Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-25

Richmond correspondent of the New Orleans Delta.
am persuaded that within the six weeks
past the strategy OF the confederate govern
ment has undergone a change-or that it has
been caused to take on The appearance Of
change All eyes are turned at present tow
ards Manassas junction. The enemy has
massed some 10000 or $4,000 troops at and
about Alexandria, and their numbers at last
accounts were increasing by constant arrivals
by land and river. 1t is apprehended that
they mean 10 attack us at Manassas junction,
where we had Yesterday about 10000, in
increased, perhaps, to $4,000 men, under Gen.
Bonham, which were being rapidly reinforced
from this city. Civil aud military men here
differ however as 10 the designs OF the enc
my i'll that direction. Some regard the de
monslraton at Alexandria as a leint TO make
important movements Neutrality-suspicious.
upon Norfolk, or Yorktown, or Aqua Creek,
or Ilarper's Ferry or some other point
But General Lee who is by no means a
man to jump hastily to conclusions, appears to
put literal construction ON 1t. lie proceeded
in person to Manassas Junction to-day, pretty
fully convinced that "by the act OF Llncoln's
trOops-as our congress word their war
decaratious-it was soon to be the scene
OF sharp and bloody contest But there is
no telling. Before this reaches you the tele-
graph may tell you that the enemy continues
TO pursue policy Of gradual and almost I'M
perceptible INVASION accompanied by sue
cessiUn of small losses and lrritatons inflicted
upon the confederate army, until, TO save its
prestige at home and abroad, and-to save it
self from utter disaster, it will be compelled,
somehow and somewhere, to force trial OF
conclusion in a great and decisive pitched
battle.
The massing of southern troops at various
important positions still goes on vigorously.
Richmond is the general rendezvous Tor IN
coming volunteers, whence, as soon as they
are inspected and properly QUILTED for active
duty, then distributed where they are most
needed. According to a rough estimate, l
think that there are at this moment in active
service in Virginia about fifty thousand con.
federate troops, namely: abont 5000 at or near
Manassas Junction about 5000 at Fredericks-
| burg and Aqua Creek, about 10000 a. Nor
folk and its neighsorhood, about 5OO0at York
town and Williamsburg, and l4,OOO at Harp
er's Ferry. OF this aggregate nearly all, ex-
elusive OF the force at Harpers Ferry, are
so posted that they could be concentrated by
railroad at any point between Norfolk and
Alexandria within twenty four hours.
About forty thousand, | should think, might
be flung almost at once upon the enemy, wher-
ever he might plant himself along that line.
But to mass this number ut a given point
mght-leave too scant a force along tina sea-
board and bays, constantly menaced by the
enenly's ships of war and transports for land
ing troops You see, then, where is the Cliff
Guilty With his ships on one side and his
numbers on the other, the enemy aims to out
flank us both, and make it hazardous TO at
tempt a combined movement upon its centre.
see nothing for il but TO swell our numbers
as rapidly as possible, and hold him in check
on the right-that is, towards the sea-while
we turn his flank on the left and overthrow
him in the centre