Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-09
TIE CIVIL WAR In AMERICA.
nv WIN. n. RUSSELL, IL. d
WAaHINoroN. October 10.

~- WARRINGTON, October TO-
/. When 1t ls stated that no movement Of any
Importance has taken place lately, the remark
mustbe supposed to refer to active operations
calculated 70 bring the war to a close or 70
definite Issue. The Confederates have osten-
sibly retired along the whole OF their line, and
General Mcclellan is out to-day In the dfizzlpe
rain with q strong column In the neiehborhood
of LeWinsyille, which is on the road from the
Chain Bridge to Fairfax Court House, to pi, rec,
ifhe can, the great mystery Of their position.
It would be a strange thinR-almost, believe,
unprecedented--if two battles were TO be fought
Oh the same ground. But II the Federalists ed.
vance toward Manassas there seems no slterna.
tive, and If they advance at all t1ey can take
no road but that whiM will lead them to Ma
nGssas, unless a stroke OF inventive daring dis
covers anothe not now visible. The Southern
army has obviously drawn in It's horns and its
feelers, and Mcclellan is putting out his in the
places they occupied. What modification il
would be to mere ambitious soldier If, after
all his studies at West Point and his inyestRa-
tion Of military science, be found himself, as
Mcclellan does, OF the head of an immense
army, which is, however, not fit to work out
and to carry into practice the movements he
has wrought out on paper, whereWith 10 sur
pElbO VIC tuVuiJ ubu buC huu 10 earn the
favor and gratitude of his country! But the
General does not appear to be the man who for
mere glory would run the risk of losing all at
stake by failure, and he is actuated, doubtless,
by sounder, more solid, and nobler motives than
the desire TO achieve victories. He knows that
the very magnitude of the mass is one Of the
foremost difficulties In the way Of managing it.
But irregulars and undisciplined men will not
fight against odds as general rule, although
the Federalists established q theory from the
defeats of poor Lyon and OF Sigel, that because
they had faced odds and been beaten, therefore
they could conquer against odds, or, as their
writer's said, that Zone Unior man was eqaul to
three rebels" As q similar belief is said to
exist among the men on the other side, it is like
ly the feat will never be tested, as each will
make sure Of being tolerably even in all en-
counters. II.
There has beeL on doubt Of the fact that Beau
regard has concentrated his army-I use his
name for that of the Confederate Generals,
whoever they may beat Manassas once more,
and that he has been merely advancing and re-
firing to anuse his troops and induce the enc.
my to attack him; but it is also the fact that he
meditated an irruption into Maryland, and an
attack, either to screen the attempt or to be
converted into real demonstration in event Of
any unexpected success, on the lines between
Alexandra and the heights in front of George
town, and that, finding the strength of the Fed
eralist position In ground, men, and works, he
abandoned the plan, at least for the time. The
Indian summer will soon arrive, but In January
the rainy season, alternating with frost and
snow, begins, and there Ia but little time left
for active operations between this month and
the American winter, which renders it, at all
aVantp not N mo frnn IL ;,,t n.
open country If General Mcclellan can see his
toay to q battle 10 clear his front, Nth a reason
able chance Of success. he no doubt toi fght tt -
He must defend the Capital against all chances,
and prevent a Confederate army getting into
Mary land; but with these conditions always In
view it will surprise us ii he does not strike the
blow from the river side, on the enemy's righ
flank. There was every reason to make Fort
ress Monroe base of operations, but for th,
difficulty Of procuring provisions, and the delay
and notoriey of collecting an army there by tbt
rivers. The loss Of Hampton, and the copcen
tration of Confederates in the vicinity, will rem
der that point less eligible in all respects, anC
the long threatening Of Newport News by Ma
gruder may come at last. Notwithstanding
the strong bodies and serviceable qualities O
the men, there was an unsteadiness about the
artillery and cavalry Gt the review the other
day which did not speak for their thorough con,
troll as yet by their officers or Of themselves.
The Parrott gun, made by the eminent found
er at West Point, is a simple, workmanlike
looking piece of artillery, with thick iron bsnG
shrunk on over the breech, and its range i:
nearly as great as that of the Armstrong. and
its cost very much less. The force of field ar
tillery under Mcclellan Is now very consider
able, and it will surprise me verYinuch If tht
Cnn fadar nj oa ho va anukhfO0 Ho III NJ al
The General has exerted himself greatly to ad
vance this arm Of his service toward efficiency
and he has been much assisted by his chief Of
field ordnance, Brigadier- General Barry, of The
regular United States artillery. Unquestion
ably, if these guns are well handled, there vii
be some thirty batteries in support of an ad
vance on narrow point, which, considerable a
the number may be, will leave field batterie
still available Cor the aanks, and for co-opera
ton with detached columns. ,.5,-
In former letter ] expressed an opinion
which nothing haze seen or heard has induced
me to alter or to modify. that The North could,
1t put forth all tie strength, oUerTun the South.
has never occurred to me for one moment tina
the North could hold the South as q miIitar,
province if the people in the Confederate State
were as unanimous In their resistance afte
| their armies were overthrown as thev are a
present. The intensity Of feeling in the Soutl
is described to be greater than ever. Thei
resolution is adamant, and If they have, like tn
Federalists, Blair and Fremont controversies
they are kept in the dark. The discipline O
both armies may be on par. but am incline'
to think that N dctudt drtn the Northern troop
do not Improve more TGp'dIy, and are not bette
IN hand than me Soataerners.
IL Is o somewhat quaint study to observe th
prostration OF the journals before the militar
power-how tney tawn, and cringe, and fatter
But all Will not 90. The puissant finger Is o
their nostril, and they are well nigh smothere