The daily Wabash express. (Terre-Haute, Ind.) 1857-1867, 1861-08-28

the closing sfss~s>d>. and the singular fac,
shy Il was no, followed az. II the enc nv
were in force about Manassas a. represented,
are pertinent and sensible. lie save:
But. IL the miserable rout and panic OF the
Federsli-is have produced such depiorabls
results 20 their cause. they have stiIl much
| q be thankful for Had the Conledersfes
been aware Of their success. and followed up
their advantage early on Monday morning
there w.s no reason ON earth Why they should
not have either got into Washington OF CON
PEELED the whole of the Fedsralist army that
kept together aud could not escape. a. IL Was
alt on one road. 70 surrender themselves pris.
oners With all they possessed. IL the state
meats of the Fsderalist papers a. 20 their
strength be correct. the rebels could have
easily spared 1000 men for that purpose.
With a reserve Of 10000 or 1900 in their
rear.
The chain bridge. the fords above the Falls.
we're open 70 them--At least there could be
bat little or no opposition from the disorgan-
ned forces. The columns moving round
from Fairfax 10 their left BY Vienna would
have been able certainly TO cross at NATL
dAville; others could have gos over At the
Falls, and still there would have been enough
~ t<l RC&AlE-4tA W t<l1kf N tAtH@arf
and 10 send on heavy column % cover Al
exandris. and 10 shut up the federalists in
the earthworks aud fefe De poaf. u not 10 wrest
them from sroops deeply affected by the rou,
they we're witnessing.
III the Coniederstcs had the cavalry OF
shich 50 much has been said. thew we're
scNnd&lously handled A detour by a cross
road from Centerville 20 tho Germantown
road would have placed the horse in the rear
Of the retrea.ing mass in half an hour. aud
lt II not too much to say that mass would
have thrown itself on the mercy Of the pur
suers- IL Beauregard or Lees force was
small. a. they say. and suffered a much a.
the Federalists aver. the fight Is the moro
incomprehensible. But still il Is very strange
that the victors should not have been aware
Of their vietory--that IA. of the utter rout
which followed their repulse.
The attempt 10 form line on the top OF
Centerville. only partially successful a. il
sas. might have imposed on the enemy. and
saved Mcdowell from the pursuit which he
did bis bes, 10 avert The journals. which
At first boosted Of the grand Union army Of
Is 900 men. are now anxious to show that
only 20 600 were engaged. Why did the
other q. 900 run awayi The German Regi.
ment under Col. Bleacker. and perhaps some
other corps. may have retired in good order
hut eventually iew withstood tho incessant
alarms.
Inc rain, which commenced on Monday
morning early. may have had much 10 do
with the undisturbed retreat OF the Federal
ists. as the enterprise and activity Of the en-
envy would be much diminished in conse-
Quence. and as for the beaten army, IL has
been always observed that troops bold to-
gether and march well In rain. But with all
allowances and excuses. il is still mysterious
inactivity. Johnston. whose junction with
40 900 men is said % have taken place Of
he had halfthe number il Is more than give
him credit for) on the morning Of the battle.
must have swe,led the force under Lee and
Bsauregard to 20. 200 men at the least He
u the bes, officer in the Confederate army.
The length Of the letter is such that it
precludes our publishing ], entire. There is
much that Is correct in it and also frequent
statements that arise from lack of informa-
ton or misconcept;on. As a whole the tone
Of il is damaging to the North, and calcula-
ted to impress European readers with preju-
dice against the Federal cause.