Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-30

noiu II IN cneek, or 70 prevent IL going over 70
the other side; the OTHER to cross into Mary
land, which Is now In parts only kept quiet BY
force, and to advance on Washington from the
west and north. In the event Of success the
political advantages would be very great at
home and abroad, and there would be q new
base of operations gained close to the enemy's
lines, while the advantages of holding the Po-
neutralized and finally destroyed. The Navy
Yard would fall into the enemy's hands. Fort
Washington would probably soon follow. Fort
ress Monroe would be condemned to greater
isolation. Philadelphia itself would be in i'm
minent danger, should the Confederates at
tempt greater aggression. But, for one, Gen.
Beauregard will consent to no plan of opera
tions in which success is not rendered as certain
as may be by all possible precautions, and he
might not favor q proposal which would
lead to dividing an army into two parts, with
river between and an enemy on each side. Mon
roe and Hampton, which are the true bases of
operations against Richmond, have been
weakened to reinforce the army covering
Washington and Harper's Ferry, and yet
doubt if there are on the south bank of the Po-
tomac at this moment 40 900 men all along the
lines who could move out and offer an enemy
battle, leaving any adequate guards in the
trenches and garrisons in the tste-du- pont and
works. The Confederates, as you were informed
from the South, have enlisted men to serve for
their army will undergo no change, and as it
grows older 1t ought to get better, unless 1t be
beaten. You will pardon me for referring to
remark In one OF my previous letters, that
there might be fierce skirmishes, and even
sanguinary engagements, between the two
armies, but that these would be followed by no
decisive results, owing to the want of cavalry.
Strange to say, though tho panic and very dis
creditable rout was caused by alarms of, and
might have been prevented by the presence of,
cavalry, no steps are taken to remedy that
great deficiency, The volunteers who were at
Manassas will never stand the man on horse
back again, and believe the Confederates are
quite aware of their advantage, though they
may have had to mourn the loss of many gen.
tlemen who fell during the day. The northern
papers are increasing the amount of butter in
proportion as they decrease the losses of their
lOaves, and they do not appear to perceive that
the smaller the latter were the less should be
the layer of the former-for it is no credit to
an army to lose its guns, abandon its positions,
throw away its muskets, leave its wounded in
the hands of the enemy, and run some thirty
or odd miles from frsnt of Centreyille, not
merely to Arlington, but to Washington, with
out any cause at all; for without loss there
was no cause Of retreat; and therefore no
excuse for panic and rout. Again, they say
there was only portion of their army engaged
The greater shame for those who were not en-
gagged, to run, then. But before the battle,
when McDewslPs force was enumerated IN
terrOren at 50, 900, it was said fifteen regiments
had subsequently joined. Now it is averred
only 10, 200, 18, 900, or 20, 900 were in action.
What on earth were the rest about? And am
obliged to say that Mr.. Daviss statements are
quite as startling; for, while he declares the
enemy was 30 900 strong, he astonishes US by
asserting that Of all his host only Is, 900 took
part in the battle. As to losses, of course il Ia
beyond anything but Imagination to give an
estimate. Regiments reported to have been an
initiated have turned up quite hale and hearty,
neat as imported, on the day of marching
homeland fond parents, wives, and relatives
Will be spared many pangs and great deal of
mourning. think my estimate Of killed and
wounded was nearly correct. The prisoners
may amount to more than 900 or 900, but
the Federalists have lost more heavily than
the totals under these heads would show, per-
haps. 1t would be rather ridiculous to call it
either hard-fought, bloody, or glorious
held; but 1T was an important one; il was q
most trying one to the Federalists, who were
badly fed and hard-worked, in a waterIess
country, on July day, for IL hours; they
were exposed to the demoralizing effects of
long-continued artillery fire. In spite of their
want Of discipline and the very unaccountable
rout, the Federalists at first showed alacrity,
but after time they became torpid and diff
cult to handle. No one questions the general
bravery OF Americans native or adopted, on
either side; but defeat is rendered worse than
ridiculous by attempts to turn it into a tri-
umph. Let the unfortunate brave rest con-
tent with the sympathy they deserve, and
shun the ovations which are the due of the
conqueror. Praise and fsttery cannot retake
gun, nor save q standard, nor win battle
even II 1t be frem COZ popHli In Broadway or
Bowery.
The more closely the consequences of Ma
nassas are Investigated, the more serious they
seem to be. 1t must be granted that the Con.
federates feel their losses more severely than
the North does. Their colonels and officers
are men of mark, and even of privates killed
or wounded one sees notices implying that
they belong to good families, and are we'll
known people. The 0's and Macs and Vons
few of the latter, the Corcorans, Camerons,
and Bruggers, prisoners, wounded or killed,
are OF less consequence to the social system of
the North, than the Hamptons, Prestons and
Mannings are to the South. If Mr. Davis and
few of the leaders were to fall in battle there
would be less chance Of the South continuing
its struggle with the same heart and conf
dence; but If all the cabinet were to 20 TO-
morrow from Washington the spirit of the
Northern States would not be diminished one
iota. From the South, as yet, we have only a
few scattered details of the fight and of its
results, but it can be seen that there was no
very great exultation over the victory.
Nno Oiaoe VI O"Ccrs IN the oQeral army did
their duty nobly-the surgeons remained on
the field when all others were retiring or had
left Onefs reported killed; six are prisoners
in the hands Of the enemy, engaged in attend
ing the wounded on beth sides-an invaluable
aid to the scsnty medical staff Of the Confeder-
ates. There is no reason to believe that the
treatment Of wounded or prisoners was what
It was reported to have been. There may
have been some isolated acts of atrocity in the
heat Of battle or pursuit, and il is only too
likely that building in which wounded men
were placed was set fre to by q she'll, but II is
only justice to the Confederate authorities to
say that they seem to have done all they could
for those who fell into their hands. Much irri-
tation has been created by the false statement
circulated on this subject, and the soldiers on
guard over Confederate prisoners here would
not permit them to receive some little luxuries
which had been ordered by sympathizing in
habitants, on the ground that they did not
deserve them after the treatment given by
their friends 10 the Federalists And as I
have used the word "sympathizers," let me
add the expression Of my belief that there is
scarcely department, high or low, of the
public service Of the United States, in which
there 10 not "treason''-I mean the aiding