The Placer herald., 1861-08-17

about 30 miles southeast of that again.
There is railroad communication be-
tween all these points, and extending all
through the country to the North and West
of them, pretty thick, till you get to the
ranges of the Blue Ridge. Then you have
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad crossing
up at llarper's Ferry, passing into Western
Virginia to Wheeling on the Ohio. Now
here commences the first joint of the ana
conda-t is McClelland crossing the Ohio
into Western Virginia where it is sparely
populated and those who are there, have for
long time complained of the more wealthy
and populace portion Of the State East of
the Ridge, and who are supposed to be
against secession in Virginia and further
South They are expected TO join Mes col
nmn, provision it, spy for it, guide it through
the mountain passes, and afford divers other
facilities to an army invading. That's the
tail part and lively little tail Nc made Of
il, for he got away in here to Beverly and
Laurel Hill, and made important captures,
besides if everything else had terminated
favorablv, this column flushed with victory
was to cross the Blue Ridge and get over
here about Staunton, and make dash by
rail down into the country east behind ma
nassas junction between that and Richmond.
We'll here at flarpers Ferry was another
Joint OF the serpent, Patterson with nine
teen thousand men. who we're to menace the
flank of Davis from that point, decoy a
large force from the deiences at Manassas
and other points, but it was not intended as
a fighting column, for which reason we sec
his forces for the most part were the montl
men. Now come down to Washington anC
there's three or four coils, composing the
! backbone and main strength of the critter
they say the head was there. Now fol
! low down the Potomac into the Chesapeake
| to Hampton Roads and then ten miles nortl
of Norfolk and Gosport Navy Yard, is
Fortress Monroe and ID ugly place it
is remember it is Snooks that swears.) II
is a heavy joint in the fold, watches those
places near it mighty close, becnu,c. we
want that Navy Yard, the FoundareS, Ship
ing and ship timber, taken from us and now
being actively used by the rebels. But then
again the Fortress is watched very closely,
from Norfolk, and all along the Rappahan
mock. York and James rivers, and all the
inlels, creeks, and points, carefully guarded
by halteres--Biy Bethel YOU see is near il;
No one can doubt lut that serpent is Gun
ning, and the anaconda is fast fellow to
wind about you, with great muscular power
to crush you to death, bones, muscle, and
flesh. On the 10th of July the crler was
ready ior work, the tail WAS wirgleng in
Western Virginia ready to leap over the
mountains, the joint at lIarpers Ferry was
swelling UP and looking very scarey-the
bead and coils moved ont from Washington
and was to move upon Manassas, crush that
and 90 on, cutting off the rebels that were
watching Patterson, bag Mem 90 on, fight
more, until acting in conjunction with Me
CleI!And and Mcdowell they should either
crush out everything in and about Richmond,
or be ready for a decisive finishing blow.
All this fighting by the rebels; would induce
them, to draw troops from NOliolk--rush
up the country sweeping everything before
him, until he, also formed a junction with
the two Mes and mabe meet Gen. Scott there,
and then blue blazes. wouldn't there be a
fght?-wouId'nt "secesh" catch it9 Well
Judge that's the plan I've laid out for Scott
Davis plan was like an iron fist, the hand
was spread out until the serpent showed his
intentions and then it was doubled up, and
whack i: come down on it, Just where it was
commencing to squeeze or beslober him,
previous to swallowing. He saw that thare
was nothing but the tail in Western Vir,
gina, and that lIarpers Ferry was only a
teint; but the body again to nncoi at WASH
ington, and his bic ugly head show itself
down at Bulls Run, then, then without
weakening any in the direction Of Norfolk,
he gathers all bis fingers in, from S'rasburg,
Culpeper, Richmond and thereabouts and on
the 2lst when the head came up to Manassas
Junction down comes his knuckles on The
old fellows sconce and joints, and sent him
back frightfully mashed and bowling with
pain, TO Washington. Butler hears about
this, and don't make bis dash ont of the Fort.
ress and Lee and johnson are off now for
what we know, to bring the fist down on
McClelands division and then on Paltersons
Those divisions have advanced into coun
try when the bridges are burnt hehnd them,
and they'll have to run fast, or smell Jef''s
fist. Oh see it all, this attitude on the
carpet and these clothes do the work" We
took mild drink of his choice brandy, and
came away full of wonder at the strait
getical sagacty of my friend.
But I've strung this letter out too long
already. give you my blessing and so
vale. NOW AND THEN.
A RECOLLECTION OF JOHN MERRIMAN.
The Washington correspondent of the
nj ~. Il.