East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-08-29
Power and Purpose of the Confederates.
Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal.
D,ou..oxn Auo, 1881

/
RICHMOND, Aug. 1, 1861.
A courier arrived here on yesterday
from Gov. Wise, giving, the information
that he had been forced, by the over
whelrning number Of the enemy, to re-
treat from the town Of Charleston, in
Kanawha county, Northwest Virginia,
and had fallen back several miles upon an
almost impregnable natural defence af-
forded him by mountain in the vicinity,
where he should await an attack from the
$4,000 of the enemy until reinforcements
we're sent him. His own command num-
bers but $500. In his retreat he de-
stroyed the only bridge over a large
stream, which will produce great delay
in the enemy's advance.
Gen. Lee has certainly gone to North
western Virgins, and declared to an Off
Ger, who will soon join him there, and
within eight or ten days reinforcements
amounting to $4,000 men would be
thrown into that putrid appendage, and
the enemy be exterminated. Wise's re-
trogade movement is only temporary, and
the large reinforcements already on route
will soon drive the Hessians across the
Ohio river.
Gen. Loring, who succeeded the Ia
mented Gen. Garnett, will with a heavy
column, re-appear in the neighborhood Of
our Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain" dis
asters, and while driving the enemy back
to Wheeling, and into Ohio or Penn
sylvania, Gems. Deauregard and Johnston
will be laundering at the gates of Wash
ington city.
The grand object now is the capture
of Washington City; and the cry "On to
Washington" is even louder than the re-
cent clalnors Of the North for the grand
march to Richmond.
If our generals had had control Of half
the number of ':fresh troops" that have
come into the field since the battle at
Manassas, they would no,o have possession
of the Capital. The auount of the re-
cent increase to our forces, or ready to
be made to them, seems almost incredi.
bic. A gentleman, who ought to know,
informed me on yesterday that more than
fifty thousand troops were waiting trans
portation over the various railroads, cor
roborative evidence Of which is furnished
by the great difficulty experienced in
having conveyed by Adams Express or
mail, in even twice the time, letters to
any point-the transportation of soldiers
rendering that, of all else, impossible.
All agrco that extensive preparations
are in rapid progress at Manassas for an
attack upon the fortified enemy. The Con-
federates are divided into corps d armee.
Beauregard is with the main division at
Manassas, while Johnston, whose COM
mand has recently been swollen to 20 900,
is rapidly completing the Notifications at
Falls Church, within four miles of Alex
andria, which are to supersede those at
Manassas, and serve as basis Of assaults
upon the enemy's defences of Washing
ton City. These can only be carried by
assault, and the work will be character
lied by hard and bloody fighting.
The Paris correspondent of the New
York Me,os has announced, what is known
here to be fact, that the Confederate
Commissioners have purchased first
class steel-clad frigate, for the use OF this
Government, and there is also PROPOSE
ton favorably entertained by Congress
to purchase, at high prices, such foreign
steamers as may run the blockade into
our ports. Even now this feat could be
easily performed, and during the preva-
lence of the high winds of winter no
danger of capture or injury would attend
the profitable exploit. 49,
The same paper says that the increase
of the army proposed by Secretary
Walker would raise it to $50, 900 men,
while the Baton Rouge Adrocate lets us
know that the rebels have 200 regiments
in the field.