Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-13
Special Correspondence o. the Chicago Times
Important from Washington.
M AsHINGroN. Jam.

Special Correspondence o. the Chicago Tmes-
Important from Washington.
WASHINGTON. Jan. s.
Yesterday evening, 240 Union soldiers who
had been confined in the tobacco warehouse at
Richmond e, since the battle Of Manassas, ar
rived in this city. They left Richmond at 8
O'Clock on Friday morning, January Sd, and ar
rived at Baltimore the following morning at the
same hour. This shows the rapidty with which
it is possible for the Confederate Government ut
Richmond to become acquainted with the secret
plans of the War Department here provided
there any traitors here who divulge them 1t
is supposable that there are, and always have
been; for it is notorious fact that the Confede-
rate leaders have always been well advised of all
our military movements in advance; and, only
day two ago. it stated in the local papers
here that the Government at last had got on the
track OF those who up TO this time had been fur
nishing information TO the enemy. NV own opin-
ion is that the Government have not got to the
right spot yet About six weeks ago, at the con
clusion of one OF Headly's letters to the New
York Times, appeared sentence which hit the
nail square on the head. | wish could fix the
date exactly, but | have mislaid the letter 1t
shortly before Gen. McClelans visit to Bal
timOre. The letter said, in reference to this mys
terious traitor, who appeared so well informed as
to all the secret plans of the Government at
Washington, who communicated them
rately and speedily TO the C0nfederates, vet so
adroitly to battle all attempts at detection,
that the secret never would be discovered until
the place was examined where Caude got his
lectures. The hint up to this time has been
thrown upon barren soil. When it is acted upon.
unless | am strongly mistaken, the world will
stand amazed at the developments that will be
brought to light. But TO return to the prisoners.
Their stories do not vary, in the main particu-
lars, from those already published. Some of
them, however, give some new incidents; and the
following given to me as facts, ON the concur
rent testimony of from eight to ten of the most
intelligent: Although the food of the prisoners
in general was deficient in quantity and quality
alike, vet the sick among them were well taken
care of, had abundance of nOurishing { OOd and
had good beds and plenty of clothes. DIR. Hig-
ginbotham, of Richmond, unremitting in his
attentions. MANY ladies called TO see them, and
always left tokens of that kindness which always
resides in female bosons. Some of them, in
riding past in their carriages, threw bouquets of
flowers in at the windows. Some of the priso-
ners professed to be in possession of information
concerning the defenses of Richmond, which they
proposed to communicate to the War Department.
On this point the testimony of the men con-
ficting. Some REerred that if they had had arms
they alone could have taken Richmond. Others,
who had escaped from prison, wandered about the
country for several days, and had again beeen re-
taken, described the Notifications between Rich
mond and West Point (at the head of the wide
part of FORK River.) as extremely formidable, and
mounted with abundance of rified cannon.
was fortunate enough to-day to secure a Rich
mond paper of Friday morning, in which is cor
rObOrated the news brought by one of the pris
oners, and which none of the rest seemed to know
anything about. The intelligence is the arrival
at Charleston, on the LIST. of January, in the
steamer Isabel, from Nassau of bearer of dis
patches from Mr.. Yancey, in London to the Con-
federate Government. The purport of these dis
patches was not known at Richmond. But there
can be no doubt that they confirm the news in re
gard to the probable action of England, France,
and Spain towards America, given in nv letter
of Jan. 2. The arrival of this steamer at Charles.
is of itself startling and significant fact.
The news of her arrival was instantly communi-
Gated to Richmond by telegraph. She got in,
notwithstanding the sunken vessels. and the pres
ence of the Union blocksding squadron, and she
brings a valuable cargo, shipped in England
and brought to Nassau in another steamer,
consisting of rihed cannon, gunpowder,
and medicines. ID must be remembered that the
harbor of Charleston has water front of at least
five miles, with not one or two. but at least six
teen channels. | am informed by an old sea
Captain, who knows Charleston harbor as well as
/ know the harbor of Chicago; that the idea oil
closing the former by sinking ships is as idle as
an abtempt 10 Dultu II W tie uOOii, tnsil
the force of the winds, the heaving of the waves
and the action of quicksands viii. in three
months. remove all traces of the vessels that have
been sunk there. He says he once knew two
first class ships, loaded with railroad iron, to be
foundered in the middle of the channel Before
the iron could be recovered, the causes above
named had broken the ships up, and washed the
bars of iron upon the bar. Let some of the read
ers Of the Times go down to the lake when old
i Ta.t obO 10 - IN
full winters of Sc and 81, and they can have
some faint idea of the restless fury of the waves
of the sea. STILL ii the stone feet fulflls the
object OF its creation, il will. according to al
present Indications embroi us in a far more seri
Gus difficulty than the affair of the Trent.
The question whether the sailors captured on
board of Southern vessels are to be regarded as
privateers or as pirates, came up in the last Cab
met meeting, and was discussed with greater
warmth than any topic has been for months. ex
cept the Trent case and Cameron's recent report
Ii came up incidentally, while the matter OF the
recently released prisoners (which was knOwr
here n week. ago) being discussed The
certain fate OF COL Corc0ran and the twelve Other
hostages in case the privHteers were hung. wa:
mentioned, and the President is understood tc
have frankly declared that, rather than see Corco
ran and his brave comrades meet with fel0n'i
doom. he would let the privateers 90 free
and give up the point that they were pirates. Th'
Secretary Of State combated this idea strongly
He il understood TO have said in substance, tina
We have just made one great sacriice of ou
national pride to England. in order to be left FREE
put forth all energies tocrush the rebellion
so nov we ought to sacrifice our deares
personal feelings whenever il was necessary il
order to add moral force to the force Of arms
that we had declared 10 the world that the South
ern insurgents are rebels and not begerents; tina
BY admitting the captured sailors to be privaseer
we grant 20 the South one Of the rights of a bel
ligersnt power: that we had declared that sailor
captured On board of Southern armed vessel
should be treated as pirates, and that it behoove'
us now to make good o II words; hat we al
loved Col Corcoran and his. brave comrades, br
that posterity would stand aghast at the sacrifice
made by the men Of the present generation. Th
President couldn't see il" in that light; and Oh
other members of the Cabinet were undecided
renew my prediction. however, that not one OF Oh
privateers will be hing. And. unless great
mistake, the day IS not far distant when the Gov
eminent will retract its mistaken position, tha
there Is any just distinction between prisoners
the war taken on the land or ON the sea-