Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-12-07

The Situation.

look over the whole neld OF operations
between the Union and rebel forces, in
order to appreciate their several pros
,,ects. and get some definite idea OF how
The war is waging.
Beginning at the mouth of the James
river, in Virginia. We have OH the
north bank Fortress Monroe. OIL old
Point Comfort, where Gen. Harvey is
in command. Gen. Wool having just
resigned. Gen. Butler who was form
crlv stationed here, has had lately as
signed to him new Department which
includes the New England States, with
lis head quarters at Boston. His pres
ent duty is presumed to be the filling
up of regiments, and sending them for
ward to Washington while the rumor
j, that an expedition is being prepared
for him to lead to sea in December.
Opposite to Fortress Monroe, south
ward, is Norfolk, still in rebel hands.
and probably under the command Of
Gen. MagruGer.
Ascending the Potomac, the left wing
Of our army is under Gen. Sickles. who
holds the Maryland bank, fronted 10y
Gen. Beauregar,l, whose headquarters
are ahont Acquia Creek. AT this place.
at Shipping Point, and at various other
positions up to and beyond Mount
Vernon. the rebels have batteries plant
ed. and they would seem to have made
the navigation of the Potomac so dan
gerous that supplies for our army about
Washington are taken il preference up
the Chesapeake to Annapolis, and
thence by railroad to the Capitol. 1t
was intimated in late dispatch that
Bcarregard was on his way to Charles
ton, but who was to take his place, if
so, has not been announced.
Our centre is commanded by Gen.
Mcclellan at Washington, with Gen.
Johnston of the rebels fronting him,
and holding his headquarters at Fair
fax Court House. Our lines have been
extended south and west of the Poto-
mac in the form of a bow, from little
below Alexandria to the Great Falls,
(somc ter miles above Washington,)
Lcwisburg, which is near Fairfax Court
House, being within them.'
On the Upper Potomac our right
wing is under the command of Major
Gen. Banks, under whom is General
Stone. Opposite them, with the Poto-
mae between, is the rebels left wing,
commanded by Major-Gcncral Gusta-
vus w. Smith, who but recently ran
away from New York City, where he
held the lucrative post of Street Com
missioner. Smiths headquarters are
at Lecsburg. Under him is Gen. Ev-
ans who lead the attack upon those of
our forces whe were commended by
Gen. Baker. Our lines are on the
Maryland side of the river. Gen.
Banks men hold all the fords, and
threatens ITarper's Ferry and Lccsburg.
Gen. Dix has command of the An
napols Department, his headquarters
being at Fort MclIcnry, near Baltimore
OF the position in Western Virginia
very little is known. We probably
have undisputed possession between
the Alleghanics and the Ohio river,
north of the Great Kanawha-for Gen.
Rosencranz, who has charge of this
Department, when last heard from had
moved his headquarters southwestward
from Summerville to Gauley Bridge,
which is on the Great Kanawha. OPP
rosite Rosencranz were Floyd the gun
thief, Gen. Lee, (whom to-day's dis
patches announce as being suddenly in
the vicinity of Charleston,) and tho
crazy Ex-Governor Wise, who has run
so fast anu so often when he has had
glimpses of his enemy, that it puzzles
telegraphic lightning to keep track of
him.
The Department of Cumberland en-
braces Kentucky, East Tennessee, Ohio
and Indiana. It was, until lately, un-
der command of Gen. w. T. Sherman,
who was formerly connected with the
house of Lucas, Turner & Co., of this
city: he is brother of Senator Sherman
who was 80 long pressed by the Re-
rublicans for Speaker of the House Of
Representatives, but was finally with
drawn in favor of Pennington. Gen.
Sherman has lately been called to take a
command under Gen. Mcclellan on the
Potomac. Gen. Buell. left Washington
on the 18th to assume command of the
Cumberland Department.
Two battles seem to have been
fought lately, one in casternmost Ken.
tncky, the other just over the river
from Kentucky in Missouri, of which
as yet, however, we have received only
the most merger adyices. That in Ken
!ucky took place in Pike county, which
Is q the extreme eastern part Of the
State, Gen. Nelson commanded the