Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-20
Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
From washington.
Contradictory Reports from Maryiand-Great
Game Of Strotegy-Dereiopment Of The Rebel
Designs in Inroding the North.

Game Of Developments Of the Rebel
Designs in Inroding The North
WASHINGTON, Sept Is.
Affairs about Washington just now are compl
Gated to no limited extent OF the true aspect
of matters in Maryland we know absolutely
nothing The thousand reports that are drifting
through the atmosphere scarcely agree in any
single feature; even the intelligence afforded US
by reliable iniormants just from the scene of OPP
erations has most consistent character of con
tradctOn
The purposes, strength, and operations of the
rebels are Just as little understood Ii is believed
that their object is to invade Pennsylvania-to
obtain provisions in Maryland, and then retreat
down the Shenandoah VALLEY toward their base
in the direction OF Richmond-to attack Balt-
more and Washington-to make a ient with a
view of getting our troops away from Washing
ton, and so oil al infnifum. Nor are their mum
bers less a subject of large variety of widely
differing conclusions. IL Is IA mere raid of 5000
men-it Is Longstreets whole diviSOn--it is
Longstreet's and jackson sit is the whole rebel
army that lately battled with our forces before
Westinghouse short. il is force numbering
anywhere from five To three hundred thousand
men
And then We have no lack OF battles gen
tleman who left Hagerstown yesterday heard
q
We have reliable information from refugee who
lett Frederick last evening that fight was pro-
crossing five miles west of that city. We have
Just seen express from the upper Potomac in
which it was stated that the rebels yesterday at
tempted 10 ford the river, when our troops
opened upon them with masked battaries. liter
ally crowdng the water with dead and wounded.
We learn through private but thoroughly
Trustworthy source that yesterday the advance
al.
succeeded in capturing four hundred prisoners
aud a train of supplies, with loss of only two
men wounded on our part: and so goes the rei-
able intelligence from the Upper River. Even
correspondents on the ground do not seem To
possess the foresight peculiar to that class OF gen
tlemen. They discuss wisely the probable plans
of the rebel Geoerals-chronicle their movements
and those OF our own troops. They give Us bat.
ties aud skirmishes without number but vet no
two so far a. have seen have agreed in a single
one OF these particulars.
Conflicting. however, a. all these matters are.
people are satisfied OF az least one thing and
that i. that the management eft the rebels has
been finally intrusted 10 proper hands Our willy
foe under the command of Lee. one of the abest
strategists and tacticians of their army has been
able 10 out maneuver and GU, general the power
sent against him toward the Rappahannock: now
the case is different The General who hangs
like destiny upon their rear i no mere leader of
small columns. but one who can handle with ease
a hundred thousand men: and hence whatever
NAV be their movements or intentions they will
find themselves met at every turn. 1t is knowl
edge of these facts which enables people here 10
extract confidence from the mass of contradic-
tons that hourly reach Us from the front.
These contradictions are very material Eve.
rybods knew what going when Pope had
the field. His plans were simple. straght-for
ward and easily understood-;hev consisted Ia
nothing more than asceriaining the locality of
the enemy. marching right at him. aud by dint of
hard fighting 20 drive him Tor be driven from
the field But with the present state OF affairs it
j. different. for the reason that two OF the first
strategisls OF the country pitted against each
other and their movements are complicated far
reaching, and 10 the tyro are in many cases alb
surd But every movement has it, purpose
every skirmlsh advance, retreat or Reconnaissance
It's object.
Pope Was chess PLAYER who took his queen.
dashed straight AZ the enemy's centre. and with
weak antagonist would by his audacity effect a
checkmate. Lee. however. was too old PLAYER
for such game. and in consequence ITO continue
my chess illusiration) he quietly gobbled up his
opponents queen ana then proceeded 20 check
mate his opponent with ease. Mcclellan against