Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-05-26
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
THE SITUATION.

The public, we are perfectly satisfed, are need
.sssly agitated and alarmed relative to the opera
:i9us 81 the rebels In the valley Of Virginia, In
Guiding X enly's defeat and Banks retreat. The
space az our command to-day necessarily limits
The explanation we have TO make Of what has
'f2ESpirsd In that quarter In the last few days,
lat not 30 as TO prevent US from being perfectly
Ineligible, we trust.
Thus we have TO say that the force under Jack
son 1t Is evident TO US consists only Of the troops
with which lie retIeated before Banks, when the
latter advanced as far as harrisonburg, increased
~ the one or two thousand men that are known
10 have joined him weeks ago from Gordonsville
AID tia; immediate vicinity, and a considerable
portion Of the rebels, who, under Ewell and
edward Johnston, fought Schenck and Nilroy
week or two ago in the vicinity Of Monterey
Tie Latter, to the number Of four or ave thousand
doubtless, slipped away from Fremonts front,
CATER the fashion In which Joe Johnson's army
slipped away from Patterson's front, and joined
Bsauregard at Manassi Is, II will be remembered
and formed a junction with Jackson, ere his at
tack On Kenly. In all, we do not believe that
Jackson has more than ten thousa I'd men thus
gathered under his command; a force, however,
mole than sufficient to annihilate Kenly's one
thousand, a. has been done, and to have defeated
Banks (who had with him but four thousand men
not ten thousand, as the Rspvbliean this morn
ing sta:es) at Winchester, had he yentured to at
temp. to remain there
Instantly on beating Kenly, Jackson started on
the direct road to Winchester, TO get in the rear
of BsnkI, who was then at Strasburg.
Banks, however, fell back on Winchester (by
marching the other side Of the triangle) In time
10 anticipate Jackson's arrival there full twelve
hours; in which time he was able to send ahead
Of dis further retreat to Martinsburg and the Pc.
tOmsc, his supply trains and, indeed, IL we are
correctly informed, thus 10 save all the military
property with which he was entrusted. Yester-
day morning he was attacked by Jack son as he
retreatipg but from the fact that he lost no
portion CT the supplies, &C., he was covering, II
- Justly intersble that his battle Of the day could
lave been little more than series Of inconsidef.
able skirmishes between his rear guard and the
rebel advance, that amounted to little Of import.
sgce.
Before leaving Winchester he took measures to
have all the rolling stock removed from the por-
lion OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad that
might possibly be reached by Jackson before he
could be reinforced az TO change the latters
raid Into rapid retreat.
HaIper's Ferry was 80 gar isoned before and 90
quickly reinforced. az that we question much
whether Jackson will venture seriously TO menace
IL, though 10 Is highly probable that last nj ght
and this morning be has been INDUCING In the
fdvorite rebel pastime OF destroying the railroad
n the vicinity OF Martinsburg.
The idea OF q venture on his part to cross the
river sfer Banks Is mort preposterous, as he
Inus; kaow well that by this time b has been 30
reinforced, that be could never get back into
Virginia, Were lie to essay the experiment
- "a. hat ~
With Jackson, after having so recently fought
schenck in the Vicinity OF Monterey, and that
fremont has also recently made certain move
InentS, which Tits not our purpose to explain at
Ibis stage Of the game, forces upon our mind the
conviction that lad Fremont bsen able TO keep
ne authorities Lere ard Banks aware Of the dis-
sVPSsrsnce Il the enemy's forces lately In bis
frCat, kenly command would have been saved
and Banks amply reinforced in time 10 have made
a successful stand at Winchester
Bat it's one thing to make a dash with a com
ParativelY small force with some success az
jackson has done, and quite another TO effect
successful retreat from the force being rapidly ac
"umnlated upon all the routes by which the re-
treat may be attempted.
He know that, already, u nion forces have been
81 advanced IN Jacksen's rear that Il appears
10 Us morally and physically impossible for him
10 rescue bis troops from the eH dH sac into which
IL has rushed. Prudence forbids us to explain
Tie measures the Government has taken to secure
Lin and his force, dead or alive; but we do not
see how they can possibly fail OF complete and
speedy success.
p. Sat noon to-day a dispatch reached the
War Department published In another column
OF todays Star) making it certain that up to this
forenoon Jackson had not reached the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, and generating the impress
sion tina, ne has already commenced his attempt
To rush back out Of the fatal eKl dE sac into whic
ne has yentured.
EXPLOSION At FREDERICKSBURG.
Mr.. Palmer, hospital steward In Genera
Kings division, who arrived In the city this
morning, reports that an explosion took place at
Frederic ksoufg, Va, about noon Yesterday In a
brick building which had been used by the rebels
~ a powder magazine. killing the sentinel on
duty and destroying the building, but doing no
Ilrther damsge. Some grape shot, which were
laying on the kegs Of powder, were thrown a
great distance-clear across the river The explo-
sion csAnot be positively accounted for. Bys some
II 10 supposed to have been the work of an
tncendiaIyi another version 10 that the sentinel
was msddl!ng with the shells, and thus caused
the explosion.
RAILROADS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT.
OTdsTed, By virtue OF the authority vested by
at Of Congress, the President takes military d, 9
.ssSiOa Of ali the railroads In the United states
from and after this date until further orders; and
directs that the respective railroad companies,
Ihsir CHEERS and servants, shall hold themselves
n readiness for ths transportation Of troops and
InunitioEs OF war, a. may be ordered by the MILL
Iary authorities, u the exclusion Of all other busl
DSss.
by order Of the Secretary Of War:
az. C. MEIGs, Quartermaster G General