New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-17

nn Icre PrSre6 thhb our uoops IoR
mlrably; tat the attack was excellephy planneo'
and thc.as defeat stared them all 'ne time In tne
faccs Yet while admitting the accidental cn'i,
n4er of their victory, the Rebels talk ID
this victory settled the question, ana III INC
oy,rweening confidence Of their impfesnao"<,
thew actually condeseend to be magn%nfmous,
and express kind feelings for the prisoners
of whom there are upward Of l,0OO here,
including Col. CorcoraD, the Hon. Mr. Ely,
and a number of other officers; also Mr..
Hnsam, a lawyer by profession, friend aud
towusman of Mr.. Ely, and bis rival candidate
for the representation Of Rochester at the last
election. This Mr.. Husum was fonud, together
With a number of the soldiers, in the house OF
Virginia gentleman farmer, near Centreyille, VINO,
and particularly his daughters were suspected oi
abolition sympathes; the daughters, however, only
declaring that they wished to net i'll harmony
with the Scriptural injunction, TO love and do
:" good TO enemies" The general reyelry Of de-
LIGHT over the victory is saddened here by the
losses of the Rebels, which include some OF their
most distinguished officers, and must be far more
considerable than they will ever admit.
The Spottswood House is the fashionable hotel
of the city, which now hsrbors the Chiei oi the
Rebels and Mrs. Davis-but they viii soon leave
the hotel and occupy private house. Inc
familiar faces Of Southern Congressman and
Senator's haunt this hotel; Chestnut, Mason'
Clingman, Pryor. Boyce, Keitt, and hosts oil
others are constantly seen here, and loaiers IN
Vulnerable are attracted by the politicians, as
moths by the light, and together with crowds OF
officers and newsmoDgers, beleaguer the Motel
from morning to night. The Exchange Hotei
forms another focus, frequented by more NOISY
and less choice elements, although Bocock aud
other Congressman aud many United States
functionarics are among the guests. Next come
the newspaper and the numerous recruiting
Offices, all constantly surrounded with people.
The War Department is also beset with crowds;
and the Capitol with the beautiful statue of
Washington, forms another point of popular
attraction, though the sittngs OF the Rebel
Cougre-. are mostly secret.
The tobacco factories, in which The prisoners
are confined, and the hospitals with the wound
ed (inciuding number OF our troops), have also
prOi1llchl SNARE vi PuDhc hitcuhohj put 'no
mss.es Of the populace found in greatest
number. at the railway depot. As each train
arrives with its load. Of prisoners and wounded,
the furore reaches its climax; the prisoners are
stared at az if they were Fecjee Islanders, and
often they are insulted by the sneers and jeers
Of the more malignant and ferOcous among the
crowd. This species Of insult, however, is less
predominant in Richmond than 10 the smaller
towns and villages. The yilenes Of the rabble
in those localities shows the barbarisn and ig-
Dorsnce Of the Southern populace, and woe to
the unprotected Yankee who falls into their
bands.
propose to remain here for a few days, when
| shall return 20 Louisville. ii possible ! will
write you one more letter from here or from
Louisyille. / will add, that the number of troops
here is not large perhaps 1900, aud as far as
| can observe, there are no fortihcatOns except,
perhaps, on the river side.
In the midst Of the sadness which overcomes
the heart at the false alarm at Bull Run, which
ha. deprived u, so gratuitously Of brilliant vic
tory, find ,olace in the knowledge that tie North
ern character will be steeled and purified by
sdye;sitJ. Let me say to the people Of the Free
States that they have 10 do with an inyeterate,
formidable enemy, who has always been accus-
toned TO rule them, aud cannot yet realize that
the political rule Of this Continent has passed
from his hands into those Of the freemen Of
America All the means which the cunning of
brain can suggest aud brutal power can COM
msnd, will be set in motion by the enemy 20
gain another lease for bis domination. Calam.
ity, and calamity alone, may produce a change
here. After one Or two years of blockade by
sea and warfare by land. another state of public
feeling from that at present prevailing may form
ITSELF but at present the cry is for eternal
separation from the North and for the annihila-
tion of the invaders Of Southern soil.