Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-18
Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
From Washington.

From Washington.
Particulars Of the Battle on the Rapidan Jy an
Eye uitneSs-D Development Of the Confederate
Plans in VirgiHia-Gca. BuckRer-TrOops
TO be sent to the West.
WAsmNGToN, August IL.
The Administration kilograms respecting the
battle at Culpepper OH Saturday last imply that
it was brilliant victory ON the part of General
Banks, and that the rebels were defeated with
great slaughter. Authentic accounts of the bat
tie, however, have now been received here, from
which 1t appears il was exactly the reverse. Gen.
Pope and Gen. Banks did not arrive on the field
TILL nearly o'clock in the evening, at which time
the battle was over. 1t was the old story. With
less troops than we have the Confederates. by
their superior generalShip. succeeded in massing
against our men troops ia superior numbers at
given point. and overcome 10y superior numbers,
our troops were compelled to fall back. The ac-
ton was brought on Toy the COnfederaieS their
apparent object being 10 drive back the Union
troops from the neiShhOThOOd of the Rapidan, in
which they succeeded
have seen officer direct from the field, who
describes tie action as being fierce and sanguin-
airy beyond all former conflicts. Our men fought
like veterans, but they had no chance against the
greater number of the enemy. The latter, too,
were evidently goaded to fury against Pope's
ders, for they fought more like hends than
men, and their battle cries we're such expires
sions as Down with the Pope" ITO hell
with the robbers Charge on the plunderersr'
"No quarter to the men who make war on
womenl" &c.
The scene at night, when the Confederate ar
tillery shelled our biyOuacs. was terribly grand.
The moon was full, and the night as light as day.
The rebel artillery was splendidly managed, every
of lpi ClQilS in no rnifS fnf
troops and wagon trains. The result was per-
feet stampede. The roads and fields were quickly
filled with thousands of our soldiers and hundreds
of wagons, huddled pell nell together, without
any pretence 10 order Our loss is fully 5000,
large proportion of whom officers The
worst of it is that among the officers killed and
badly wounded are many of the best in tho
army, whose loss to us will be very difficult to
replace.
The result of the late action shows the correct
ness of my views heretofore expressed in regard
TO POpe's attempt TO reach Richmond by this
route. 1t is impractcable, should never have
been attempted, and Ought now TO be abandoned.
IL will have to be abandoned, sooner or later.
The means of defense possessed by the'rebes on
that route are such will enable them TO resist
successfully the advance OF a Union army three
times strong Pope's. They have fortified
Gordonsvile function much stronger than Man
assas was, and tue Rapidan is a much better de-
fensive line than Bull Bun. am satisfied that
they have now got Gen. Pope and his army Just
where they want him. If he remains where
he is, they will probably not attack BIN. In that
case their plans will no doubt will be to march
around his right flank by way of Staunton, Har-
risonburg, and Luray, get in his rear at Warren
ton, while they engage his attention mot with a
show OF force. but with real force in front on
the Rapidan and then hur their main column on
Washington II they succeed in getting in Pope's
rear, which they do, as their forces are three
times as numerous as his he will run some risk
OF being cut off between two fires repeat, the
only way in which Pope's corps can be servica-
BILE. is by sending them, by way of Alexandria
and Fortress Monroe, to join Mcclellan at
Hauisol's Landing Richmond can be approach
ed by way of the Peninsula but doubt whether
it can be reached by an army marching from the
North.
There will be plenty of employment for the
whole 6OOOOO troops recently called for by the
President, and it is gratifying to know that the
first 100000 are in fair way to be in the
field in few days, and that the probability now
is that the other 300 900 will not be drafted,
afterall but will be raised by volunteers, as here
tofore. The reports from an the States that have
come in during the last weekafford me the basis
for this statement. i have always maintained
that it would require million of troops to con-
with million it can be done if they are properly
managed.
Gen. Buckner. recently exchanged and now in
Richmond, is to have command of enc of the
corps daTmee in the Confederate army. He is
well known in Chicago, where a few years ago he
owned large amount of property. Many of the
young Colonies, Captains, Majors, and Lieuten-
ants, now in the Union army, derived the ele-
ments of their military education from him. He
is polished gentleman courteous, refined and
extremely agreeable in his manners, highly edu-
Gated, AMI with mind of DO ordinary power /
am reminded, in speaking of his exchange. tat
the Confederates still retain some of our officers
at Richmond. and refuse to give them up. on ac-
count of what they call "the barbarities perpe-
trated by Pope's rnffians upon helpless women
and aged men," There is no doubt these COM
plants have some foundation, though certainly
this is not the way to stop the alleged atrocities.
The practices of Pope's men are certainly not
justified by the rules of modern civilized warfare.
1t is said here, on good authority, that General
Pope was reinforced, before the battle Of the
Rapidan, by number of regiments of we'll
trained troops that had been performing garrison
duty, whose places are to be supplied by the first
of the newly raised regiments. That is well. 1t
is said, also, that the Administration is ut last
convinced that the Coniederates are masslng two
strong armies to operate in Tennessee and Ken
lucky, with probable designs further north; and
are preparing TO meet the emergency by sending
thither the number OF troops that Gen Sherman
said was necessary to Kentucky, namely:
200, 600 He probably meant to say, to save it
and keep il saved: for the trouble with Kentucky
is. that, being saved she won't stay saved unless
the saviors stay with her. Y.