Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-03-27
Grand Army Movement.

Grand Army Movement.
It is now two weeks since the Army of
the Potomac made its imposing march
from the numerous encampments around
Washington to Centreville, and ten days
ago Gen. Mcclellan issued stirring ad-
dress to his soldiers, announcing readiness
for action, and promising to soon lead them
iuto decisive battle" Yet such has
been the censorship of the telegraph and
the press, that to outsiders for the past two
weeks the old "quiet along the Potomac"
has scarcely been broken; and movements
of the grand army have only been made
public by "reliable gentlemen" fresh from
the field of trophy hunting at Bull Run,
or an occasional stray letter from the army
in journals distant from Washington, New
York and Philadelphia. By the first d.
rect from the Federal capital, it is reported
that Gen. Mcclellan and the main portion
of the grand army still occupy Fairfax
Court House and Centreville, aud the
means of transportation, forage, DC, are
being collected. Manassas is not occupied
in force by our troops. 1t is also stated
that the Division of General Heintzleman
and some others have embarked on a fleet
of transportation at Alexandria and vicini-
ty, for an expedition down the Potomac,
destination not made public.
A Washington letter of the 18th to the
Rochester Express says "the army is again
encamped round about Washington" and
adds:
They came back on Friday and Satur-
day, aud fell graceful into their old tracks
Their stay will not, however, be for long
time. Ihave good reason to believe that
before you receive this the army of the Po'
tomac, or at least eighty thousand of them
will have embarked on the Transports
which are now in the Potomac, for
where the enemy will be invited TO remain
until our brave soldiers contest the question
of their superiority, and ascertain whether
one ofthe Virginia Cavalry is equal TO five
Yankees. If We succeed in capturing
Richmond is an easy pray-ane
Virginia is rid of her armed rebels. /
this new fact is successful, it is yet possible
to bag a large part of the game that es
capped from McClellan's clutches at Aanas
sas.
A letter of the same date TO the Colum
bus Journal speaks Of tho feet of trans
ports assembled on the Potomac as i'm
mense. We quote:
It's not known by the public how man.
men have been embarked, but at least thre
divisions of the army, McCall's, Franklin
and McDowell's, under the command G
the latter, will it be its strength. 1t goe
prepared TO build bridges, erect fortifci
lions, or make roads for its passage. Th
regiments are the pick of the army, an
the movement is no doubt the most i'm
portaut of the war. twill not be long ba
fore we will know where it has struck, an,
news of the next few days will be looke'
for with much anxiety.
A letter of the 17lh to the Indianapoli
Journal from member of the Indian
10th which goes with the fleet, thus spec
uIates on the probable, destination of th
expedition:
Some believe it is 10 assail the rebels o.
the line l mentioned they had taken lon!
ago, behind the Rappahannock; other
think it is goiug up James River; other
think it is to reinforce Burnside, as he ask
ed for this some time since; others u
York River; and others TO strike bio,
at Norfolk, which is very possible. l
may be that an advance is designed o.
Richmond, via Aqua Creek, which yo
will remember stated, some time since
seemed the shortest and most avaiiabl
routeto the rebel Capital, as transporta
ton is easy one-third of the way. Th
transports have been lying here loade'
for several days, and will sail, so it j
said, morrow.
The condition of things at Fairfax c
H. March 18th, is thus described by th
CORE spondent of the New York Times.
| During the past week the slopes an
hills in the immediate vicinity of Fairfa
Court house tbickly dotted with Unio
soldiers tents, and exhibiting groups o
baggage wagons, lines of ordinance, mass
es of artillery and cavalry horses, and tb
eutfttings and trappipgs of large army
the soldiers themselves lounging cnrelessl
upon the turf, or engaged in various pur
suits, presented an attractive and interest
ing spectacle. AT the headquarters of th
Commanding Generals, couriers and ol
derlies were continually pressing in an
out, while within, the activity of the aid
and their subordinates betokened the ar
proach ofimportapt events. The rank an
file were hourly expected to hear the sic
nal "fall in" and none Of them suspecte
that their sojourn in this place would b
continued over three DAYS.
Such are the latest advices we have froI
the army on the Potomac.