The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-04
What Next =?

There IL now a tevcrlsh anxiety, not IN all IN
stances unaccompaned by iorebodings, to get
news from the various points around which the
intense interest of all loyal hearts centres
Washington short time ago was the centre to
which all eyes looked. When it was thought
that McC'eIlan's army did not exceed 1000
effective men, and it was feared that Beauregard
had twice that number, and the expedition to
Hatteras Inlet, revealing to the rebels our
knowledge and command Of their weakest points
Of defense, seemed to compel the traitors to risk
their ultimate success on the desperate hazard of
great advance upon the Federal Metropolis,
our anxons apprehensions were directed to that
point and those apprehensons were increased
and intensified by the instant and imperative
demands made by the War Department upon all
parts Of the Country to forward at once to
Washington all their available forces. But two
advance upon our lines along the Potomac, the
rebels have apparently fallen back and the IN
ion flag now flies undisturbed over the advanced
posts lately occupied by them.
retrograde movement indicates as the plan of
the Rebels, is certainly as yet mystery to the
public, however clear it may be to the military
acuteness of those in command on the Potomac
or at Washington. Speculatons, of course,
are various in regard to it, but while they are
merely speculations, without resting upon any
basis of fact, they are of no value, except so
far as to lead to the most yigilant watchfulness
against any sudden appearance Of large forces
of the enemy against our weaker or more exposed
positions. The recent detachment of a largo
body from the vicinity OF Chain Bridge, to re.
inforce Banks higher up on the river, doubtless
looks to one of these possibilities. But the pub
lie confidence now in the strength Of our forces
from Fortress Monroe to Harper's Ferry, is so
great, that nearly all anxiety respecting what
the rebels may undertake in that immediate
vicinity, is dismissed and in Western Virginia,
although just after the unfortunate disaster at
Bull run, and the unaccountable neg ect of jeff
Davis to take advantage of the disorganization
ard decentralization OF our troops, it was gen
forcements of Rebels under Gen. Lee would be
sent beyond the Alleghanies, putting in peril
all the advantages gained before by the Union
troops under Cox and and Rosecranz-the al
most unvarying-success of our small forces there
in every conflict with the rebels under FLOYD.
Wise, sor Lee, has inspired the people with SO
much confidence in the conduct Of the campaign
III that quarter, that we rest secure in the ex-
pectation of hearing good news whenever we
get any intelligence from beyond the Blue |
Ridge.
But while the cause of the Union has been
thus gathering strength at Washington and gal
1antly pushing It's successes in New Virginia, in
Kentucky and Missouri it has been struggling
against adverse fortune, and losing ground |
where we had hoped and cxpecte / it would gain
its most valuable victories, and accomplish the
most substantial results. 1t now seems quite
plain that the time spent by the Union men of
kentucky IN determining whether to remain
neutral or to side with the Government was
every moment Of it employed by the rebels in
kentucky and along the border of Tennessee.
ard IN Southern Missouri, in preparation for the
occupation of that State by the armed sup
portere of treason the instant it became evident
that the neutrality dodge was played out; and
the Eight Reverend Father in God - Bishon
Brigadier General Polk, with Buckner and Zolli-
Golfer have but carried out their part of the
programme in the occupation of Hickman, Co.
lumbus, the mountains Of the Southern border
and every important Stratesetica point south
of Louisville except Paducah and Mudrough's
Hill and the occupation Of the latter point
by our troops under Gen. Rossoau was only So
cured by the delay to the rebels caused by few
Union men purposoly placing distractions uron
the track thus throwing the train containing
Buckner and his forces off and hndering them
until they were toe late to accomplish their OIL
ject. Indeed, it is said that the rebels were 70
thoroughly prepared and the Unionists taken 10
much by surprise that Louisville itself was
only seved by daring act similar to that which
saved Muldrough's Hill.