let us clearly understand this remarkable
strata of Southern generalship, and the real posi-
tion of affairs by the last intelligence, which reaches
to the 29th. The Capital had by that time recovered
its composure ; but, so far as we can judge in this
country, and perhaps they can judge little better in
Washingtonlitself,the Federal position in Virginia is
one for serious solicitude. Let us take the Virginian
and Confederate Capital, Richmond as our starting
point. It lies about a hundred miles south of
Washington. O❑ its north side runs the river, but
a small stream there, the Chickahominy. On this
General APCLELLAN, with the late grand army of
the Potomac, is operating, having ascended to
that position via Yorktown. What the force
is defending Richmond it is impossible ac-
curately to know. It is reported to be the larger
of the two, but that M'CLELLAN'S army is the
better provided with artillery and all military
equipments. South-east of Richmond is old
General Wool., with five or six thousand men
holding Norfolk and its navy yards, and Suffolk;
but his force is not more than sufficient to retain
what he has.
Two other positions now require a moment's
attention. M‘DowELL's considerably further
north of Richmond, and that of BANKS on the
west. BANNS was, in what is termed the valley
of the Shenandoah, a river which runs northwards
into the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. He was
thought to be converging, with M'DOWELL from

CLELLAI.I from Yorktown on the
the north and M 4
east, upon Richmond. It now appears that his
had been muchreduced to reinforce
troops
M'DOWELL at Fredericksburg on the Rappahan-
nock, and that JACKSON who
was opposed to
him, and had so much better information than the
Federals, aware of his weakness, attacked and
drove him back along the whole route to -Rupees
Ferry capturing large, and doubtless very
acceptable supplies at Winchester. He did not
stop till he bad driven the Federals once more to

their own side of the Potomac.
Of General M‘DowELL's movements the tele-
grams give us almost contradictory information.
From New York we are informed that he had
crossed the Rappahannock, the river on which
Fredericksburg, where he has been some time, is
situated, and moved along the railroad probably six
miles southward towards Richmond. But a tele-
gram two days later from Halifax speaks of him as
having " advanced " in great force to Manassas.
The "advance" is to return of course nearly north,
to the old Confederate station in front almost of
Washington, near the yet more famous Bull's Run.
M'DOWELL could, in the time, make this march,
but then it is little likely he would change his
advances so suddenly to a virtual retreat to the
neighbourhood of Washington. One telegram from
New York entirely denies the truth of the re-
port of M,DowELL's retreat ; the question
is whether the one which reached Halifax two
days after, and caughtn the Niagara there, was
a
the old report, or and true piece of infor-
mation. The differ: ia rather serious, for if
MOoIvELL has had to turn back to Manassas
u
for the safety of Washington, to protect it
from a surprise by the army Which
routed BANKS,

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THE SUN.