Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-09-06
THE WAR IN VIRGINIA.
The Army at Munson's Hill.
DEATH OF GENERAL KEARNEY
AND STEVENS
PRESENT Po SITIoN OF AFFAIRS
Hant Of Confidence in Gen. Pope.
.Incompctency Of General Mcdowell.
The Battle Of Monday.

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substantial cause. Crowds we're gathered
at all the hotels discussing and speculating
on the future, and the announcement that
Gen. Mcclellan had been assigned to the
command OF all the troops assembled for
the defense of Washington was generally
predicted to mean that before twenty-four
hours should elapsc, the whole army Of
/ Virginia would be within the area ofterrl-
, tory under his Jurisdiction.
The facts are that the Army of Virginia
has been outgeneraled, outaanked, and so
dishcertcncd by the dairy and hourly evil
dence Of superior generalship on the part
of the rebels that is now on the way to Al.
exandria, mourning the loss of many gal
laut officers aad men who have lost their
lives, or are suffering from wounds and
exhaustation, many of tham in the hands
of the rebels. BY the time this letter reach.
es you the whole command Of General Pope
will have fallen back upon the entrench-
ments and works for the defence of Wash
inglon, under command of Gen. McClel-
Ian.
AS far as I can learn here the history
Of the asst three days has been success.
ion Of small disasters both in the front aud
rear. Last night there was a series Of
ski, mishes along the whole front, in one oil
which BriSadier General Isaac [. Stevens
was killed. His color bearer having been
struck down he took the flag up himself
and was leading cn his troops when min
ME ball pierced his forehead and he in
stantly fell dead. During the evening
Gcncarl Kearncy sent out a scouting party
in IL piece of woods, who reported that
there was no enemy in sight. AZ a late
hour, having some doubt as to the report
made to him, he is supposed to have walk-
ed out into the woods himself, and was
shot by some of the encmy's scouts. He
was missing during the III hit, and this
morning his body was sent in by General
Lee, under flag Of truce. 1t is now here
along with Colonel Fethcr Webster, and
General Stevens, being enabled for trans.
mission to their families.
The whole number of killed and wound
ed in all the battles up to the present time
does not exceed IL ,00o. In the first bat
tie on Friday at Bull Kun the loss on the
federal side did not exceed 4,0U0, although
General Pope announced it at 80 o.
| What the loss of the enemy has been, or
whether any of their prominent officers
have suffered, is not known, 1t is, how
ever, believed to be equal if not greater
than ours.
In conversation with the wounded who
are constantly arriving here, find that
they have no faith in Gen. Pope's capA
n;tx to np,nn,pl and rIi
cule the pretentious announcements he
put forth at the commencement OF the
campaign, with ''headquarters in the sad
die" etc. They complain of bad gener.
alship, and say that the whole campaign
has been without plan or strategy, and
that he has walked into every trap they
| set for him, without foresight or common
, prudence.
As to Gen. Mcdowell, his Withdrawal
from the Army of Virginia is necessity
that the President can no longer resist
) Not only his own command, but every
other division, dcnounce him in terms and
language that it would not perhaps, be
proper to repeat. Suffice it to say that
those fighting under him complain that
r his oders led them constantly to disaster
whilst he kept himself in safe position
and other commanders charge him with
having failed to properly guard and pro-
tcct the points assigned 10 him. In fact
his longer presence, whether these charges
, are true or false, will have a most demor.
aiizing tendency.
, At four o'clock yesterday mGraing. a
: train of one hundred wagons, with com
hsissary stores, was intercepted by the
enemy between Faiiax Station aud Gem
treville, and driven of towards Manassas
before the party could be Intercepted
They secured the whole train, and donbt-
less Jared sumptuously to-day. So soon
as this raid ia the rear of our army at
CentreyiIie was kRown, the necessity OF
! ''looklng to the rear again became ar-.
parent, and at noon the whole army OF
Virginia had abandoned CcntrevilIe, and
was massed this side of Eairfax Court
House. Last evening they again took up
= the line Of march, and at five o'clock the
, advance was in sight of Munson's Hill
The enemy's cavalry followed them in
the distance, bat made no attack. and the
whole movement was being accomplished
1 in excellent order At noon yesterday,
Gen. Mcclellan, at the request of tho
President, rode out to meet the returning
column, and was received by his troops
with the most enthusiastic demons ration
f of qualification and pleasure.
g This state of affairs has of course
, caused considerable excitement here, and
! has doubtless led to the order which yir-
tually places General Mcclellan in com
mand. TO the great mass of our citizens
G there is safety in this change of comman-
. ders, and by the military il is hailed as
q an omen of success, All begin to fee
that the time for trilling has passed, and
that there can be NO success to our arms
: unlese the men who are to do the fighting
$ have confidence In their commander.
a The works fertile defence of Was shing.
ton are all in excellent condition. ant
strongly manned by experienced a-rtil-