Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-30

tTcANNoT BIZ TRtE.

II 1T CANNOT BIZ TRrE.
A Washington correspondent Of the New York
ftibsa., says In is Issue Of yesterday
OF Michigan, Ben. wade Of Ohio, TrumbuII OF
Il Illinois, and Wilkinson Of Minnesota are here,
| representing to the Administrstion that the pop
ular demand Of their constituents Is that General
i Mcclellan or somebody else shall right OF whip
| the rebels on the south side Of the Potomac In d
pitched battle, and as near Bull Run az possible
| and rom thence foil the tide OF war steadily
southwark till 1t meets the waters OF the Cuff
The public should receive this story tim Eyaae
saiSj az, to believe II, will be 10 credit these
| four gentlemen with having entirely forgotten
the lesson Of the Bull Run disaster
That the country may know precisely what the
T',bxns's correspondent enormously says they are
demanding just now, we may not appropriately
add that there 10 no doubt whatever that the army
| Of the oligarchy, stretching from Leesburg down
to Aqua Creek, ut least equals that Of the Unted
States from Edwards Ferry down to the point Of
the Maryland peninsula opposite Aqua Creek,
1 including the force under General Dix In and
| around Baltimore
Now, II Major General Mcclellan mast move
ror, he must necessarily move with but one half
his force against the whole Of the oligarchys force
N PosiftoA That is to say: one half the army of
Mcclellan must be left In Baltimore, In the fsrti
hcations In this vicinity and elsewhere to hold his
(McC.'s rear, while the other half moves against
the whole army of the enemy, fortified probably
quite as securely as we are around Washington.
IL Is certain that the enemy could not venture to
| attack the United States Notifications with less
than two msn to McClellan's one; and we per-
ceive nothing to justify the belief that General
| Mcclellan can safely venture to attack the ene-
| mys fortifcations-equal In strength to ours
with force haJ as large only a. that by which
they are VIGOROUSLY defended. This 10 a plain
| and unbeatable statement Of the circumstances of
| the situation.
| SENATOR WILSON, OF MAssAcHusKrrs.
This distinguished officer to-day goes upon
Gen. McClellan's staff, leaving his ane regiment
| to be commanded by another. He 10 chairman Of
| the Senate's Military Affairs Committee and feel.
Ing the necessity resting on him Of acquiring all
possible information Of the requirements of the
whole military service of the Government, thus
elects to occupy the best possible position for 1T
ting himself to discharge his most i'm portant CON-
mittee duties. In this crisis he Is the public man
10 thousand. For the existence and condition
Of our present armies the country owes much to
him In his Legislative capacity. He has lust set
noble example to other members of Congress, in
raising In very short time two Of the finest repi-
menn In the service. And now, he hsstens to
occupy position in which he will best At him.
NJ
cies, where he will be called u act throughout
the winter; the success Of the war depending
greatly upon the efficiency with which he NAV
discharge that duty
MOVEMENT FOR A DIvERsIoN-wELL CARRIED
OUT.
Ere proceeding against the enemy In Romney,
few days since, Brigadier Gen Kelly arranged
with Brigadier General Thruston, commanding
In Cumberland, Md that portion Of the latter's
force should make feint against Romney, while
his (Kelly's) troops made the real attack upon
them. Gen. Tbruston, In accordance with that
plan, sent Col. Johns with portion Of his repi-
ment to maks the feint. How Il was executed the
following report tells:
Hsddqrarts,s2d R,gim,nt
Potomac Home Brigade
BT'gddisr General c. NJ Thruston-Genersl:
In compliance with verbal orders received after
consultation between General Kelly and yourself
on the night Of the 2sth instant, / concentrated
seven hundred men Of my regiment at the North
Branch bridge, and on the following morning, at
nVe O'CLOCK, marched In the direction Of Romney,
passing through Frankfort Upon arriving at a
point one and half miles Of Springfield. IN. ,e.,
Of my column was fred upon by the enemy from
the heights Of the wood; severely wounding two
men, OBTAINING the column about an hour, which
was occupied In clearing the woods Of the enemy
and dressing the wounds. We marched thence
through Springfield, seeing frequent signs Of the
enemys bofsemen In retreat towards the bridge
over the South Branch Of the Potomac
upon arriving within half mile of the bridge
my nanfers and skirmishers on the left and front
discovered the enemy on the opposite side of the
river, when a brisk Ore at once commenced
About this time the guns Of Gen. Kelley's column,
In the vicinity Of Romney, were heard. After
skirmishing with the enemy across the river ahout
half an hour determined to force a way over the
bridge The enemy, numbering (by the best in
formation we could get) from four to six hundred
including cavalry, having beforehand prepared to
defend Its passage, had arranged covers for bi.
rinemen on an eminence Immediately fronting
the bridge.
Capt Alexander Shaw, Of company A, who led
toe advance OF the column to this point, was.
with his company, directed to lead the way across
the bridge at double-quick step. Supported by
tne remainder Of the regiment, Captain shaw
promptly moved his company as directed, and
~nen ABOUT halfway across the bridge discovered
that portion Of the plank flooring on the furtbe,
side had been removed. The enemy on discover
ing the movement: opened fre by volley, killing
one and wounding six of nv men, causing the
company to seek shelter behind the psrapet. 81
the bridge.
Al'er sklrmishinR some time from the parapets
OF the bridge and an eminence on our ieft. ana
not hearing the fre Of Gen Kelley for the preyiou,
hour, concluded he had carried Rompev. and
the object Of my march to create diversion In
his favor being accomplished, l determined to re-
tire, which we did in good order, to Oldtown, I'm
Maryland, arriving there about O'Clock .. m. /,
after march Of twenty five miles
IL IL With pleasure that speak Of the good
behavior Of all my officers and men, and would
call your attention particularly 70 the gallant
charge led by Capt. Alexander Shaw. CAPTAIN
Fiery, Of dragons, with bis company, rendered
very smcient service by drawing the are of the
enemy from my regiment at the bridge l was
much granned at and indebted to Mr.. Gre.
han, who volunteered to march with me, for bis
prompt and cheerful assistance. Mr.. Grehan was
frequently exposed to severe Ore of the enemy.
am, with great respect, your obedient serv,t,
THOMAS JOHNS,
Col I'd regiment Potomac Home Brigade.
MILITARY APPOINTMENTS JUST MADE
VIM. Fitch, Of Hartford, Conn, to be a Sec
- -