The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-08-08
From our own Correspondent.
Letter from Washington.

|
Letter from Washington.
Irregular ndils-Conficting reports from the
Army-President Lincotn-Our army be-
ing reduced-A suggestion-Gen. jameson.
WASHINGTON. d. c., Aug. 4th 1862.
EDITORS OF PRESS If could receive the
portland Press" little more regularly, 1
could send you, or somebody else perhaps,
some news or something else. Why it is, or
where the fault is, cannot tell, but the gener-
| al complaint here is, that whilst other papers
from Maine reach the subscribers regularly the
! Portland papers are very irregular. Will you
stir up the delinquents whoever they may be,
Messrs. Editors, and let us have the news from
Maine as we have reasons to expect it.
| We get hardly any War news here, except
as we get it through New York or more dis
tant papers. To be sure, we hear all sorts of
reports. One man comes up from the "James
| River" country and tells us, that our forces
there are in very precarious condition-that
they have no confidence in their commanding
Generals-that the late movement of Gen.
Mcclellan is regarded there as a perfect 'Ske-
daddle," not equalled even by "Bull Rum
that hardly an officer of the Staff or Line can
be found, but what has lost confidence entirely
in Gen. Mcclellan since his retreat before Rich
mond, and that our whole army is in danger
of being bagged by the enemy. Another re-
turns from the same point, and brings the in
formation that our army before Richmond is
in an excellent condition; that the position
now occupied by our forces is impregnable !;
that the most implicit confidence is reposed in
derogatory to Gen. Mcclellan, the men are
ready to knock you down; and that with such
achievements as are expected there at an ear
ly day, Richmond must surely fall into the
hands of the Government troops. Such is the
character of much of the war intelligence
presume, of more or less that is telegraphed
through the country. News bearers and news
mongers occupy different stand-points, and
the character Of whatever they promulgate is
influenced more or less by their prejudices 1t
is well known that the public mind is eager
given to a report or despatch, the more pala-
table it is. 1t is to be regretted that such is
the state Of things, for those who seek the
truth, rather than the qualification of a NOR
bid appetite. are kept continually in suspense.
Whilst we hear different expressions in re-
gard to the efficiency OF the Heads of the De-
partments, and the Generals in command, we
hear but one opinion expressed in regard to
President Lincoln. He is understood by all
as comprehending the magnitude of the crisis
through which the country is now passing
as overlooking the doings of the several De-
partments; as being fully conversant with our
operations in the field; and that he is the man
for the position he now occupies. Whilst such
confidence is expressed in the President, not
only here, but throughout the whole country,
and whilst it is known that that he exercises a
general supervision over our entire affairs, es-
pecially such as relate to the war, and that he
has the decision and backbone to squarely and
ties, whether in the field or elsewhere whilst,
l say, that such is the confidence reposed in
"Old Abe" it seems to me that the fault-find-
ing and censuring in regard to our Generals
and Others inauthority, either military or civil,
should cease. So long as they are kept in the
field, or in the position they now occupy, by
the President, they are entitled to our conf
dence. know of no safer conclusions upon
which we may rest. There IL one thing that
we may depend upon with certainty, that if
this rebellion is suppressed and the authority
of our government maintained, we have got to
have our army largely augmented; and if those
correspondents and papers which are continu-
ally crticising the Secretary of War or Gene
raj Mcclellan, would lend their energies in
arousing the people, and inducing them TO
come forward and efficiently back up these
men, they would exhibit more real patriotism,
TO say the least, than they now do.
Our army is fast becoming decimated by
sickness and other causes. Many of our best
generals are obliged to leave the field on ae-
count of exposure and fatigue. Gen. Jane
son and Gen. Berry from our own State, who
have so calamity led on our forces in many
hard-fought battle, have been obliged to re-
tire; and learn from DIR. Garcelon. who has
just returned from James River, that many of
our surgeons are faltering and must soon be
relieved; and if one wishes to form some idea
of the condition of the frank and flle," let
them visit the hospitals, even in this city, and
they can readily imagine the large number I'M
fit, on account of disability, for duty Under
such circumstances, the country should be
alert, and every man able to bear arms should
be willing to enter his country's service.
DR.. Garcelon, with whom | spent some two
hours, day or two since, represents some of
our Maine regiments as being reduced to a
very low number BY the way, it seems to
me that Gov. Washburn should keep DIR. Gar
celon in the field all of the time, looking after
the sanitary condition of our Maine regiments
going from one regiment to another, and
seeing that they are constantly provided with
efficient medical and surgical aid Not only
the interests and welfare of the soldier demand
| it, but it seems to me the honor of the State
also demand it. Gen. Jameson is improving
| but very slowly. He is very feeble, and his
attendant physicians say it will be long time
before he can fully rally. If he continues to
| improve, il is hoped that he may be able TO go
| 10 his home in Maine in the course of week
or ten days.
In my next will endaavor to furnish some
local items that may be of interest to your
readers. CAPITOL.
p. S.-We are notified here, by a dispatch,
that Maine has raised her full quota of troops,
and is thus the first to respond to the call of
the President. l have no doubt but that Maine
will be as prompt as any other State in res