Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-05

The extent and disposition of the Confederate
forces in Virginia and the purposes of the Davisy
Government area set'elhoOk 50 far as the N North
is concerned. Thee facts may be known to the
Administration and control their movements, butt
the public are ignorant except so far as the ad I
vance Of the Union forces may develop them I
1t is evident that the Government is not ready tos
make rapid advances into Virginia. During the!
summer months the Old Dominion will be the,
theater of the campaign, unless an aggressive;
movement upon the part of the Confederate
forces changes the programme. 1t will be bad
policy for the Government to extend its opera
tons far southwark during the hot months, butt
by the return of cool weather in the fall every
thing will be in readiness for the march of the;
Federal army southwark. Gen. ScoTr will not;
advance until he has every arrangements made:
for successful campaign. This has been his.
policy heretofore An English paper-the Lon
ION HeraId-ftly describes his popularity in this
respect. Lieutenant General WINFIELD Scorr, Il
{ says-''is by no means popular commander
unit TIC close Of the campaign. for he maneuvers!
iong, fights rs little as possible, and wins unex-
with Mexico, and we should not be surprised /
nom what we know Of his past history, to find they
Southern army lying before Washington for twos
or three weeks to come" The Southern armys
viii not approach or lay before Washington for|
tSs or three weeks to come. On the other hand !:
IS proximity to Washington viii be materially i
lsssened within that period.
The movements now look to the capture of
Harper's Ferry. Unless prevented by retreat, |
the Confederate forces at that point will be caught
in trap. completely hemmed in and forced to|
surrender, unless they are able to fight their wayI
Southwark. The Federal forces are advancing
toward Manassas Junction. The advanced guard
had a skirmish with the Virginia troops at Fair
fax Court house, seventeen miles west from Alex
andria, and it was expected that our troops would
take il on Saturday night. Ten miles further is
Manassas Junction. There, it is probable, the,
Southern forces will make a stand. 1t is AMI
important stragetic point If they should be driven
from there. and it occupied by troops, the com
munication between Richmond and Harper's Ferry
will be cut off. This, with the occupation of
Winchester, southwest Of the Ferry. by Gen.
McCLELL2S's column, shuts in the Confederate
forces completely, and prevents any reinforce
ments or supplies. No matter how strong their
Notifications. they will soon be compelled to yield
to a seige. Large forces are, also, being concen-
trated at Fort Monroe. and preparations making
for the advance of strong column up the James
River toward Richmond. A march upon that
city with an overwhelming force is undoubt-
edly the policy of Gen. ScorT, but he will
not make the advance until everything is in read
mess, and success made almost certainty.
While these movements are progressing the
secession forces will be rapidly concentrating in
Virginia. The gathering of two large armies be-
fore Richmond will make the battle more de
cisive one, and a victory of such character will
be of more value to the Union cause than success
in a dozen smaller engagements We can hardly
doubt the triumph of the Northern army if de-
cided engagement occurs between large bodies of
the opposing forces in the neighborhood of Rich
mond or at any other point in Virginia. No mat
ter how many troops the Confederates can bring
into the field the Government can outnumber
them, and an invading army is generally success
full. Such is the experience of modern warfare.
A decided victory over the secession forces in
Virginia, followed by the military occupation of
the State, would break the back bone of secession
and dispirit the secessonsts throughout the South
These objects accomplished during the summer
in Virginia, early in the fall demonstration can
be made in the Gulf States. with everything fully
prepared for such campaign In the meantime
an efficient blockade will be kept up along the
whole Southern coast, which will be as fully
damaging to the Confederate States as the march
Of an army through them. Such appears to be
the present. policy of Gen. ScorT, and we have no
doubt its wisdom viii be attested and admitted
when its results shall have been successfully
achieved