The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-28

1870 Frcigls were hrfn without rurthcr change OF
moment In rates.
Startling Revelations-ApPreh At
tack upon Washington.
The following disclosures from the Washing
ton correspondent of the New York Times APP
pear so plausible and consistent that we are
induced to believe they are entitled to the most
serious attention. The journal in question,
which was recently among the most violent
of the bowling dervishes of the Coward to
Richmond" school, has suddenly, it appears,
wormcd itself somewhat into the confidence Of
General Scott and having, also, apparently, the
confidence of the rebels in Washington, is fur
nishing each side in this war with very import
ant information concerning the other But the
special revelations, which in Importance trans
cend all others from these Washington items of
the Times, are as follows
LII these exciting times, when so many rumors having
only imaginary foundation gaining currency it is
bad policy add to their NUMBER but will be pardoned
for communicating project which military officer of
high rank has just assured is entertained by the
rebels gaining possession Of tho capital The recent
success Of the forces at Manassas deter
mined their leaders to adopt another plan Of campaign
give up the defensive and take up the offensive They
think is useless now TO defend Richmond; but they
j
to accomplish that end they have not only agreed upon
tho following plan Of operations but they have begun to
put il into practice.
According to my authority General Lee who has now,
"a you know set his corps darmee in molten under the
pretext Of attacking army in Western Virginia. really
intends direct his force upon the upper Potomac which
he will cross distance OF about forty miles from Wash
ngton Once thore be will be Joined by the sccessionss
who are secretly organizing ell over Maryland, and will
then attack washington On It's unored and deenceless
side At the same time Beauregard will make move
ment against Mcclellan, whom no will keep busy within
tk,,o Arttn ht0 taEin mart
in the defence Of tho city johnston will be
left TO watch and counterfeit Pattorsons move
Butler from Richmond, and Pryor the Chevaer Of tho
knife and Henningsen, tho companion Of Walker,
the nbuster, win dslodge Rosencranz from the position
he occupies In Western Virginia Such according to the
Information have received is the plan the rebels have
adopted.
other day. that Washington cannot be taken l know
such their opinion oday and that they are expect
ing momentarily TO hear OF the approach OF Gene
raj Lee. know also that great many persons, mainly
the politicians will ull tho people into mistaken conf
dcnoe What will be the consequence The natioa, sud
denly aroused by the catastrophe ut Bull run, WILL I'M.
der those soothing assertions 60 TO sleep again until
awakened by new disaster Shall we suffer this to take
place. shall We prepare ourselves against all contngcn
cies OF the kind! Shall we maintain our army on the
same footing allowing lack Of Discipline to rule supreme
soldiers their camps for the ndugencos OF cities
regiments remain dsorganized, the city unforti0ed
soldiers commanded by lawyers and merchants officers
peace, civilians in WARP Shall we continue to have no
camps in which soldiers may be Injured to the fatigue
of long march, schools instruct them in the tactics
of war and the evoluons Indispensable To the
of campaign-o evolutons by battaons, regiments and
dvisiousy
Our own Washington correspondent gives us
in substance the same report, which he attributes
to the sensation mongers" But who will under
take to deny that this is a plausible programme?
and who can assure us that it will not be fol-
lowed up! Washington swarms with secession
IL. ~, oil Iov &c Of <ha
vernment; they are in constant communication
with the enemy; and Beauregard is probably
this day better acquainted with our military
forces and weak points around Washington than
any other man beyond the limits of the city not
officially informed. That there is some alarm in
Washington, in high quarters, we may perhaps
infer from the fact that Vice President Hamlin
passed through this city yesterday, en- route to
Maine and from the report that the Union mem.
bers of Congress from Western Virginia are
leaving the capital, and that many private citi
zens are also moving, or preparing to move
away And the grounds for these fearful ap
prehensions are not so trifing that they may b,
disregarded.
Beauregard has at the Manassas Junction
one hundred thousand men. We have mad
that discovery. They have recently achieved
victory which has completely restored thei
confidence, and completely oblitemted the pre-
vious defeats of the rebel forces in othe
quarters. Beauregard knows that on
army retreated from Bull run in
disorganized condition; that time viii
be required to repair damages on our part
that considerable numbers Of our troops in from
of Washington, of the three months volunteers
are returning home. He knows that Baltimor
is disaffected city, and he more intimatel!
knows this than General Scott. From Manassas
Junction, Beauregard, detailing ten or ffteel
thousand men to amuse our batteries ON tn
south side of the Potomac at Washington, mag
in less than two days, move an army of sixt
thousand men across the upper Potomac, at an.
one of several foiSis aud ferries between tn
Great Fails and the Point OF Rocks, and
having crossed'<he river, he may, in march O
one or two days more, descend upon Washing
ton in the rear, and capture it-Capitol, Whit
House, President, Cabinet, Congress- public dc
partments, archives, Arsenal, Navy Yard, trea
sury, and alL-unless our government is fulh
prenared to meet and epel any such attack il
the rear.
The worst of it is that tho administrative
seems to be infatuated with the idea tina
Washington cannot be taken" Bat ii strike
us that while forty thousand men may suffice