Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-01-10

|
here since Wednesday. J. T. NJ
| Why There Has Been No Forward
Movement from Washington.
An occasional correspondent of the
Cleveland Herald does not present very
fattering view of the prospects of a for
ward movement from the Potomac. he
thus presents his own Impressions, from
what he saw and heard at tie Federal
Capitol:
Washington, Dec. 2.
To The Editors of the Herald: ...
have been spending few weeks in
the political metropolis. and have found
things generally so different from what !
was taught daily by telegraph to expect,
before leaving home, that | cannot resist
the inclination to jot down a few of my
impressions for your perusal You know
how long and how anxiously we have look
ed day by day for a collision between the
two grand armies on the other side of the
| Potomac.
A man cannot spend week in Wash
ington without becoming convinced that
the telegraph is the bearer of more lies,
and the bearer of more false impressions,
than any other vehicle Of thought in the
nation-the press not excepted Not one
half of the stories which it daily flashes
through the country are true. / do not
believe there has ever been a time since
Gen. Mcclellan assumed command Of TIC
army, that he contemplated an onward
movement. 1t is obvious, to careful ob-
server OF the condition of affairs, that such
movement would only prove reproduc-
] tiCn Of the disaster at Bull Run.
The great error was in permitting the
enemy to occupy Manassas They made
1t perfect Gibralter. Every day, since
its first occupancy BY them, the difficulties
Of its capture have increased until now it
would he the height Of madness for our ar
my to expect to take it in any direct at
tack. A flank movement, by which we
could march behind the present strong
fortifcations, would be our only hope OF
success.
The question is asked, why has not
you: In the first place, the armies have
been about equal in numbers, but that of
the enemy have had years start in prep
aration, and their Notifications are of the
strongest kind.
Both armies occupy field works. and
each has been waiting for the other to
make the attack, equally confident that
| ~ Il L l.
In the meantime the country occupied by
them has been completely desolated the
crops have been absorbed, houses have
been pillaged and burned, fences destroyed
SO that within one hundred miles in every
direction, that which before the war was
a fine farming district now does not con-
tain forage sufficient to supply single d.
vision of the great army of the Potomac :;
the roads are in the worst possible condi-
ton, hardly passable for any army wagons,
much less for artillery.
The forests have been leveled in every
direction, and very much of the country
between this city and the enemy would
present to an army marching in liue miles
upon miles of territory, wholly impossible
| on account of fallen timber.
1t is almost certain that the English
will occupy, if they have not already oc-
cupied, Matamoras, with the design, II is
feared. of opening communication with
the rebel States by way Of Brownsville,
exporting cotton and importing contra
band goods Should such be their inten-
ton, nothing but the natural obstacles of
the country can prevent it from being car
ried out, while Texas continues disloyal.
Carl Schurz has asked and obtained
leave of absence from Madrid and is prob
ably already on his way home. The caus-
es assigned for his return are purely spec
ulatiye.
The Wheeling press says the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad is completely
guarded as far east as Hancock The
fourteenth G., nnecticut regiment is at Han
cock; some four or five hundred cavalry,
with two pieces of cannon, at Bath, Nor
Gan county ; and sufficient force at Sir
Johns Run and at Big Cacapon. Thence
to New Creek Station and Piedmont ell is
safe. There is now scarcely fifty miles of
the road to cover and repair. so that in
short time it is confidently hoped the road
will be put in running order to Baltimore.
There are now in Richmond 1929
prisoners. There have been sent to Raj
eigh 81, to New Orleans 496, to Charles
ton l50, TO Columbia, s. c.. $50, 10 Tus-
caloosa 500. to salisbury 176, released
and sent home 56, in Jail 43, died in pris-
on besides those died in general hospital,
100, escaped. s.
The Marine hospital at Evansville,
Ind, maintained at an annual expense of
So 900. and where there are only FIVE pa
TENTS, has been ordered closed and the
patients boarded cut, Why may not the
hospital be used for the soldiers?
The pork crop of this county the pres
ent season viii be nearly double that of
any former year since the settlement of
the country. The larger portion is sold at
2extenville and Lone Rock.