Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1862-09-04
Military Matters.
Correspondence Of the baltimore 4n'eTtc

ION was laSC Dlgut Ill d SCdtc VI Sicdt CAoito-
ment, and not without substantial cause
Crowds gathered at all the hotels dicussing
and speculating on the future; and the an
nouncement that Gen. Mcclellan had been as
signed to the command Of all the troops assem-
bled for the defence of Washington was gene
rally predicted to mean that before twenty-four
hours shall elapse the whole Army Of Virginia
would be within the area Of the territory un-
der his jurisdiction.
The facts are that the army of Virginia las
been outgeneraled, outfanked and SO dsheart-
ened by the daily and hourly evidences Of SUI
perior generalship on the part of the Confede
rates, that it is DOW On the way to Alexandria,
mourning the loss of many gallant officers and
men who have lost their lives, or are suffering
from wounds and exhaustion, many of them in
the hands of the Confederates. By the time
this letter reaches you the whole command Of
General Pope will have fallen back upon the
entertainments and works for the defence of
Washington under the command cf General
Mcclellan
As far as { can learn here the history of the
past three days has been a succession of small
disasters both in the front and rear. /.
The whole number of killed and wounded in
all the battles, up to the present time does not
exceed II, 900. In the first battle on Friday at
Bull Run the loss on the Federal side did not
exceed 4, 1000, although Gen. Pope announced
1t 5000. What the loss Of the enemy has been
or whether any Of their prominent officers have
suffered, is not known. It is however, beliey-
ed to be equal if not greater than ours
In conversation with 4he wounded who are
constantly arriving here [ find that they have
70 faith In General Pope's capacity to com
mand a great army, and ridic,lle the pretentious
announcements he put forth at the commence
ment Of the campaign, with headquarters in
the saddle, &C. They complain of bad gene
ralshlp, and say that the whole campaign has
been without plan or strategy, and that he has
walked into every trap they set for him, with
cut toresi ght or common prudence.
AS to General Mcdowell, his withdrawal
from. the Army Of Virginia is. a necessity
that the President can no longer resist. -
Not only his own command, but every other
division denounce 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 his orders led them constantly
to disaster while he kept himself in safe posi-
position; and other commanders charged him
with having failed to properly guard and pro-
ttect the points assigned to him. In fact bis
longer presence, whether these charges are
true or false, will have a most demoralizing ten
dency
At four o clock yesterday morning train of
one hundred wagons, with commissary stores,
vas intercepted by the enemy between Fairfax
Station and Centrevile and driven off towards
Manassas before the party could he intercept
ted They secured the whole train, and doubt
less Jared sumptuously to-day. So soon as
This raid in the rear of our army at Centreville