The Portland daily press., 1862-09-25

Letter from the s'Sacred SOil.''
ARLINGTON, Va, Sept IL, 1862.
EDITORS PRESS My last was dated at
Pittsfeld Mass, since the writing of which
we have been removed to this place. We left
Pittsfeld the 7th inst, and arrived in Washing
ton he 10th, after an eventful journey. -
About an hour after leaving Philadelphia for
Baltimore, our train, going at a high speed,
ran into the rear of passenger train, killing
three persons, and wounding some eighteen or
twenty others. Two of the passenger cans
were demolished, and nearly all the train bad
ly smashed. We suffered no damage except
the shock, and having our locomotive disabled
As the track was covered with the rubbish, we
were unable to proceed until the next day, at
ii A. NJ.
We are encamped about five miles west of
Washington, on land of the rebel Gen. Lee
When we came on the ground the 20th Maine
was encamped close by us; but il left here
some three days since. 1t is said TO have
gone into Maryland, but know not the truth
of the rumor.
The country hereabouts seems desolate
enough, as the trees have been nearly all cut
away for artillery range; and fences and Or
chards have been destroyed for fuel But few
inhabitants remain, either white or colored =
they have generally "skedaddled" to some more
peaceful region. But we cannot gaze in any
direction without seeing tents pitched upon
every hillside, and in every valley. There are
probably 100000 soldiers encamped within a
radius of five miles from where | now write.
We are very strongly entrenched here, and
still the work Of strengthening onr fortifca-
tions goes on. We think that there is no dan
ger OF an attack from the rebels in this quar-
ter, unless as a feint, as any advance upon
Washington from the West must prove unsuc
cessful, and extremely disastrous to the attack
ing party.
The sanitary condition of our regiment is
excellent, owing in great measure to the sal
utary, though strict, regime insisted upon by
our regimental officers. We have not lost a
man, either by sickness or accident since our
regiment was mustered into service.
Col Edwards has seen service since the war
commenced, and knows what measures are es-
sential to health, in camp. in this latitude; and
as he is ably seconded by his subordinate reg
imental officers, good system has been sue
cessfully inaugurated. AT first, some of the
men were disposed to find fault with some of
the requirements, but now that their utility
has been demonstrated, they seem satisfied.
If a strictly aggressive policy were to be
speedily adopted, and maintained, it would
seem that this war might be brought to a close
in a few months: but if the shlly-shaly poll
cy of the past is to be continued, it is impossi-
BILE TO foretell how much longer it may contin-
ue. Our Generals are too apt to brag of their
achievements, ,when slight advantage has been
gained; and just the people feel like rejoic-
ing, and their countenances are lighted up
with pleasing anticipations of future success
es, the intelligence of an advantage gained by
the enemy, who were but SO recently annihi-
lated, strikes upon the ear, causing dismay.-
Our military leaders are just awakening to
coinmon-sense view of the nature of the con-
test. When an advantage is gained by our ar
my, it should be followed up by successive
blows, not allowing the enemy time to recu-
peIdie CAHdusttu sutlSln lHe TcDcls seem
10 follow the Napoleonic idea; they mass their
forces upon some given point. and when they
have succeeded, if success is theirs, they are
ready to hurl their strength upon some other
point-vide the seven days before Richmond,
and, later still, Manassas.
Ii is true, we require a much larger force in
the field than they; for we must hold each
captured point by an army OF occupation, still
leaving a force in marching order equal to any
emergency. But our troops are scattered;
aud the policy of one general does not appear
to be that of another. When our Generals
feel able to move, and feel the necessity of so
doing, if an advantage is to be gained, some
stsy-at-home warrior commands them TO halt;
or, perhaps, when unable to make an aggres-
sive movement with any hope of success, they
are ordered forward, and if they fail the blame
falls where it should not, upon Tom, Dick, or
Harry, as the case may be.
| receive your paper every day, forwarded
from Pittsfield. Very many OF the boys are
natives of Maine, and your sheet is eagerly
sought for. 1t is a welcome visitor, and car
ries pleasure to many. Nothing could be more
acceptable. More anon. SOLDIER.