Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-19
ses Corrsspondsnes Of the Daily Journal.
FROM vvAsMINGTON.

Ii sses- Corlsspondsnes Of the Daily Journal.
FROM vvAsMINHTON.
The Asmy of the FotossaoA moping - Fafz
IS John Eertsr Dtaoell-- little Mac as
a White-toasher--stc., &C.
M wAsHlxcToN, Dec. -, 1862.
w The city was excited yesterday with the
stirring news from Fredericksburg, where the
long quiet was turned into the hoarse thunder
of destructive cannonading, and the bivouacs
Of Loo, 900 men were suddenly deserted for
the lines of battle. There has not been SO
much excitement at the National Capt. al since
August 30th, last, when Pope was defeated
by the treachery of Porter, and the guns Of
the distant engagement sullenly sounded even
to the Capitol, as its dome caught the last
reflection of the sun setting in clouds Of blood.
We could not hear the booming of the artil-
lery, yesterday, as in the other case, but the
wires were working finely and flashed each
hours intelligence to the War Department,
where sat the President and Stanton, in earn
est, jokeless interest, and whence issued
the favorable intelligence from time to time
throughout the day. The telegraph will also
have given you the news, and I need not
dwell upon it. Suffice it that the reign Of
atrocious Quiet is ended-and Mars, armip-
otent, is again in the ascendant. Glorious
Sigel this morning moved his glorious corps
toward Fredericksburg, and hot work is on
the tapis. Burnside may be laundering at
the gates of Richmond before this reaches
you. -............. i.t.a.. & ....-
Meanwhile, another word about Fitz John
Porter. His trial still drags its slow length
along, now bristling with strong points
against him, and anon wasting hours in
trihes light as air. He is as villainous-
visaged man as e'er was sent to the peni-
tertiary or Van Dieman's Land He has that
indescribable, repulsivc expression about the
eyes which is so common among convicts
and jail-birds generally. Were he to be
judged by his face alone, he would certainly
hang quicker than chained lightning and
without benefit Of clergy. But Pope has got
| off so many terrific lies, and his reputation
for truth and veracity is so slippery, that it
may well be doubted whether prosecution
of which he is the chief witness will succeed,
no matter how meritorious it may be in itself.
So, though Fiiz John certainly ought to be
shot, it is possible he will escape scot free.
Mcdowell is man of another mould, and
the Court ofinquiry now examining his case
will no doubt report strongly in favor of the
unlucky General. presume Mcdowell, I'M
less it be Buell. or Little Mac. is the most UNI
popular of our commanders. l believe him
to be the most magnanimOus man among them
all, as sincere patriot as any of them, and
as brave soldier. He has borne the blame of
the first Bull Run battle, but that was, in fact, a
performance of SCOTS, fought by Mcdowell
under orders but against his Judgment
The i'll luck of that disastrous affair has chung
to him ever since, making his men distrust-
full of him and multiplying his talents as a Gen
eral in the field. The very troops, who, under
his command at the last battle of Bull Run,
ran like sheep even before coming into range
of the enemy's fire, fought like tigers at An
tietam, under dashing Joe Hooker. His cour.
age, his patriotism, will be fully vindicated,
and those who know him best will the most
regret that the frowns of the hayward god
dess have ever been upon him. He is the
Schuyler of this war, and must wait for other
men than those of this generation to do JUS
tice to his character.
| Mcclellan, under color of giving testimony
in favor of Mcdowell, has been attempting
to whitewash his peninsular campaign for the
past three days, but with very Indifferent
success. This defunct General has no feeling
of modesty. His egotism is ferocious, and
attrocious. For three days he has discharged
his atrabilarious hicockelorum against Stanton,
Halleck, the President, and everybody else
who was opposed to his leaving 10000 more
dead men in the Chicahominy swamps, and
has said about six words which were germane
to the matter. 1t is not a little singular that
the CHASTITY ghost of that murderous campaign
seems ever present to his imagination. Ban
quo terrifying Macbeth was very sociable
and pleasant ghost inS comparison. Poor
Little Mac He had better initiate the exam
pie of the selfdenying Blenker, and take to
| trade IN bullocks.
The Iowa people here rejoice that General
Heron gave SO good an account Of himself
at Fayetteville, Ark, and look for full partic-
ulars of that severe engagement with great
solicitude. We have heard that Lieutenant
Colonel Mcfarland was killed, and Major
Thompson wounded. This embraces the list
of casualties so far as we know here. I have
known Mcfarland long and well, having be-
come acquainted with him about ten years
ago. when he was editor Of the Observer at
Mt. Pleasant He afterwards went to the
Legislature and served acceptably as Speaker
of the House. He was man of good abil-
tiles and great energies, and a true Christian
gentleman. Peace to his ashes. Maj. Thomp-
son is fine man from that fine county Of
Linn. hope he may speedily recover. '
There has been a perfect rush of Iowa
people here since last wrote. Hon. Jacob
Butler, of your city, was at Wizards few
days, whilst W. Penn Clark, Judge New
combe, of Fayette, Logan, Of Fort Dodge,
CorkhiIl and Amber, of Mt. Pleasant, Ran
kin, of Keokuk, Henderson, Of Marshall,
s. v. White, Of Des Moines, and Hon. VIM.
Vandever, Of Dubuque, are now here. Mr..
Stevens, of Lee, and Townsend, of Louisa,
have received appointments in the Treasury