Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-08

prom The Chicaeo Tribune- Cd /,

It was Napoleon who conceived the mill
Itary stfategyso 41ying to the people" in his
dispatches bat however false might be the
first co1oring Of fEe news, there was always
1something behind il for he-slower coach Of
truth 10 bring along. What NAPOLEON could
military chieffain of bis age, our diplomatic
doctors at Washington have taken upon them
| selves to do, without any of his merit or sue
cess. The Associated dispatches Is the vehi-
Gle employed, and the copy is prepared at
the State Department Here are some apeci-
mems of this sort of stuff
WAsHIHGFoN, Oct. le.-Gen. Mccall, with
asf0rce of infantry, cavalry, and artillery left
Prospect Hill this morning to reconnoiter.
They marched to Drainsville, ten miles from
Prospect Hill, without opposition. Drains
vile is within fifteen miles of Leesburg.
IWAsHlSaroN, Oct. 20.-It is evident that
the movement of General Mccall at the head
of his division towards Leesburg, is Intended
to cut off the rebels, if they have gone in the
direction of Harper's Ferry. as some suppose,
instead of falling back on Manassas. They
have most likely done the latter. and Gen.
Mccall will probably fail to find an enemy
in the direction he is now marching.
WAsHISGroN, Oct. 2I- Gen. Mccall has
returned from bivouacking at Drainsville,
and is now at his old lines at Townsville.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2I.-Only yesterday Mr..
Seward informed member of the diplomatic
body. that the little affair of the Southern in
surrection would blow over within three
months. The ports would be all opened, aud
peace and prosperity would reign.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 2I.AThere are rumors
of q battle in progress near Leesburg. The
Federal troops are known to be -entrenched
on an island in the river near that place.
WARRINGTON, Oct. 2I-We have possession
of the Virginia side of Edwards Ferry. Ad-
ditional accounts say that up to O'Clock to-
day Gen. Stone had held his own satisfacto-
rily there, though his comparatively small
force on the Island is engaged with some 4, :
600 of the enemy. A subsequent dispatch
received late this p. m. says Gen. Evans has
field pieces and 3 pieces masked, and about
1000 men. A prisoner taken mentions that
he has 4, 900 rebel troops, and expects rein
f0rcements. Gen. Stone at that Time believed
he could occupy Leesburg to-day and hold it.
WASHINGTON, Oct 22.-So far as can be
learned, there has been no. further fighting at
Edwards Ferry. The information received
thus far, is not entirely entitled to credence.
Gen. Banks is now on the Virginia side, COM
handing in person. - - $ a..l
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23.-It is subject of
regret that Col. Baker should have engaged
the enemy, when he was ordered to make
reconnaissance only, with strict Instructions
if attacked to fall back and not fight.
Col. Baker made his will on Saturday last,
and deposited it with Col. Webb, and when
he left for the field, he said to the latter, al
shall participate in q battle in forty-eight
hours. If 1 fall, 1 request that you take
charge Of my body" - > = - s& SIS
s WASHINGTON, Oct 23.-The success of the
movement of Gen. Stone and Gen.Banks
across the Potomac is now established, as the
enemy did not venture to make any further
resistance to it yesterday. / s 81 u
A photographic dispatch from Gen. McClel-
lan's headquarters is said to have been re-
ceived at the War office, at two o'clock this
afternoon, stating that Leesburg would be
taken in an hour. There has been sharp
fighting in that neighborhoed all the morn
ing. It was also reported that General
Stone and General Banks had crossed the
Potomac. and were advancing with $4,000
men on Leesburg.
WAsH1xGroN, Oct. AZ flag Of truce has
crossed the river to recover the dead bodies
and inquire the fate of the missing bearer of
flag, not yet returned.
This afternoon a rebel brigade was seen
going in the direction of Conrad's Ferry, and
disappeared behind a wood. where, it is said,
there is an earthwork mounting seven guns.
This is between the river and Leesburg, two
miles from Leesburg. -=----
About the same time Gen. Abercrombie
sent word to headquarters that the enemy
were advancing towards his position on the
Virginia side from above and below,
and asking for achievements. Orders
were issued to push over strong
force TO his relief Up to the present hour,
10 P. M, no attack has been made. 9oi
Yesterday, learning that large force of
the enemy was approaching, and had arrived
at two points above and below the Ferry, it
was Judged tadyisable to withdraw our
troops from the Virginia shore at Edwards
Ferry and Harrison's Island. This il also
necessary from the high stage of the river.
esa WASHINGTON, October Is.
& The War Department is preparing an off,
cial list of our losses at the Leesburg battle.
It will be published as soon. as possible, but.
q. great deal of difficulty is experienced In
obtaining complete records of the killed,
wounded and missing.
+. The latest reports received from Edwards
Ferry state that all our forces which were
engaged at Leesburg are now on the Mary
land side of the Potomac, and in excellent
condition. - -
s The check encountered at Leeshurg has
not disheartened the Government in the
least, but it is believed that some bad blum
ders were committed. r.
Now this is the sort of stuff that is palmed
off on the Northern people as reliable news
"reliablea because prepared under the imme-
-diate eye of the Government. For a week
and more the people, who have no other
means of information, are left In doubt as to
what has actually occurred, and a. dark sus-
picion is adroitiy woven in that it was all
poor Bakers fault. He Gexceeded his in
structions;" "brave, bat rash, very;n twas
only to make a Reconnaissance etc. And
how singularly, too, Edwards Ferry and
Harrisen's Island, and Stone, and Baker,
and Banks, and all the military movements,
are mixed in together in a tangled web. Is it
strange that no one could comprehend the
mysteryf We have put Gen. McCail's move
ments in with the other dispatches, but who
imagined he had any part to- play in the
Leesburg affair. It is all plain enough now
that Gen. Mcclellan planned great move
ment; that Gen. Scott defeated it, aud that
the Secretary Of State reported It; and in
the light OF present Information we refer
our readers to the above dispatches as mark
ing out the path of ignorance they were
made TO treadaa = 's,ss .sials4s 1aisaglss gEsa