Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-06
AN ENGLIsHMAN,s VIEWS OF THE
AMERICAN WAR
Mr.. Rufselps Letter to the Lepdsn Times
ICONCLUDBr

NOiOuoi EOrVeI, an hctlVe OL1cer OF the rogu-
lar army, and man Of great determination and
yigor, at once organized his patrols, and, though
the guard houses may be full the streets are
empty. He set to work with such speed that
Washington which went to bed in very poor
spirits one night, found that the evil had van
1shed in "A hours, and that next night she
could sleep in peace. That the steps taken
were vigorous, and that they were requisite,
will appear from another order issued In sup
port Of the former
Here follows General Orders No. 1, direct
ing vigilant patrol of the city and command
ing officers and men to stay by their regiments,
etc., etc.
The citizen soldiery were astonished and
were indignant, but they were nevertheless
arrested and blackholed," and confess it
gave me infinite satisfaction to observe the
very salutary results of the process The San
itary Commission, with considerable boldness
published certain recommends ations for the i'm.
provement of the discipline of the army, which
is indeed in need Of change for the better
They ascribe the difficulties which they meet
In carrying out reforms to lack Of discipline,
which thus Injuries the health of the army
Gen. Lana, who commands the Spanish troops
in Cuba, has been over here on a tour, and be
expressed to me his profound astonishment at
the state Of things visible in the camps on the
other side Of the Potomac. He was here, how
ever, at bad time-just after the flight from
Manassas. His criticism, however, on lazy
sentries, on slovenly and ill-euuipped troops,
on dirty arms and aecoutrements, were Just
Above all, he was amazed that in an army of
recruits there was no drill or exercise to be seem
Company drill is not much attended to; the bat
talon drill Is OF the most elementary character
and, indeed, with the exception Of the skir-
mishing at Cairo, have never seen anything
but ordinary advance in line, or marching past
at slow time, or at the double in columns of
companies or of ub-divisions and such common
movements. This generally results from the ig.
norance of the officers as much as from the in
competency Of the rank and file Gen McCle,-
Ian is talking about brigade drills and field
days, and there is some nonsense attributed
10 him about drilling by trumpet, which means,
presume, that he is about to have more
attention paid to bugls notes in giving orders
than Is at present the case. The new levies
as tar rs can judge, are not equal to the de-
parted three months men. and the camps are
certainly not as well filed. There are about
24 battsliOns Of infantry of all sorts. and 8
squadrons Of cavalry in the capital and around
1t on the left bank Of the Potomac, up to the
Chain Bridge There are some 80 battalions
across the river, and some 700 sabres the
whole force being probably under 45, 900 men,
not including Banks column at Harper's Fer
~, or the command of Gen. Butler and of Gen
Dix. at Baltimore. Of the 49 guns which
MeDowelPs army took into the field, IS re-
main in the hands Of the enemy, and there is
some deficiency in artillery, which Govern
ment is doing its best to supply. General
Mcdowell, l am glad to say, remains in COM
mand Of the troops at Arlington, although Sc
riOus accusations have been made against him
in the papers, most, if not all, were quite un-
founded. What could he do with the mate
rails he had, except, as the President said,
" drive the locomotive as he found it."
Granted bravery, heroism, devotion, and all
that kind Of thing, what could be expected of
q regiment thus described in a New York
paper:
was on trial for drunkenness, the Major lay
drunk in his tent, and the Lieutenant Colonel
was 80 intoxicated at evening drill that he had
to stagger up to the Adiutant and request him
to give the orders"
The President is now vested with most ex-
traordinary powers, such as were never heard
Of before, except under a virtual despotism;
because by a recent bill he Is enabled to dis
miss officers at pleasure, without giving court
of inquiry. But the evil was enormous Every
where is the same story. At Newport, the
troops have been in a state of mutiny; officers
have shot soldiers in self-defsnce Demorali-
zation prevailed largely in Buffers force, and
the men have burned down part Of the pretty
village Of Hampton. The day before yester-
day soldier shot q comrsde in the street.
close to the spot where l was standing-One
Of many similar cases The officers may not
be responsible for all this, but they are to
be blamed for q good deal Of the disorder
As q treat for Prince Napoleon, who is
passing his time here very quietly, the Wash
ington papers propose that he should be in
vited to review the army by Gen. Mcclellan
but / do not think he will be asked to do any
thing Of the kind. few months hence the
suggestion would be less distasteful. Apropos
Of the Prince, IL may be worth mentioning
that when the President entertained him the
other evening at the White House the band
treated him no less than twice to the "Marseil-
lsiss." Lord Lyons, M. Mercier, and all the
Ministers were present, but, owing to some un-
explained reason, the Chevalier Bertinatti,
Minister Of the King of Italy, was not invited,
which is all the more curious on account of the
Princes connection with the House of Savoy
On Sunday the French Minister, NJ. Mercier,
gave dinner ut bis house, where the Prince
u residing, to the Cabinet Ministers. at which
Lord Lyons and the foreign representatives
were present, as well as Mr.. Sumner and other
distinguished persons. The vapid air of the
capital Is scarcely rufded by the Princes pres
ence. As proof Of the grand fbs which are
manufactured here, and Of the way in which
they succeed, il may be mentioned that Gen.
Scott was deceived by the statement that Con-
federate troopslhad desecrated Mount Vernon,
% far that he Issued an order, not remarkable
for excellence Of composition, though full of
feeling, calling on the United States troops to
respect the place in case they should be called
on 10 occupy the ground. The Confederates
were never there at all, and Lady Georgiana
Fame and q lady who is travelling with her had
no difficulty in going and returning recently
under the escort Of British subject. The
tendency, or rather the habit, Of saying the
thing which Is not, and Of putting out Of all
proportion TO the truth the thing that is has
been 30 developed by the war. that one of the
most respectable journals in the city gravely
and seriously lectures the whole natien on its
indifference TO truth, and its inyeterate love
Of exsggerstion, in language which would be
resented with acrimony IL 1t were used by
Q stranger. Criticism Is always resented
by the criticised, unless it be all sugar
and trescle, and Of all people the most diff
cult TO please are those who are vain, irrita-
BILE, unfortunate, and conoeited. The voices
which come from the other side Of the
Atlantic cannot be agreeable to q race above
all things emulous Of military prestige. SOP.
tat ephipyta bos." He will get them. and to
have to pay for them presently, but in what
will President Mcclellan differ from Napoleon
III, except in tenure Of Office? The United
States army and navy will be made worthy Of
the young Rspublic, and in their hearts men
rejoice at the prospects Of q {" strong Govern
ment," which must come, though they cannot
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