Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-16
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
THE FtRINe THIS MORNING

generated
much excitement here, owing to the prevalent
at any moment. Il was, however, but battery
practice In our army.
AN UNJUST AsPEReIoN.
The Washington Rspubl,ean a day or TIVE SINCE
In commenting upon one Of LII d. Russell's late
letters, takes occasion 10 say that 4" u Is no im
parchment Of tn general loyalty Of the regular
army ocacer list, purged N IL 10 now by resg na-
lions and dismissals, TO say that some " no are
sHu on IL have such sympathies with the insur-
gents, and such dislike Of republican principles
that 10 10 sAars' for them to fight rc,h a good
Asdr' In the present war. And when the true
history Of this war can be written, It will appear
that no part Of the national reverses
suffered In IT, Is to be set down to the score Of the
want Of good heart' In It's prosecution, on the
part OF the regular army officers, Including some
In the higher grades"
IL this accusation be founded on fact II is the
duty OF the Republicans at once to name the traitor
OF traitors at heart still In the service rather than
thus to cast such an sspersion upon the character
OF Its every officer. As, when 1t assais no partic-
ular officer, 1t palpably assails any and all Of
them
But ih allegation is utterly without foundation
In fact. more loyal body of officers never served
any country, than those of the present regular u
5. army. Our neighbor, 1.-THE Republican, we
fear, sympathizes too deeply with the views of
such journals a. the New York TIibKns, to be able
to comprehend what sound loyalty really is
The ofncers of the regular service are none of
tnem aoolitioniss. All Of them are doing their
best to defend the Constitution and the Union;
while not one Of them would draw sword to
work out the purposes of Cheever, Garrison.
Greeley Co whose ends and aims are quite as
reprehensible as those of JEFF. Davis, Beauregard,
johnson Co quite.
We may say much for at least nj ne .tentbs of
the rank and Ale Of the volunteer service, who,
we know well, are channg under the Efforts of
the abolition politicians to direct the purpose of
the war from what Congress has declared IT to
be; and who generally believe that the snrest
way 70 strengthen the cause Of the Government In
The present struggle, would be to seize Cheever
or Greeley, and hold him cheek by iayvI with
each sympathirer with secession placed in Fort
Lafayette These two classes are alike danger
Gus 10 the successful prosecution of the war TO,
fas resfofcttor Of tAs Union under the Const,tn-
ZION OF our fathers; success for the plans of the
one elas, involving as much danger to the future
OF me country, as success for those of the other
THE PROBABLE TRUTH orIr
we place no reliance whatever upon the New
Orleans kilograms to the Virginia papers pub.
lished In yesterdays Star, alleging victory of a
reoel mosquito neet" under that notorious gas
pipe, Hollns, over the United States vessels Of
var engaged just now In protecting the comp'e. !
non OF land battery u the head of the I've passes
or mouths through which the Mississippi de-
eoucbes into the Gulf.
II probable that Hol!ins essayed a reconnois-
ance with whatever force he could comma nd but !
did not venture noar enough to come within the |
range Of the u. 3. guns; contenting himself with
- Peppering" away, at a safe distance. The dis |
Pstcnes do not allege that we lost q single man |
Killed or wounded, and the latest dispatch Con
the second day. speaks OF the alleged sinking Of
fhe Preble az a mere report-rumor
IL 10 not believed at the Navy Department that
our vessels sustained any damage whatever, or
tnas TIE disunionists will fail to find them fully
aoie 70 destroy whatever they may send agesns,
them In the boastful belief that they may have
done some damage already.
ENGINEER vASpKRsRIFr.
There is something mysterious in what the |
Richmond papers tell Of the late arrest, &c of
Col. Vsndergrift, late Chief Engineer and Gen.
eral Superintendent Of the Orange and Alexandria
Railroad. He il Jersey man, has resided In
Virginia for ten or fifteen years, and ranks de. |
servedy as one Of the most successful civil engi
Deers OF the country. He was an enthusiastic &c.
cessonist up to the breaking out Of actual hosili-
Ties; out Knowing him well, we are not surprised |
70 IND that on realizing precisely the end, aim
and real consequences Of the secession scheme he
has refused 70 take the oath to support It, and has
claimed the privilege Of leaving the oligarchy's
dominions for q free country. As the Richmond
Enquirer says Tin protesting against the act of the
olgarchy In permitting him to depart) he doubt |
les knows great deal which il known to the |
military authorities Of the United States, will |
prove OF vast I'm portance to our cause. He IT, per-
maps, better Informed concerning the capability |
Of the dig archy to maintain the war than almost
any other man not In their war office We wi sh
him speedy advent hither
HARDLY so.
IL lie being said that the dsunionists have 70.
Gently finished a railroad from GordonsyilIe 10
Aqua Creek, for the transportation of troops and
nunitions-to Fredericksburg 10 probably meant |
We doubt the truth of the rumor; az the work |
was OF 700 heavy character 10 have been so soon
accomplished. The bed Of the road had not been /
srsoea years before, az is being alleged. Pre- |
Iminary surveys Tor such work were made oe,-
maps zen years fince, and barely enough spade |
woIf had been done upon IL to secure the form Of
. charter. That 10 to say: the ground had No.
broken. In military point Of view the road /
would be OF great importance to Beaurepsrd,.
present position, a. being likely to enable him to
guard bis rear, as he can not easily guard that
Without II. But we do not believe that IL hes
been In the enemys power to build the road In \
question, a. alleged.
DOWN THE RIVER.
ELSEWHERE In to-days Star the reade, will ana
IN account Of the unmasking Of series of batter.
ie oy me ditunionists yesterday forenoon, ex-
ending, at Intervals, from Evansport down to /
AquA cfsef. They are doubtless designed to
prevent the passage Of supplies to this city via the
nver The fsct that toe Seminole passed them
unoei 'neh persistent fire without injury to speak
OF, shows that they probably fail Of the ead % |
which hey were constructed We NAV ADD a.
naval authorities anticipate little or no troube
10 transport vessels from them IL they essay TO |
give such crafs annoyance, the notilla will. Of
course, bring them mp under the protection Of il,
AT AQUA CREEK.
From Information con1ded In here. the dis |
unionists have within the last night fortnig ht |