Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-04
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Times.l
FROM WASHINGTON.

Important Military Movements on the Ia
pis-Present Strength Of the Confederate
Army-A Battle near Washington not
Probable at Present.
WASHINGTON, November 81, 1851.
1t is the wish Of General Mcclellan to sig
nalize the commencement Of the winter cam.
paign by some decisive movement; and in this
he but 70 echoes the wish Of the army, all the
detachments Of which ardently desire active
service in preference to a winter life In huts.
There are no less than six grand movements
now in contemplation, which, as they are per-
fectly well known to the Confederstes, there is
no improperly in my mentioning. They are
first, a forward movement Of the army near
Washington; second, movement on the part
of General Wool toward Yorktown first, but
with Richmond ultimately in view; third,
movement inland, toward Savannah or Charles
ton Of General Sbsrman's force now at Port
Royal; fourth, the descent of the Mississippi
by General Halleck; fifth, the naval expeditions
Of General Burnside and General Butler; sixth,
an attack on the Confederates in Kentucky.
1t is supposed that thus attacked on six points
at once, the Confederates will be unable to re-
sist successfully and will be defeated at each
one.
The Union force now in the field is supposed
to be as follows: At and near Washington, in.
cludipg the detachments Of Banks and Stone,
$50 600; at and near Fortress Monroe, under
General Wool, 10000; at Port Royal, under
General Sherman, including reinforcements
sent since the attack on Beaufort, 35 600; at
| st. Louis, Cairo and Paducah, under General
Halleck, so, 600; at Louisville and other points
| iu Northern Kentucky, under General Buell.,
| so 900; under General Burnside and General
Butler, 10000; under Rosecraps, in Western
| Virginia, 10, 900; under General Kelly, at Rom
| ney, 5000. This makes a force Of 355, 900
troops, which is, Of itself, an army Of gigantic
| proportions.
To oppose them, the Confederates are known
to have the following forces in the field Beau
regards army of the Potomac, 100000 men;
General Magruder's force, at Yorktown and
| Big Bethel, $4,000; General Huger, at Nor
folk, - 600; at Savannah, 10000; at Charles
ton, 0,000; at New Orleans, 10000; at Mobile,
10000; at Galveston, 5000; at various points
on and near the Mississippi, including Colum-
bus, Hickman, the forts between the latter
place and Memphis, Union, Humboldt, jack
son and Grand Junction, $4,000; at Bowling
Green, Cumberland Gap and other strategic
points in Kentucky, 10000; in Western Vir
GINA, under Floyd, 10000; at Winchester, t
operate against Romney, 10000. This maker
force of 459 900 troops. There is no use il
shutting our eyes to this fact. These troop
are known to exist and to occupy the stronges
strstsgical position on the American Continent
The only way in which they can ebe defeated
must be by concentration of force at som'
one point in greater strength than the Confed
crates are at that point. 1t is the conviction o
this fact which has hitherto prevented Genera
Mcclellan from advancing on Manassas. I'll
is perfectly well aware Of the immense advan
tage which the Confederates there enjoy il
their admirable defensive position. He know
that with troops numerically equal :
his own, an attack on Manassas would be at
tended, at best, with but doubtful results
Therefore it is that he has Iabored so earn
esIly to render the army under his eomman
equal to regulars in point of discipline, and t
provide such q splendid force Of artillery an
cavalry as he now sees around him. If S
many of his best troops had not been take
away from him, for service in Kentucky and g
Beaufort, there is every reason to believe tbs
he would have attacked Beauregard befol
now, with every prospect Of success. As ma
teIs stand now, do not think he will brin
on a general engagement here at present.
coon, however, as he feels himself superior I
: Beauregard in the discipline of his troops,
the number and weight of his guns, and
cavalry, he may probably make the attacl
When this will be, it is not for me to say.
l may be that he has reached that point NOS
l If he has not, it is no fault of his. Ptobabl
! no other man living could have brought tn
l army to its present point of discipline ar
effectiveness.
r But after a careful and deliberate survey
the whole field of operations, do not see hO
q it is possible for the war to be brought to
3 successful termination with less than milli
K of well disciplined troops-I mean as we'll di
ciplined as the 10000 reviewed by Gener
Mcclellan few days ago.