Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-04
The Rebel Project for Attacking
Washington.

The Washington correspondent or the New
York Herald writes under date of the 10Th:
You were advised last week that a move
ment of rebel force from the Eastern shore
of Virginia into Maryland was on foot. This
maD9ayre of the enemy begins to assume for
midable proportions aud considerable impor-
lance; it is ascertained that insteai of being
merely intended to arouse the rebels of Mary
land, and sustain its dsunion Legislature to
enforce an ordinance secession, it is designed
to operate in an attack upon the city OF
Washington, by seizing the Railroad and ca
nails and cutting off communications between
Philadelphia and Baltimore, Simultaneous
with attack on Washington by the forces I'M
der Beauregard and Johnston. The plan is
we'll matured. The lower part of the Della
ware is filled with rebels. There are compa-
MES of rebels already organized and armed
there, as well as in the lower counties of the
Eastern shore of Maryland. Rebels from all
the other parts IF Mary and have been recent
ly flooding that section. Numbers hav come
across in open boats from the Western shore
of Virginia to Eastville, Northampton county,
Virginia.
Quantities of arms and munitions OF war
have been carried into the eastern shore of
Virginia from Philadelphia, either by the
railroad running through Delaware, Salisbury,
Maryland, near the Virginia line, or by yes
sells seaward, and landed on the coast of the
Eastern shore of Virginia, convenient to
Drummondtown, Accomac county. 1t is esti-
mated that there are now in that section of
Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, a force of
rebels. partially armed and equipped, and
ready TO be thrown forward by way of the
railroad from Salisbury, upon the lines of the
Philadelphia and Baltimore, and Newcastle
and Frenchtown Railroad. and the Chesa-
peake and Delaware canal, so as efficiently
to cut off communication from Philadelphia,
at the moment of greatest need, and to aid
another uprising OF the rebels in Baltimore
and the secession counties of Southern Mary
land along the Potomac. Washington would
thus be completely begirt with rebel forces,
and if compelled to surrender or stand siege
it would take weeks for a new Union army
to be concentrated on the banks of the Sus-
quehauua and force its way through Mary
land 10 the relief of the capital.
The execution of the Eastern 81 ore pro-
ject has been entrusted 10 General Tench
Tilghman and Ex-Governor Enoch Lowe, of
Maryland. They have been for weeks busy
10 making their preparations, and are ready
10 strike whenever the word is given. The
blow may be struck at any hour, and our ar
my on the Potomac completely cut off from
reinforcements or supplies from the loyal
States. The government was long ago adj
vised of these preparations on the part OF the
rebels in that section. Arrangements have
been made to arrest the traitorous organize
ton in Accomac and Northamton counties
Virginia, by sending a gun boat expedition
into the Sound or Lower Chesapeake A
naval expedition cannot well effect the DUR
pose. a land force sufficiently strong to de-
feat and jisarm the rebels there is necessary
After that Home Guard of fifteen hundred
or two thousand men, organized on the
Eastern shore of Maryland with batteries of
artillery stationed near the Virginia line and
in the vicinity of the terminus of the Della
ware Railroad, at Salisbury, would be suffi-
Gent to prevent the invasion of MARYLAND
and the execution of the project for cutting
off communication between Washington and
Philadelphia.
Whatever is done mnst be done quickly, or
it will be too late. Circumstances point I'M
erringly to an early attack upon the city of
Washington, to which this Eastern shore
movement is to be auxiliary. We under
stand that such Home Guard of staunch
Union men Can be raised IN the counties of
Maryland south of the Sasquehannah, but
they need arms and equipments, which may
not be furnished in time. There are also now
at Fort McHenry two light batteries, belong
ing to volunteer artillery companies in Bal
timore, which are rendered to the Govern
ment by the loyal members of these compa-
MES. Until these can be organized, the i'm
mediate presence of Union force in that Sec
ton is requisite. Such force can be easily
spared from Fortress Monroe, under existing
circumstances. There should be no red tape
or circumlocution Office delay about this
matter, or it may take long time TO repair
damages that by prompt action now may be
remedied. 80