Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-03
DUB CORRESPONDENTS.
WASHINGTON. August %. 1856
To he Editors Of he Daily Press.

less. We are startled at the return news
go novel and curious though divested of any
serious approximation to truth. Still all
eyes are turned upon the capital as the
grand strategic point of the country.
The first question asked is as to its safety.
No doubt about this-in fact, DO cause for
doubt-has existed at any moment since the
first response to the Presidents call for
troops.
AT the battle Of Bull Run the rebels were
so effectually used up they have not reoov-
cred their stdtR quo even yet. Their own
accounts, gathered from the correspondents
of the New Orleans, Montgomery, and
Charleston papers, put this beyond contro.
versy. Disease has also stepped in, and the
ranks at Manassas are well-nigh decimated
by disease almost as virulent as the Asiatic
cholera. Beauregard has published no Of |
fetal statement of the battle. That it was |
sadly disastrous we know well. There are |
other reasons for the reticence, no doubt. II |
is a great object with Davis to impress us |
with the immense forces at his command. |
The conviction became quite general that
the rebel commanders must have had at
least ninety or one hundred thousand troops
at the Manassas Junction on the fatal 2ls-.
A correspondent of the Augusta (Georgia)
Chronicle, we'll known to have access to Of
6cIal sources, writes from Richmond, under
date of the 18th inst, that the combined
exceed forty thousand Effective men, though
the grand rally since made has brought it up
to more than one hundred thousand. 1t will
be observed the word effective is put in as a
"saving clause" There is little doubt it
fairly states all the troops that could be
brought into action-new recruits, without
muskets in many cases, not considered as
defective"
The same correspondent, apologizng for
the sioao speed toward Washington, declares,
further, that the army has neither food,
transportation, nor medical supplies. So de-
ficient we're the latter, that even lint and
bandages were not forwarded from Rich
mond to Manassas until four days after the
| fight; so that the killed might be congratu-
lated on being relieved of the slow death
that would finally have awaited them
With these facts before us, let us contrast
our present condition. General Mcclellan
has command of the entire forces concen-
| trated near the capital At Baltimore Cen
eral DiX's command-we give the round
numbers as near the exact fgures-some
twenty nine thousand. at Monocacy Creek
"a small tributary of the Potomac, twenty
miles above Washington, on the Maryland
side, under General Banks, something less
than the above fgures-probably twenty
three thousand; and at the different en-
campments in and around Washington,
about one hundred thousand more. These
are massed in brigades, extending up and
down the Potomac, and eastward along the
line Of the Baltimore and Washington Rail-
road. The outposts connect every division.
Batteries command the nights back of the
city, as we'll as those on the opposite side of
the river, bristling with cannon. From
Georgetown to Chain Bridge some four
miles below, there is an almost uninter
rupted series of breast-works which you
could not detect from the river road. By
climbing the steep hill. side, from two hun
dred and fifty TO three hundred feet above
the smooth pike, the challenge of the sentry
will trouble your advance at any point
Cabinet discussions, though not bruited
much in the newspapers have been rife with
the parties interested-those who furnish
and those who expend the war supplies.
Delegations from the New York and Boston
banks have had interviews with the Presi.
dent. Their faith can not be said to be of q
Saving nature so far as the War Depart.
ment is concerned. In short, Mr.. Cameron
is the subject of very free. comment every
one acknowledges that he is not the man fol
J the place. That is, all who have not fat
J tened on his favors.
The objection to Mr.. Welles is that ofbeinl
! "slow coach-a very slow coach" His era
! would have appropriately fallen on the time
, that tried mems souls-not that of locomo
tives and telegraphs.
New England seaboard is getting ram
: pant, with marine losses already covering
millions of dollars. Sugar and molasses arr
rich cargoes but the owners do not seem t
fancy such sugar. coated pills being taken by
{ the enemy, even if the returns were price
J less.
} Will there not he a Reconstruction" o
? the Cabinet-not of the States, mind you
! No doubt it should be made. Those who's
!, services are most desired are the most will
| + nhA hnrr =.
t O man OF iron nerVes--quiet, good. natureC
Y forbeariDg, rather. He takes every thin
easily, not sparing himself and anxious 70
: a ''unit Cabinet" This is not often the cas-
0 where Presidential candidates occupy from
9 seats. Certainly, the people would be muc
= better satisfied if such men as Holt, of Ken
l tucky, and Dix, of New York, occupie
: the places of Cameron and Wells. In
a word, the country requires the services c
: the hest men-why should they not haV
l. them?
i On the Virginia side the Notifications hav
q been amazingly changed for the better-eu
e larged and strengthened. The war dogs, S
n snugly kenneled, are rough-looking custom
9 ers, and take what position you will, the
If seem ready to give an early saluration. Ju;
:, at this moment their growl has been omlI
il oue, for the pickets of the traitors have bee
< pushed up too close for their delicately pei
e ceptive organs. Indeed, yesterday Washing
ton was wide awake. There was hurryin
TO and fro of aids, infantry and cavalT
a passed over the Long Bridge, extra ratior
!, were issued, but the rebel retreat was {
"a rapid as its advance. 1t was doubtless
~ feeler, desire to become more familiar wit
= our location; perhaps device to keep OF
i forces well hurdled together while blow
a struck in quite an opposite direction.
,f AS to an attack being made on our forti
= fed lines, it is the idlest twaddle, withor
y they have abandoned the only policy b
= which the war might be prolonged, that
h acting entirely on the defensive so long {
;s masked batteries can assist them.
n n This attempt, however, must oblige Ger
Il eral Mcclellan TO force back their lines Il
y perhaps, quite near Centerville, or Fairfa
y, possibly, would answer. If the rebels wi
i stand up in an open fight, the opportunit
i. will be afforded The plans, however, no
Il being matured are not likely to be afectt
10 by such skirmishes.
i Our troops are rapidly improving; Il
ar most perfect order and discipline is observe
!. and we shall go into the next contest {
ar quite different footing, particularly Wi
Tegsrd TO officers.
Let we dwell on this moment. do nj
le desire to animadvert on the follies of Il
D. past-the mere dress parades "gotup" for Il
ID qualification of the ladies more particularly
the general absence of officers the nome
III they were closed-the dinners at Willard
.ss.I