Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-09
THE DAILY PRESS.
From the Army of the NYert.
PUBLIsHED DAILY, EXCEPT SUNDAYS, BY
THE CINCINNATI PRESS COMPANY.

River, December 81" Speaking of leaving
the wharf of this city, he says.
There were some sad leave takings on the
wharf for we have score or two of officers
and soldiers on board who have been spend.
ing CHRISTMAS at home, but who are now
returning to their regiments 1t NAV be
many manths before the loved ones will
again behold them, perhaps never. 1t is said
that battle is not far off. am not over
ssnguine as to that. On the Potomac we
were put off from August till September,
from September till October, from October
till next week, from next week" till now.
AS general thing they do things faster in
the West, but it is by no means certain that
there will be battle this week, as has been
predicted, or next week, or next month.
GENERAL BuEL's ARMY.
While thus floating down the stream. I
have tune to take prospective view of the
army in Kentucky, and to discuss its quail.
fcaiionsi and it may not be altogether lost
time; for, judging from what have seen ia
the Eastern papers, the public has had its
expectations unduly raised. We are gravely
informed by member of Congress in his
seat that in few days rebellion will be
crushed in Kentucky. The telegraph in
forms you that General Buel has an hun
dred and sixty thousand men; that he has
River, and in few days will rout the rebels
at Bowling Green. Editors with this intel
ligetce FAY to their readers that battle is
imminent, and some, permitting hope aud
expectation to utter imperative prophecies.
say that rebellion has but few days longer
to live. 1t is 10 be expected, therefore, that
the public will look impatiently for news
from this section. | am not going to say
that they will be disappointed, but merely
to state some things which should be taken
into account in our estimates of probable
events.
The Army of the West, or at least that
commanded by General Buel, is but recently
organized. Many of the regiments have been
but few months in camp. Most all are
raw. If General Mcclellan feels that the
Army of the Potomac is not yet sufficiently
drilled to take the field, it may also be eX-
pected that General Buel, an officer of the
regular service, would have similar views
respecting the Army of the West. I have
understood that he has expressed such an
opinion, but can not vouch for it. Ifitbe 40.
then we may not look for an immediate con-
fict | understand that all his regiments are
not brigaded; that camp of instruction is
about to be formed at Bardstown. 1t is GER
tain that his troops are not all armed: and IL
is also certain that his army is not concen-
trated. The regiments are scattered all along
the line of the railroad from Louisville to
Mumfordsville. He has not been with his
troops, but has remained at Louisville super-
intending the organization of his army from
that point. Yesterday he proceeded to Mum
fordsville. With all of these facts before us.
knowing that our officers who have been in
military schools believe in the principle of
getting ready" it is possible that the ex-
pections of the people may be somewhat
delayed.
Looking at Bowling Green, and summing
up the facts that reach US in regard to the
preparations of the rebels to resist an ad.
vance at that point, we see other reatbns
why Gen. Buel may be inclined to move with
caution. The rebels are in a strong position,
on high hills, behind intrenchments of great
strength, which are daily becoming stronger
through the muscles of a thousand slaves.
Cannon are mounting, reinforcements arriy-
ing, and evey thing possible is doing to make
a determined stand. The rebels are terribly
in earnest there, as much so as upon the Pc.
tomac. Gen. Buel knows very well that it
will require nerve and strength to carry that
positi on by an attack in front-a movement
which do not expect to witness, for pre-
sumo he, like most men, is willing to walk
round difficulty, rather than venture a
hazardous attempt to ride over it,
Bowling Green, you remember, is nearly
forty miles from Green River. The rebels
have torn up most of the track tor that dis
tance. 1t is not probable that an engage
ment will take place there till the track is
relaid, for prudent commander will keen
his commissariat up with his advance. It
was only last week that the Quarter. master
began the organization of his transport
trains. Taking all these things into view, a
legal mind would not, | think, argue that
there was to be immediate activities. But
General Buel keeps his own counsel, and
there may be stirring events of great mag
nitude at Bowling Green before the first
week of the new year has passed. And here
let me say that there are apprehensions that
the rebel forceat Bowling Green and vicinity
is much larger than has been generally sup
posed.
There is no evident preparation for a dem
onstration down the Mississippi in concert
with the movement upon Bowling Green.
Our gunboats at Cairo are not completed, we
have but few men there to man them, we
haveno grand army organized to take Colum-
bus in the rear. All this is we'll understood
by the rebels, and they have drawn to
Bowling Green all available forces. They
have, as you observe by looking at the map,
extensive railroad facilities. AL, or nearly
all, the troops at Memphis have been trans
ported to Bowling Green, or are he'd in
readiness for an immediate transfer-all the
available forces have been gathered up from
Alabama and Mississippi. When General
Buel appears before Bowling Green, it is
among the possibilities that he will engage
a force in numbers quite as large as his
own.
HOW CINCINNATI IS AFFECTED BY THE WAR.
The city of Cincinnati feels the war more
than most Eastern cities. l have stood
upon the quay in former seasons and
watched the ceaseless actiVity-the arrival
and departure of steamers freighted to the
water S edge-the immense piles of merchan-
disc waiting shipment for the Southern
ports-the presence of a crowd of Kentuck-
ians and down-river men; but all is changed.
There is long line Of steamers at the land
ing, but they are doing comparatively moth.
ing. The regular packets ply to Louisville,
Pittsburg, and the river towns, but the gen.
eral aspect is of o Sunday character. The
iron founderies, the clothing houses, and all
the industrial occupations which can manu-
facture army goods, are doing well. The
banks are in sound condition. | learn
that there is not even the usual amount Of
suffering among the poor; that the demands
for charity are less than in former years.
This undoubtedly is, in part owing to the
mildness of the season, though fuel is of
small account in Cincinnati.
QUA CABIN.
II is twelve hours from Cincinnati to
Louisville by the boat. The Agor anderson
is a new, stanch craft, Differed by gentlemen
who are very courteous Although we have
several hundred passengers, every thing is as