, 1862-03-15

u1UEhdutuS S4us-QlUH oH GAt AtAuhaC9 HtlCcA
In the minds Of Cabinet Ministers It was
proposed among other things to sink hulks in
the channel of the Potomac, to prevent her
coming up here and battering down the capi-
tol and the Executive Mansion Itwas known
to some, however, that Capt. Fo2 had gone
down to Old Point to meat the Monitor, and
bring her, together with the Congress and
Cumberland, up to engage the rebel batteries
at Matthias Point and Cockpit Point aud all the
subjeetion; and this was ground Of hope in
the midst Of af1lietion, especially to those who
had some knowledge Of the capabilities Of the
little iron-mailed knight. When Captain Fox
reached Old Point, he found everything
in & frenzy, and the guns Of the fort
go obstructed BY store ships anchored in front
Of them, that if the Merrimac had attempted
to run ont, she could not have been reached
by the heavy ordnance till We had first blown
The remainder is already known- The pnoba-
biIity is that tho Monitor has net only saved
everything in Hampton Roads, but everything
in Fortress Monroe also. The heaviest cast
iron balls were either crushed against the iron
roof of the Merrimac, or glanced off like pig
con shot from the mail Of an alligator The
belief seems to be quite common that the
Monitor is a private enterprise Of Capt. Erics-
son. This Is an error, She is just as much q
part Of the United States Navy as the Mime
sofa, or the Niagara, or the ffotilla under Com
modore Foote- Congress appropriated s21 COO
at the extra session for her construction, un-
der the favorable report OF Capts. Pauldineg,
then detached to build her. Capt. Ericsson is
the inventor, and he has certainly won place
among the greatest Of his own age, or any 9th
er, for he has not only taught the world that
their Dayies are worthless, but that their forts
arc worthless also, and lie has placed Us at
as naval power. The British Warrior" Is
already condemned By the London Journals as
failure, by reason Of the starting Of her plates
in the swell OF the sea. But II she were ever
50 much Of a success in this particular, the
Monitor could bore her through and through
with perfect impunity.
Cur land forces have camped on the Potomac
Two nights longer than the enemy The 1attcr
haye Eeen permitted to depart without Q
scratch, although our army ontnumbered
theirs by three 10 one. This Is called strategy."
1t is doubtful whether We should have known
Of their departure evea yet, had it not been
for those detestahle :" coutrabands.n I saw
olc of them coming over in the Alexandra
boat on Sunday, in charge of four commission
ed officers and sergeant. He was much
1IIMulCIIAY IL uCssA &aC HES1Ot A1U buE 6tCE-
tators thought he had run away from seces-
sion master, and was to be kept in prison till
the close OF the war, or kidnapped by the
hounds Of Washington Jul, and sold to some
body In Maryland We were mistaken for
! once. Mr. Contfaband had come to one Of our
camps to tell our generals that tie enemy were
| III full retreat, and lc VAS being brought over
! the river to tell lis story at headquarters.
The Importance Of Com. Dupont's opera
tions on the coasts Of Georgia, and F!oIita e2n M
letl captain, arrived here this morning with
| tho official reports. He confirms the report
| Of the ludicrons flight Of Senator Yulee from
4 railroad train which was being pursued By 4
| grnboat- Yulee passed one Of the coldesl
| nights of the season in thickct without ever
d Soldiers blanket to keep the chill from hi;
| pHtricfan cuticlc.
The organization Of the army into corr,
d'a7naec on the French plan, under Banks, Sum
ner, Mcdowell, Reyes and Helntzelman, i!
