, 1861-09-14

Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribune ]
WASHINGTON, Sept 9, 1851.


WAsH1naro1, Sept 9, 1851.
THE REBKA~ /
Since my last letter the rebels haye strength
ened their positions. At Munson's Fill they
have two cannon, which think are 32-pound-
e1s, mounted en- barbette They have incress~
ed THEN works along the Falls Church ridge
and have thrown up new works On the road
frem Chain Bridge towards Leeeburg. Their
line Is about eleven miles long. OF COURSE
it is not one continuous line Of N but they
have bodies posted in advantageous positions,
10 command the roads leading towards their
lines. We are still left to conjecture what
may be their design I think that originally
they intended to advance upon Washington,
but now there are indications that they intend
to invest US to hold US fast along the uarrow
strip which we now occupy. Perhaps they
NAV find that Mcclellan has sids door, by
which, aome morning, he.vill step into their
ba ek par1or before they are up. With Aest
upon the Potomac, aud an expedition down
the coast towards Charleston or Savannah,
thew will need cozsiderable vigilance to hold
all their positions.
There are interchanges Of shot daily be-
tween the pickets, and prisoners are taken On
both gides; nsnally there is about an equal
division, but the captures are made wholly
through imprudence, one or two men going
beyond the lines, whereas all movements OF
thst kind should be made in force. 1t would
seem that two great armies, SO close to each
other, could lot long remain without q con
dlct, but day after Day passes by and We ap-
psreDtly are ne nearer to it than weeks ago.
Mea1 while there is great activity on our part.
cannot say what, without stating sope facts
which might possibly be prejudicia1 to public
interests.
notice that some 1mpatience Is manifested
in the North at the delay. Some neWspapersc cell
upon Mcclellan to drive the rebels from Nun.
so1's Hill, and cay that it is disgraceful to have
rebel flag floating within sight the capital
Such counsel is not promotiVe Of public good.
Gen. Mcclellan understands quite as veil as
any body else The exact value of Munsoa's
R:Il, and he Is not to be taWarted from bis
main purpose by making dash at it, with Sc
ricus loss, unless it is Necessary. There may
be an eaeier way to take doHn the bunting
than charging up the hill upon their batteries.
We shall see, think before many days.
RUMoRs.
Are your readers sick Of sensation dispatches
MorIcw? It is only the ripple Of the wave
which reaches Jou in youT prairie Stats. You
should live in Washington to see the periec-
ticn OF fa1eehood. Yesterday morning, 8
bright beautiful morning, when stepped up.
on the street friend came running up with
an account Of q great battle waic6 had been
fought duTlrg the night near Chain Bridge
The enemy had attacked Us and had been De
tested with great loss. Il Was true; he had i:
fin a " reliable" gentleman. have heard O!
that gentleman before, and have found, timf
and again, that il he is reliable, be is also OBJ
to lie. tcct pied the story with gene cal reser
| raj, n. Instead Of hurrying of to see the fieli
| ct batne-the killed and wounded, went tt
| breakfast, and after breakfast to church. 4
| gentleman near me listened, not to the ser
non, but to an irregular cannouade, Whict
! could be beard, as if far away they were at il
hot and tavy. he Was sure battle was 60
il 6 en-. But efter church friend took us il
rear of the building and we found ourselves
| clcse upon tn conflict, which WAS brisk as eGe
| in e-horse stale.
Last night I heard Of Pe7eral skirmishes
! but this morning they are myths. From eucl
sources OF reliable information your reader
have their daily accounts of battles. OF course
wien mems nerves are up above concert pitch
as the musicians say, where ears are constant
| " open, where everybody, like Pip, ha
great expectations" there is continual ag
itation. Every Cay rnmors, some Of then
| mest atsurd, Heat over the city. Willard
| stems to be the great panic center. Th
crov d continually f!ating through the halls
sitting in and out Of the bar room, must hay,
eCmethirg to talk about--sone new excite
ment. The newemongers, who cannot iz
without daily sensation, catch up rumor
and set them afoat, with additions, and g.
