Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-04
From the Army Of Ihe Potomac.
Co-respondence Of &c AtIant, Cont.dera.y.


new to report from the Army of the Potomac We
still dwell in tents" though the weather is alter
natively wet and cold to degree that renders it
exceedingly disagreesble. The enemy has not yet
gone into winter quarters, and until he does. il
might be considered improper for US to do so. Ru.
mers reach us one day from Washington, that large
supplies Of building material are constantly srriY
ing there and the next day we hear that General
Mcclellan has no thought Of Withdrawing from the
field for some time to come, if at all. 1t even
limited that he intends to carry out Gen. SCOTS
policy of winter campaign.
All this is done to keep the Army Of the Poto-
mac where it is, and to prevent US from sending
reinforcementS to the Southern coast, and to Ken
lucky and Missouri II there is to be winter cam
pagn anywhere, it will be in these States and along
the coast. Holding Maryland, and satisfied with
the PotomIc as boundary line in this direction,
the Federal Governments will probably make bold
push this winter to Urest from US Missouri and
Kentucky, with view Of treating for peace next
Spring on the principle Of vi pssSidis party
to hold what it has One of she chief features of
their policy will be SO to shape their own move
msnts as to distract cur councils and divide our
forces. To this end they will probably seek to res
peat the Hatteras and Port Royal aRAirs at other
points on the coast. and especially in the Gulf of
! Mexico Ii is not improbable that they will also
attempt to penetrate the Con!ederacy from Cairo by
way of the Mississippi river. In the meantime they
will continue threaten our lines on the Potomac,
in Northwestern Virgins, and In Kentucky and
! Missouri
This policy, if vigorously pursued, viii render
il necessary for the South to put forth her best
ergies. In Virginia we shall hold our own until
Spring, and then you may expect to see cam.
! paign opened that will close only at the gates Of
| Philadelphia and New York. But few, if any,
troops will be sent hence to any point unless it be
one or two twelve months regiments, Whose term
will expire early ia the Spring. So, whether II be
any part of NcClellan's programme to keep Us
here to prevent US from sending aid else where,
he is to fail of his purpose. This line viii be
! held at ell hazards.
Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansa s.
with such help as they already have from otker
States, will be expected TO hold the enemy in
check in the Valley Of the Mississippi. For this
purpose those States ought to be able to bring $780,
! 600 men iato the field in thirty days, especially
since they have sent butfew troops to any other
part Of the COnfederGcy The duty OF defending
the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts will devolye ups
/ o. the Carolinas Georgia, Florida, Alabama Mis-
sissppi Louisiana and Texas. Most Of those States
have already contributed their full quota to the
army in Virginia; but the emergency Is great, and
their efforts and sacrifices mult be propOrtionGte
Let non-combattaAts Of every age, sex and color
be removed from exposed positions the coast, to
the interior This will dispose Of fruitful source
Of embarrassment and danger. Thus relieved, let
every man take his position, with the fixed deters
/ mination that the invader shall never gain anO~
Their foothod upon our Shores except over his dead
! body.
| Let no more batteries be abandoned while there
is a solitary qua not dsmounted, or q man TO fire
it. 1t Is better 20 fall at our guns than to rot in
dungeons This resolution is all that is wanting to
insure the ignominious defeat of the enemy. Less
than this will leave Us at the feet Of race whom
we loathe and abhor. Liberty is q priceless boon
that does not spring spontaneous from the earth,
nor fall unbidden from the sky. 1t is the gift of
God to the brave and loyal and the sacrifice He re-
CURES is not the blood Of goats and bullocks, but
the substance, patience and blood OF the people. If
we are prepared to lay this offering upon the alter
Of our country, then He will give US the victory;
but if we are net ready for the sacrifice then it
time we were bowling our necks to the yoke of the
appresser.
edge but must crave your indulgence if l do not
! mention the channel By which it reached ma It
relates to 8 Frivste letter which Gen Mcclellan
has lately written to some friends in New York
The purport Of the letter is that he does not expect
to accomplish any permanent good by naval eXpe~
dtions South, by military operations in the
! West, so long as Johnston and Beauregard hold
Centreville and Manassas with an imposing army
at Their backs. The Federal army may gain tempo
rSry advantages elsewhere, but these, he thinks
will be evanescent. He seems to consider the
army of the Potomac as " the head and front" of
the rebellion, and until it shall be defeated and
dispersed Snd driven from the gates Of the capital
he is not sanguine of subduIng the instruction In
this he Is right He may strike US on the extremi-
ties, but long SIS the head and heart left in
tact the re elton will surviYs and prosper.
The capture of Messrs. Mason and Slidell is still
the subject of comment beyond the Potomac. We
learn from batch of late Northern papers Just re-
ceived, that Lord Lyons, the British Minister, is
very indignant at the outrage. lie says that his
government will not be satisfied with less than the
fullest apology By Mr. Lincoln the instant and sum
mary punishment of the officer who made the ar
rest and the immediate release and safe convey
snce by the FEDERAL Government OF our Commits.
sioners to Europe. The entire diplomatic delega>
ton at Washington unite in condemning the capture
es gross violation Of the laws Of nations and an
! inexcusable breach Of international comfy. The
Spanish Minister is asid to be unreserved in his
denunciations of the act and says if Aessrs hassn
and Sidel had been taken from Spanish ship, he
should have felt it to be his duty in the absence Of
instant and ample Stonement. to call for his passS
ports and quit the country. The Canadian news
papers are exceedingly bitter and denuncistory
| Some Of them predict war between Eaglsnd and
the United States in thirty days and if one mSy
Judge from their tone, they do not regret it much.
! The Yankee press, on the contrary, applaud she
act though they are careful to say that Commodore
Wilkes made the seizure without authority.
Remarkable Escape from LIncOIndOm.
The Petersburg (Ya.) Express, of the 2Ssh ult,
Dublishes the following interesting account Of the