Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-15
0UR MILITARY BUDGET
TIE FIRE IN rae RKAR.

current tactics OF the gang who are so valisnilT
! nFlng upon the rear Of our gallant army, whose
breasts are turned toward the enemys hayonets.
The gist Of its last effort TO dispa-age the Army
| OF toe Pot'mac. isthss sonc nan who was once
member abolition, Of course,l Of Congress and
| som" negroes saw that the enemy a. Centervills
ana Manassas, when they fed we've No; more than
| "",Ut1 strong, and their guns In position a; Gen.
terville charred Ioes-not real ca7aou.
The bestsnsw 10 make 10 all this is but % C. n
public attention - the fact that tie Cover nent
, 49,, las uSd iuil detective bureau In operati,
Tor nearya wear past, charged among other du,ies
with that 81 examining all prisoners Union spies
| runaway negroes, deserters from the enemy and
others from whom information concerning the
force and condition % tho rebels at NarSssss
might possibly De Oh ed
La the discba,f. &c this dut, "a GO happens that
In that bnreau t.ere is now on record the testl-
mony Of pcihs % hundred such persons a. we
describe SHOW Il both sexes, Qncluding not a
few Union :. g. sying directly on the points
made by our amis~.s cd Ingenious TTtbKHiSh
| Contemporary.
IL goes 10 create the irresistibss conviction that
| the retreat OF the enemy from our front was The
result 81 Information obtained through the spies
OF the rebels la o.. ..it-', n,st our army was
shout TO move against them; that the force with
which they refreshed, from the lowest battery on
tie Potomac 10 Manassas Gap-fhsiy army O. the
Potcmac-v ast then from 100 90 TO 50 900 strong;
and also that their retreat, though commenced in
| order, soon became a rush 70 the rear, under
| which they fed back az though our cannon was
| the while actually sounding In their ears
| This multiplied testimony thus obtained and
! carefully compared-whlch is Of course within
the reach Of all branches oftbe Governrnent-men
OF common sense at least surely comprehend-Is
! more worthy OF credercp than what some one Of
TIE gang OF abolition consp.ratrrs vic are seeking
To hound down the commanding General tiest he
may win victories-aocomplish glorious results
for his count.yl may fancy 20 tell our smiable
cotemPorarv, backed, thOlgh that may be, by the
word Of ''so!ne negroes, do1h,Iess Of the class
that will say anything they are told to ,sy q be-
| ing likely TO make them abolition friends on
reaching here.
90 far as General Mcclellan's reputation is
| concerned In THE last Characteristic abolition
FIRE in his rear, a few days, or at nest weeks,
will settle the question whether 70 should or
should not he defended. He is row In the seld
at the mead Of his gallant army, carrying ont his
| plans of its campaign.
| While it was justly feared by all well Informed
persons here that the rebels would not venture to
base OF Observation-Disclosures CentrevIIle
and Manassas, IT is well known 10 all capable
reasoning upon military premises, that they must
| make fighting stand somewhere in the vicinity
Of their present position, or surrender Rlchu oud
| and all Virginia without firing gun; wGlck, in
| turn, must at once end the rebellion, so far as
| their being afterwards able 10 make an efficient
| stand anywhere, is concerned.
| If General Mcclellan fails TO vanquIsh them
where, Is explained above, the fighting, n any,
is to occur, he will deserve no defense from US.
\ If, as we are sure he will do, he utterly routs
them when the opposing clash comes on, he will
as surely need no defense from any quarter. ANY
need Of one then existing, will be on the part OF
| Congressman and others who may be directly or
| indirectly involved in the conspiracy 10 insure
the defeat Of oar army Of the Potomac, least Its
triumph a.-y indicate the soldierly qualities
| and capacity Of tn commanding General
| AREcoNnossANCK
| We learn that strong cavalry reconnaissance
was commenced on the evening before last, under
General Stonemsn, accompanied by Captains
Louis and Robert D'OrleaHs, Of General McCIel-
lans staff. Il made thorough examination Of
the whole range Of country from Manassas north
Of the Orange railroad, to Wauenton, and from
thence to the point where that railroad crosses
the RspPahannock, a distance Of twenty -four
miles from Manassas In 3 straight line. The
distance passed over in going out and returning
must have been about seventy Eve miles.
We hear that no enemy In arms was discovered,
and that II was clearly proved thst TIE digit Of
the enemy through that ts--,soTy resembled a
| perfect rout
II is now certain that the only defence Of Men,
phis against our AOtilla and gunboa,s, 10 Fort
| Randolph and the few works in It's imme al ate
| vicinity. While we do not regard them a, being
formidable. Il strikes us as probable that they
will not be attacked for some time 20 come as IL
| may be Necessary, to make their reduction most
effective, to transport and place in position take
Immediate advantage Of that achievement, an
| army TO be agreed on between Gen. HaIleck and
| Commodore Foote. That 10 to say: an army to
| occupy Memphis Immediately afterwards; as
| Memphis must fall into our hands as soon after
we reduce Fort Randolph as Nashville became
| ours after we took Clarksville.
| Indeed, from Fort Randolph 70 New Orleans
the way win .hCH be clear for Com. Foote and
1 Gen. Halleck.
RSv. John LANLHkN,
Of the Baltimore Conference, has been appointed
presiding elder OF the Virginia District, includ-
| ing the stations at Alexandria, Jefferson, Berry,
Vile, Harper's Ferry, and shannondsle. BisGop
Ames called upon 'he Secretary II War for pro-
lection to Mr. LsGaha a In the prosecution OF lie
| christian labors within the Union lines, which
was Immediately Granted. Mr.. Lanahsn has been
stationed during TIE last two years at the Est
| Washington al. L Church, and in his new field
| We are confident that 40 msn viii be permitted
to orneiate in the pulpit whose loyalty to the
| Government is not unquestonable.
1 rup
4 CEPi FoI; Assistant Secretary of the Navy, has
| returned from Fort Monroe. Capt. lor has bad
some additions made to the defences Of the Mont
tor since the fight Her pilOt-house had perpen-
dicular square sides, and the conclusion Of q
Merrimsc ball on this house near the lookout, 10
what injured Lieut.. worden, and checked the
| fght. Her pilot house has now an angular front,
| from which ball will glance from her sloping
sides The naval forces at Fortress Monroe are
anxious to grspple the Merrimac again, VOW
| ing to take or sink her on sight.
| RENoyKD.