"the wonder grows"
| SLEEPING ON P1CKET.
One of the most heinous offences known t.
military rule is that Of sleeping while o,
picket; it is death penalty. Private WIN
Scctt cf the Sd Vermont regiment, goo
soldier, was found asleep one light last week
He was tried BY Court Martial and een-ence
10 BE- sEot. 1t was pronounced On Saturday
Ger. Mcclellan approved The sentence an
the hour Of 8 tliE morning wss fixed for exc
cuticn. The soldiers who we're to do tn
painful deed we're detailed yesterday. In
| E,ed:ately upon the fact being mad
ktovr, the oficsrs Of the regimen
he sertence, setting forth tbs fact that Scot
wss dut:ful soldier, who, tie day preyiou!
ba6 bseb doirg severe fatigue duty; that
WAS Lot his turn to go On guazd, but he Ia
volunteered for the service; that, being e.
bausted, had 1allen asleep. Several Ct tn
el'g1ynen Of the city called upon the Pres
; deIt last evenirg-Drs. GurIey, Smith, an
, | Sunderland, also your Ec51respoudeat-
; we're assured By Mi. Lincoln that the suhjss
should receive confederation cOmmenszra1
viii its importance, and were given to ucd5
| fldHi- t1tAb LuE 6EALtACC NuulI uDt US tACC
: tGd.
: ! nay gsy that It's severity was freely crit
| tized in the city, ard the general expEessia
| was that to shoot the soldier would be te
1ible mistake. Mutineers have been let G
With term at Tortugas as laborers. Reb=
released on parole. but Jealous soldier, Il
: sleeping at his post, must receive the e1tFeu
L penalty. It was felt that to carry it into ex
. culion would at ones stop III recruiting. B
/ why let the sentence be in force up to Il
hour fixed for its execution? Was it calcul
! ted TO benefit the otfende1s Would 1t be pr
y ,.otive OF better disciplines 1t is said th
L the whole thing vas only intended f
: edect- know not how that may be; but
r 60, it vas d triding which should be benea
!. the dignity Of the military authorities. Il
= proceedings are open to severe criticisl
t Government should be sincere and true in
q dealings. Far better to make the penalty
snch nature that it can be carried into eff.
ard then bave it faithfully executed, than
d take course which the eutire communi
will feel was not warranted BY the circul
stances,
9 TIE LOAN.
G There is prospect that the people y
y viii soon be above par. I notice that MS
soldiers have Treasury notes in their Walie
and am informed By psymasters that many
l. them prefer to take notes rather than have
S gold, Ehich is soon spent at the suttler's K
"a or lost at cards.
h Mayor Wightman, Of Boston, is here to
- tend the payirg eff Of the Massachusetts 1e
iments. He has plan by which the soldt.
- may save their money and have it placed
~ mediately On intereet-the city being the b;
10 rower-not that the city takes this conrse
le obtain money, hut that the men may have
in secure. He comes at his OWL expanse, a
solely for their benefit. The Governor Of N
y jersey has adopted 3 similar plan. It Is "
TO thy the attention Of all State Governmen
a Let each Governor appoint receivers, "
shall attend the paying of Of each regime
to receive whatever SUMS each soldier n
BE- persuaded to ssve, giving receipts theret
1t and allowing interest for the came In she
10 let each State be soldiers savings bank, a
n. when tho var ID over, Instead Of retuFni
pennileee, as many will be likely to do, nj
&c OF them will find nice little capital On ha,
d The plan is certainly practicable. Besides b
e, etttlDg the soldiers in the end, 1t would
- foT the discipline aud health and efficiency
10 the army now. G
y Wa1worth County (W1a) FAir.
ke Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune ]
". E1KHoRH, Wis, Sept, Il, 1856