Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-14


seeking always how to make the best of a thing,
is characteristic of Americans. The appeal to
arms was made year ago. Surely they who
appealed expected the appeal to to result in a de-
cision of something. If it has not already, it
will soon have resulted in establishing beyond
caval, the superiority of Government over reeel-
lion in physical force Then it becomes the in
habitants of the seeded States to think calmly
of the future, and it becomes US TO offer them
every assurance of the permanency of the old
Union and Constitution-N. Y. Journal Of Com
merce.
Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times
From Washington.
Ttoo New Military Departments-The Negroes
Celebrating their Freedom Opening of the
Baltimore and Ohio RaihOad-Danger from
GuerilIas- Work for Frhnout and Banks
A Battle at YOrkto,ca.
WASHINGTON, April z.
Gen. Banks is pet at the War Department
A new military department has been created for
him, embracing all the territory between the
Shenandoah river, on the east, and Western Vir-
ginia, the west, and as far south as he chooses
to go, which will probably be not quite to Staun-
ton. The rebels are in stong force along the
line of hills north of the railroad from Gordons-
vile to CovIngton, and all the mountain passes
and natural defenses leadngto that road from the
north have been fortified Dy Cen Henry Heth, one
of the best engineer officers in the South. If
Gen. Banks then really wants to fight (hs sol
diers of course do,) he can have the opportunity
| if he will march southwark about sixty miles.
New military departments now spring up like
mushrooms. The new military Department of
the Rappahannock' is the most important that
has yet been organized. 1t extends from Har-
pers Ferry on the north, to Richmond on the
south; from the Patuxent river least of the Poto-
mace to the Shenandoah 1t thus embraces that
part of Maryland east ofshe Lower Potomac, but
does not include that par of Virginia south of the
Lower Potomac, east OF the railroad from Rich
mond to Aqua creek and south of James river
This Department of the Rappahannock" las it
is miscalled, for the principal part of that stream
is not included in it at ALL is placed under the
command of Major General Irwin Mcdowell,
man in every respect worthy of so grave a charge
If there are laurels to win there General Mellow
ell will gather them.
| That part of Virginia between Richmond
Chesapeake Bay, the Lover Potomac and south
of James River, has not been erected into sep
arate Military Department since the date Of the
Presidents war orders. 1t is possible, therefore.
/ that the distinguished officer named therein will
have something to do outside Of the Department
of the Rappahannock." But of that no man
here knoweth.
The negroes here are getting up demonstra-
| ton in honor of the celebration of their freedom
Some of them want to have it now, because the
bill for the abolition of slavery in the District of
| Columbia has passed the Senate But others
want to wait until the House also passes the bill
twill be- rich scene when it does take place 1t
will be strange, too, if it is not attended with
some outbreak of violence. People at dis
lance, who have not been to Washington during
the past year, can form no idea of the change
that has been caused here since the Abolitonists
came into power. Runaway slaves, enticed
away from their masters and their comfortable
homes, flock to the capital because they have
heard that they will be free; their idea of free
dom being freedom from work and plenty to eat
| That is the negro's paradise, and it must be adj
mitted that he finds it pretty often just now. At
Fortress Monroe, at Port Royal, and at other
places where We have opened the gates to them,
| they have rushed in and been fed and clothed at
the expense OF the Government (rather at the ex
pense of the loyaEpeople of the North and kept
in idleness. At Fortress Monroe, our soldiers
complain, and with reason, that the negroes are
better taken care OF than they are. 1t may be-
after ALL that the President will the BILL If
he does, the chances are there will be slave in
surrection here. The negroes here are mad, in
toxieated, with the idea of freedom. If they are
disappointed, who can control their RACER So
that, either way the measure results, it is fraught
with evil. The Abolitionsts have sown the wind,
and the people, the good and loyal citizens, must
reap the whirlwind. fa
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad is now open
and ia running order along its whole extent from
Baltimore and Washington to Wheeling; and
trains have been passing over it regularly for
some days past The energy and enterprise ex
erted by the railroad company in re opening and
putting in repair their ropd can only be apprecia-
ted by those who pass over it and see along its
track the evidences of the devastation to which it
has been subject. IL has been in the possession
of the Confederates for nine months between
Harper's Ferry aud Cumberland, besides being in
their power at intervals of time between Cumber-
land and Grafton. Many of the most valuable
and costly bridges rebuilt by Gen. Kelly and
| then destroyed a second time by the rebels 1t
is remarkable, however, that all the bridges that
were built entirely of iron and stone remained in
! tact. The wire suspension bridge, and the great
/ iron bridge, both near Gfaffon, Defleve, were
both uninjured The road is now guarded by a
military force along its whole extent. This is
highly necessary, and the only question is, Is that
force strong enough? My own opinion is that it
| is not strong enough. and should be at least
doubled Immediately. There is no danger at
present from Confederate army. There is no
Confederate military force neerer than the second
rebel defensive line, from Fredericksburg and
Lewisburg. But the people along the line OF the
road. and Immediately south of it, are hostile,
and although they will not dare to do any dam
age to the road themselves, they will afford every
aid to desperadoes who may do so. The whole
country south of the road, from Grafton to HAIR
per's Ferry, (and this, by the way, is all in Gen.
Banks's new Department including Winchester,
Strasburg, Mount jackson, Harrisonburg. Rom
ney, Phillippi, Buckhannon, Beverly and Monte.
| rey, abounds in mountains and mountain passes,
inaccessible and unknown TO civilized men. These
mountains swarm with bands OF guerillas, who
will no doubt watch their opportunity, and on
some dark night may destroy some valuable
bridge. The western part of the road Is in Ere
mont's Department; and il he and Banks can
drive these guerias out of the mountains ,@tpe
road will then be free from all annoyance n
| There rumors here to-day of battlesRt
\ orktown yesterday between Gen. McClelHp,
with 10000 troops. and Gen. Magruder. he
accounts are bald and meagre 1t is stated Dat
the battle lasted all day, and was fought pri4fi-
paly with artillery. One authority states thex as
the end of the day there was no decisive result.
Another states that the Union troops were re-
pulsed, but remained on the field of battla<pnd
had inflicted great slaughter on the Coniederates.
| A third account states that we had one man
killed and fourteen wounded How ridiculous all
this isl The Government is in possession Of all
the facts, whatever they are, yet refuses to let
them be known to its own loyal subjects, while
at the very moment write the rebels at Norfolk
and of course at Richmond know all about the
battle. Certain facts being known, howeycf. the
intelligent reader can draw from them certain