Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-22
Great Events About to Occur.

The Gazette has a private dispatch from
Washington, which says that it is the opinion
among well. informed parties there, that this
week can not pass without important events
The New York Post of Saturday evening has
letter from its Washington correspondent
which says: Unless all ordinary signs are a
failure, we are on the eve of great battle at
Manassas Junction.
Ordinary signs are quite generally failures
in these DAYS, and the announcement of
great events on the eve Of occurrence, as
often as any way, precede long periods of
amiable and pesce.loving inaction. The
correspondent goes on to say, that "the more
authentic of the scout reports state that the
rebel troops have withdrawn their main
force to Manassas, where they await an at.
tack" and that sit is evident but few rebel
troops are put forward to meet our advance,
and these are stationed at such positions
that they may easily retreat"
We have no positive knowledge that the
main force of the rebels has been anywhere
else than Manassas, since the battle at that
place. There has been great deal of re-
connoitering, peeping through telescopes,
sailing about in balloons, and collecting in
telligence from reliable gentlemen and in
telligent eontrabands; but the information
thus gained has been of so contradictory a
character that it has proved nothing what
ever of the actual position, numbers or con-
dition of the forces of the Confederacy, or of
their intentions
"The rebel troops centering at Manassas"
says the Posts correspondent-"are ready
for battle, and await the advance of the Fed
eral army" 1t pleasant to know that they
are ready and waiting; but it is readiness on
the part of the Federal forces and their Gen
erals, as much as upon the other side, which
is necessary to bring on an engagement
How far General Mcclellan, spprised of
their readiness will think it his duty to save
them from disappointment, is more than we
are informed.
1.-THE closing of the Potomac" ac"-continues
the same writer-''was agreed upon as one
of a series of measures intended to drive the
United States forces into premature at
tack" Premature attack is good Let US have
no premature dItdChsi tuOuBu' IL uuSJ Ue COLI
fessed, our army has hitherto manifested
little predspostion to attacks of this kind.
Our military condition, as all must allow, is
rather chronic than infammstory, and man
ifests as little disposition to rapid or sudden
changes as possible.
" 1t is well known" continues the CORE.
spondent, "that the only sure method of
clearing the Potomac River of batteries is to
advance upon Manassas. The rebels are
fully aware of this, and being impatient for
battle behind their Manassas earthworks,
they issue orders to open their Potomac baE-
teries on all vessels passing up and down the
river" This is not saying much for the
generalship of our Generals. The rebels
have chosen and fortified their battlefield,
and have so conducted their strategy as to
force our army to acceptit with all its natural
and artificial disadvantages, as the place for
the decisive conflict. Ii this is true, and
the necessity for fight is as imperative as
the correspondent Of the Post represents,
there are other places besides st. Louis and
Jefferson City that need an admonitory visit.
alton by the Secretary of War. According
to this view of the case we are soon to Wit,
ness q repetition of the doings of General
ScotL's back-action anaconda.