The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-08-06
starved out in twenty four hours How these blum
ders TO be aecoueted forS TURENNE.


WASHINGTON, July 81, 1862.
Tne Underground Route Bet0een Washington and Rich
aond-Hoso Contra5and Nescs Flies Upon the Wind
TAe Principal Route 7ake-Ecieney and Discipline of
the Rebel Ay~y-7hs Southern CONSUMPTION Syslsns-
The Rebel Carary and Field Artilgry-A6airs Taeir
War Department, de-, dc.
No person unacquanted secession circles in Maryland
and the District have idea Of the extent TO
which contraband travel and communication are now car
ried on between tho secret sympahzsrs of the South
within our lines and the rebels in Richmond Something
might be said Of the loose manner in which lines
guarded in certain quarters thus aordng opportunity
for frequent and uninterrupted communication but tho
present effective working or the underground must
be mainly attributed TO the energy and cunning OF tho
rebels both sides or the Potomac. The lower counties
Of Maryland, bordering on the river, embrace the
strongest secession districts in the State and the whole
community OF inhabitants secretly engaged In GLIDING
the gunboat patrol the Potomac and Keeping open
regular routes OF trade travel and communication with
the region Of the Rappahannock, where the Virginia
rebels take charge Of the operations and extend the route
- Richmond.
This is the principal route now. since those through
Leesburg, Warrenton and Fredericksburg have been
closed by General Popes stringent and effective orders
and evidence that it is doing foarishng business it
may be mentioned that regular mails received
it by parties Baltimore, Maryland, and the District,
and that travellers pass with apparent mpunty. Those
having friends in the rebel army have no difficulty in
carrying correspondence and 1t has become OF fire.
quent in Baltimore and this city that former ress
dents Of both places often appear suddenly among their
friends and suddenly disappear the trip to
Dixie In some few instances thee returning rebels
have been arrested but the majority 60 back the way
they came, unmolested
OF this Of the blockade between Mary
l,.l
to the enemy and OF corresponding injury to our
cause but it cannot be helped The only way in which
it be remedisd Is TO clean out all inhabi-
tans on both sides OF the river, either by
wholesale arrest and imprisonment transporta-
ton beyond our lines, aud thcn posing numerous
cavalry and Infantry patrol throughout the depopuated
territory This is the only effective means TO be adopted
and until it - Je Davis viii continue TO read the
New York papers two days old every morning before
breakfast, to give him appetite, he certainly
does
II private accounts from Richmond, via underground
to be believed somebody has been terribly fooled in
regard to tho democrat and ecicnt condition Of the
army Richmond These represent
il TO be well drilled severely disciplined well clothed,
and now we'll led since the commssaTy and supply d.
partments have been organized scale IN prupor. to
the suddo increase o. Numbers which the situation there
demands. The firioush system has been alnlcst com
pletey abolished il the last thirty days. NJ leaves Of
absence, 10 officers or pryateS are granted On any ac-
count, those who prclong such Obtained at
past times brought to headquarters under
guard. The drilled daily IN the cool hours and
II is understood that on no account VIII these regular
exercises be dispersed with. Promotions are made
strictly according TO merit Influence. position or wealth
are avail procure a commission, and ciscs
plenty where officers poor from the common
grade OF while the r.vafes ugGcr ..cm number
some the wraltest the land. I. thought all
the military talent OF the south Is now fully esloyed in
the army and hence out few military appointments are
maGc from civil circles Killed and disabled officers Of
1.sr.. .aat HALO.
line officers always taken from the ranks. The spirit
Of the whole army SAID to be spcadid their bravery
all that he expected and their endurance established
beyond doubt. The army now around Richmond and
within sappo ting distance numbers two hundred and
twe-ty lih'iisina men, anu ihe wia.c army q Virginia
arproy.uacs % three hundred tinnSslt
Troops have been daily touring mo Richmond from
The South the a.e lighting no Chic,ssaoniny
squads, bltalicas aad some few res fneBts. a small
part Of these re4lorccmenls veteran troops
from Charleston, savannah and North Carolina but
rest are raw recruits under the couscgpt system The
latter not allowed to form companies regiments,
but taken into the ranks Of old ard in
case Is regiment allowed 70 have more than oncthird
conscrips BY this pka il IS expected to absorb all the
conscrips into the ranks nf tho veterans without in
creasng the number Of regiments und, should lhs fail,
the OveTEs Of soldiers DO employed Ia guard,
patrol an other duties where nsatins qualities not
essential.
This conscrpt system IS said work admirably to the
satisfaction OF the teb anthOri,es VI thore
much opposition to ;ls draft aid mary will evade II
they can; but when once drawn ard p.acet the f2d
with these become :usi ed catch the
spirit Of tie situation aud become good solilsrs.
1t is Calculated the rebel army vii! number six
dsec thousand Tor the fall campaigns all Provided with
good arms, OF which hsre said to b. scarcity. O
these four hsndre thousand operate Virginia.
and tho rest a, points il the Southwest AMI Q. tn
Mississippi
The cavalry branch Of the rogsrtod with great
favor by the authorities since Asnoy. stewart Morgan
and Forrest have deuons aiel how effectively rs
used, ard every exer!on Is raac 70 keep tie b st
condition. ths most dashag characters encouraged
son i. ant the = ard blod:d horses
nissd lioertIN NJ tae cav t!ry, ytslcs Scs noun
on Le bet horses south affords Is TO lie lrtl.d WITH
sabre, short rsed iacskes and two reviewers 70 tie
nlaa, wish Tue design q operating o. ctlVeiy sgalns
large masses OF Infantry. HenccioriA i ia.endsI
have battles Gistucisn>i by heavy Charge u cavalry,
aud ause,cr q Do nd more OH this cf the
ia genera ea.!rmrnts.
III ded aticFy considered very iedceat propor.
ton a. tu u.tg of .a:y and c airy sat what tey
have tho gat equal my this side Eac tes .ar
making cana are alnei 10 The sh9rz 1T Atlaat4
Ga AID IN Trr iern- works Al PiciFn M ihs tg1se2
tlrnIg gus day aud night during sc Ell
lans ocsgi alton d tn chcsahomuy, and pi-c
cseG retiring army winch had boeu ans.ed
but few days beore.
According 10 the same sources from which the abovs
is eorvcd, secretary Stanton might profit The ur
bis country much By initiating The exanpis Of George W
Rsndo pm, the rc0ei slo claims otra Fellowship The
want OF sstein and llcs cHcisucv may exist Ia all
other departments OF deG. DAVIS government; but tho
War Once Is certainly managed u the most admirable
and effective maaasr.
Besides controAug regular system OF spying within
or ines tne "a h5ritas have long since Mirodrcc.
aAotacr feature novel must be advantageous. II
Il nothing less thAn kooplg regular and reliable
count al tie forces tho GATED states his IN The a.i
how many each department ayi BY whom Commanded:
the number Il livs.ons and lhs ths officers,
the strength af brAie and their oiccis tbs numbers
names and oGcars II regiments aaa where the same
we're ased lilo iEforna ion UPON which ihess accounts
ar0 foundcd y furnished parity BY spies within cur
lines, md principally obtained FROM Northern
newspapers. regular Mes 0. which are ken.
on han. Il Is arranged aad man pnlafod
by force u clerks under ths d OF fenced
and intel gent al, and condensed INTO systenatc
accounts ivmg complete knowledge Of tie strength
army oy.ry department.. Four books lesgers
are used ~ MS pur5ass rho arst i called the DIen
I4nx I'm vfl4i lao tsr4bs and piar