Al improvement which ought to have bee,
adopted weeks ago, and would have been bu
for the opposition of Gen. Mcclellan. Th
General was very anxious to have it don
while Gen Scott was the senior officer, bu
when he fell heir to that position he becam
equally anxious to have the old plan main
tanned. Oh the FIVE generals named to con,
1Eand the corps, less is.known::of Gen. Erasmu
| D. Keyce, one Of the noblest men Of the army
tran Of any other. Western readers will b
glad TO know something Of Ills history, and q
no other writer has attempted q biographies
sketch, hive taken pains TO- learn something
Gen. Reyes was born at Brinfeld, Massa
chusetts, in the year 1872. He WAS appointe
. cadet At The Military Academy Of Wes
| Point in 1928, from which he graduated wir
distinction in 1889; He vas appointed breVe
second lieutenant in the I'd Artillery, and, vo
! E1tecriDg for the Black Hawk war in July {
thut year, lc was attached to the I'd lnfantr
under Col Cummings. After his return fror
the Weet, where lie was seized with the cho
i. era then prevailing, he was ordered to 0}
month, with troops for Charleston wheI
tile notification fever was then at
as now. held very decided opinion
Us to the proper method Of dealing with +,
| bcl,ion, and be entered upon his duties in th
, | j patrioiic citizen as well as the fidelity Of
: t soldier. After the settlement Of the diflicu
, | tics in, South Carolina. he returned to Oh
: Point in September, 1888, when he Vas Al
pointed to place cn the staff of Major Gener
Scott. In July, 1855, be Was appointed ASST
, tant Adjutant General. and ordered to repol
= for duty with General Gaines at st. Loui
Shortly afterwards he was appointed Captai
: in the Sd ARTILLERY. In 1sH Captain Kcyt
vas crdered to Florida, and thence to Ne
a Of the Board Of Visitors 10 the West Poi,
Military Academy, and Immediately thereafs,
= placed At the bead Of the department Of Arti
= lery and Cavalry While occupying this III
!. por.ant and distinguished, post he deyote
= himself industriously to the requirement
: military knowledge in al its department
= From Y est Point he was ordered, in 1843,
: the Pacific coast, where he served eleven CO
l. sfcutive years. AL the early improvement
In the haEhor Of San Francisco were construe
$ ed under his; superyision, and with the r
:. engineering skill which he had acquired bo'
t. in the line of his profession and by priva
e / study. While On the Pacific coast CAPITA
u Eeycs; had four successful battles with the
: dams In California, Washington and 0regt
y NOTED, in 1859, to be Major OF the LIST Art
q | lery, and in 1850 he was invited by Gen. Sec
+ to join his staff as Military Secretary with tt
= rank Of oflieutenant- Colonel,
|E The most conspicuous services Of Gene1
n Keyes's military carer have been render
since the brs aking out Of the present rebellio
e In the dark days Of March and April, 1851,
a vas one Of the Pre6ident>s most trusted q
p yisers- He earnestly counse1ed the isnne.
?, ate reinforcement Of Fort Plckens, and to hi
3 was entrusted the duty, in conjunction vi
ID petition under Col Harvey Brown, which
D cured that Invaluable post against the pos
Is hiity Of capture, and prevented the rsb'
:, from turning the splendid harhor Of Penaact
e took command Of brigade at Falls Churs
ID Va, consisting Of the LIST, ed and Sd Connec
1e cut, and the ID Maine volunteers. At t
IS battle Of Bull Fun his brigade: WAS attach
&c to Gen. Ty1er's division. During the whit
1e OF the battle be was engaged with the ener
Al On our left, On tho other side Of the Run. q
G. drove the rebels before him more than MI
" He was still advancing with his brigade
~ perfect order when to his amazement he
to ceiyed m order to retire, as all the rest Of.
e. army was in full retreat Through the hete
es geneous mass Of fugitiTes Gen Keyes broue
at back his brigade unbrnken, and establish
Is them in their camp Of the previous night
:e- The TraT Of Centtcyil1e, and comme1c
n preparations for Ie1ftui ing the battle the ae
te. morning. Late In the evening, however,
Is. rtceived orders to retreat towards Washil
a ton. He :htu reformed his command s
"a marched back il good order to his old eaz
d. st Falls Church, where be biTouaeked, hsgi
ed been in the saddle twenty seven hours, .
be saved lis - men from the disastrous a
tn dcmcraliziag effects of the :. gene
n h,,rly bury. Before -etusniug to Ale1andI
Of Gen. Keyes collected and transported viii
nd our lines the tenta, camp equipage, stors a
l-r ann .unltiou OF seven thousand men. or abs
u ors third Of the. army. Although thcse &
ID. vices: 60 distinguished By comparison With
so IsrEtr portion Vt the army, were oves1ool
Ia In subsequent promoslons-of6ceZs OF infaf
- rank SAD uptried merit having heen appoiu
N. | TO the command Of divisions aad himself c
led fined till the. 10Th of November, to the et
On msrd Of single brigade, his friends Ire y
ID grAited tbhrow thtt he hAa reached q pls
"a eoHm4laer Of corps da,vtxy Where