Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-10

Carolina and the demonstrations of the expedi-
ton of Major General Butler, were the prelimi-
nary constructions Of the anaconda that first con-
WINGED them Of the wisdom OF escaping its folds
In this region, II possible.
They soon comprehended that their TANKS had
been turned at these distant points; that II was
simply question Of very short time when those
operations elsewhere would surely cut the rebel
army in Virginia Of from any possible succOr
from other States In insuuection.
A striking efectof the successes Of the Union
arms Of late, is the fact that Friday last 'Con
federate money! had fallen in New Orleans to
hfIy cents on the dollar, aud by to-day probably
to twenty-five cents on the dollar; or, In other
words, that their cause Is financially ruined.
They thus nnd themselves without the means
Of buying supplies, &C., and kpow that campaigns
can no more be fought without money than with
out arms They were well aware that, especially
under such circumstances as we detail above, they
were at the mercy Of the Governments military
preparations here, the moment 1t might be de-
termined to set the coils Of this portion Of the
anaconda In motion.
The advance Of the division Of the army under
General Banks, &c was therefore more than
they dared risk standing up against.
We believethat they only came to the conclu-
sion to abandon their elaborate defenses in this
quarter on Thursday last, when they probably
commenced falling back from Winchester and
Leesburg; the latter having long been really
untenable by them, unless they were willing to
risk decisive battle there.
They made no contest at Leesburg with the two
or three companies Of our troops that came down
from LOvett's Gap (of the Blue Ridge) on the
day before yesterday, to feel them, as 1t were
In retiring from there they doubtless struck direct
for their Manassas works.
We find many incredulous relative to the fact
that they are abandoning them also. That, how
ever, 10 military necessity, since they have aban-
doned their defences on both their right and left
tanks. The fact that they are doing SO is con-
Armed by ten or fifteen refugees and contrabands
who, aVailing themselves Of the withdrawal Of
their 1.-THE rebel) picket guards, have come within
our lines in the last twenty-four hours.
They cannot have spiked their guns and fed
from their Potomac batteries and their camps and
batteries from the mouth Of the Occoquan up to
Wolf-run shoals-burning and destroying every-
thing they could not carry of in hurry, as they
certainly have done-without thus leaving, their
right hank wholly at our mercy, as well as their
Winchester detences-thelr left fank-wIth
any intention Of continuing to remain moment
lsnger at Manassas than may be necessary to en-
able them TO run their main force away from
that position.
portion Of the refugees and con.rabands,
from whom the information received comes, be-
Aeve they intend to make stand at the Kappa
hammock river, twenty-four miles In the rear of
Manassas
Thai Is simply impossible, because the line Of
That river for ten miles north and south of the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad Is utterly un-
tsnable, even with properly constructed earth.
works-wh!ch they are without there.
The nrst range Of country which they Nigh,
make temporarily defensible, Is at and around
CulPePer Courthouse, thong Its frequen, emf
nences afford quite as coed attacking az defend.
ing positions and there are plenty Of them too
So, we do notbelieye they will stop running until
within sight Of the smoke of the chimnies Of
Richmond
We deem 1t prudent to say nothing whatever Of
the movements Of our army that has thus fairly
eioowed them out Of their only defensible posi-
hon this side Of their nominal capital, further
than thatis operations having already broue b,
about their anticipated effort to steal away from
Manassas, the country may rely upon IT that II I,
nObly carrying out itsglorious work thus so ad.
mirably commenced
The President and Secretary Of War and the
6eneral-in-Chief Of course are busy as bees, with
the matter in hand, a well as every officer and
man In the Army Of the Potomac
We have further to add, that we do not believe
the rebels will attempt to hold Richmond for a
week longer; judging their purpose to be to get
back into the cotton States a. soon az possible /:
Richmond being less defensible than Manassas
was three days ago.
At Richmond, II they dare fght there, thew
must fight under the influence Of intense panic
occasioned by their pell-mell retreat from their
line Of the Potomac, and without such sturdv
works In their front as those they are now so
Precipitately abandoning
We sincerely believe that they will have en-.
trsly evacuated Virginia in fortnight hence.
TEE sLooP-oF-wAR CUMBERLAND.
TIE following is List Of the officers understood
20 nave been on board this ship when she was
attacked on the day before yesterday by the rebel
lron-cIsd feet. Up to noon today II was not
Known at the Department how many or who of
inem were killed and wounded in the engage
nent' though the Impression there Is, we regret
to say, that half Of all on board Of her were Loaf
when she sank:
Commander, VIM. Padford; Lieutenants, G.
Morris Thos. o. selfridge; Surgeon, Charles
Mafuni Paymasser, Crsmer Burt; Chaplain, John
L. LenhaFii LIST Lieutenant Marines, Chas Hev-
wood; Assistant Surgeon, Edward Kersher; Act.
Ing Masters, NJ I. Sturvesint, VIM. p. Randall
aud VIM. NJ. Kennison; Boatswain, Edward r
Bell Gunner Eugene Mack; Carpenter, VIM. M
Laighson; Seilmaker, David Bunce
Her crew ygas fnlI consfstfn0 NJ , Itt.l.