, 1861-06-20


The New Orleans 1rue Delta has an Interest
ing letter from Its special correspondent at
Richmond. Though reaching us in such a
roundabout way, It Is nearly as late as any.
tMng nom newspaper eources which We have
direct from Virginia It is certainly d impor.
ta4!, anu reads as though It were reliable:
ON persuaded that within tho six weeks
past the strategy Of the Confederate Govern
ment has undergone change-or at least
that 1t has been caused to take on the appear
ance OF change.
All eyes arc at present turned towards Ma
nossas Io als Junction, The enemy has masscd some
20,eO or Is, ,o00 troops at and about Alexandria
and there numbers at last accounts were in
ereas!ng By constant arrivals by land and river
It Is 0pprehended thst they mean to attack us
al Manassas junction, where Hehad yesterday
about 10000, increased perhaps to 15oO0 mes,
under Gen. Bonham, which Here being rapidly
reinforced from this city. Civil and military
the enemy In that direction Some regard
the demonstration Ut Alexandria IS feinS to
mask Important movements elsewhere, per
haps upon Norfolk, or. Yorktown, or Aduis
Creek, Or Harpes's Ferry, Or some other point
But Gen: Lee, who is BY no means man to
literal construction on it. Re proceeded IN
person to Manassas Junction to-day, pretty
fully convinced that s by the act" Of Lincoln's
troops-us cur Congress WORD their decIara-
tious-it was soon to be the scene of sharp
and bloody contest. But there is no telling.
Before this reaches you the telegram may tell
you that the enemy continues to pursue poll
q Of gradual and almost imperceptible in7n+
sion, accompanied by sutcessioa Of small
Losses and iuitatlons inflicted upon the Coufea-
crate army, until, to ssve Its prestige ut home
and abroad, and tosaye itself from Utter djsas-
te9, It will be compelled, somehow or some
Ehete, 70 force tHn Of nclusion, In great
The massing Of Southern troops ut various
Important positons still goes on vigorously.
Richmond IL the gene1alrendezvous for incom-
ing volunteers, whence "a soon as inspected
and properly outftted Tor active 6nty, they
a1a distributed where they are most needed.
there are, It this moment; IN active service In
Virginia about $1,000 Confederate troops,
namely, about {, eco it or near Manassas June.
ton about 5000 at Frederick and AquiA Creek.
about 12 600 At Norfolk and its nefghborhood,
about 5000 at, yorktown and williamsburg,
gate, nearly a1l, exclusive Of the force at Har-
pera Ferry; are 80 posted thst they could be
congratulated BY railroad at any point between
Norfolk and Alexandria within 81 hours,
About 40 0o0, I should think, might be dung
amost at ones upon the enemy, wherever BIZ
msss th3s number at gtyen point might leaYa
too eeanta furce along tho eeaboard. and bays
constantly menAced By the .euemyss thips-o.
war and. transports Tor landinx troops. Yun
'eee thena Whefo Is the difficulty. With lii
ships on Tho one side and hl9 numbers On fhe
otseE, tne Is enemy aims 70 oqt1iank us both, ,and
make It haza1don1 to--sttempt i eoinbiaea
movement 1pon tta center 7 see nothing Tor
II but 70 swell onr numbers u rapidly ~ mrs.
>sible, and to hold him In check On The riThE
that =, toward the sea, while we turn hts fank
On the loft and oyerthIoY him in hdcenter.s !