Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-13
OUR MILITARY BUDGET,
GORDoNsvILLE

The possession Of GoTdonIvilIe Is u thousand
tiTes more ImpcrtaB, to the rebels than that Of
Manassas was.
The possession Of the latter point was merely
necessary to the appearance OF menace against
the national capital they kept up so long. II
really enabled them to hold nothing Of iDpoT-
'AICr 10 their cause but a fictitious appearance
their positions IN advance Of it 70 the RICH, and
lsf, being at all time. "ticklIsh" ones, at best
II they lose 6ordorsviIle however, they lose
their main Richmond connection by rail with
Western and Central Virginia, Tennessee, ard
the whole southwest; their other rail connection
between Richmond and Lynchburg being Il
rickety old concern, (the South side Railroad }
over which, before the commencement If the
war, passengers and mails were transported at
about ten miles per hour, at best.
IL the rebels will fight anywhere this side of
Richmond II will therefore surely be at 6ordons-
Vile, through which the people Of Richmond
have for ten wears past drawn more than half the
supplies Of beef, mutton, grain, &C. for their
necessary consumption. I; Ia therefore the most
iRpoTtant key to the existing situation.
IL thew fail to fgh. there, or get vanquished,
we do not see how the oligarchy can possibly re-
main in Richmond a week longer, with the folds
of the anaconda tightening around them on all
sides as they VIGOROUSLY are.
THEIR WORK DESTRUCTION.
We learn, incidentally, ard have confidence in
the infOrmatoR-thstt the retrea.ing rebels did not
take time to do Al much damage to the Orange
and Alexandria Railroad, lef. in their rear, as
they evidently designed. Thus they have mere
Iy destroyed its bridges, which are few Ia num-
Der, and with single exception over slight and
unImportant streams. That one 10 the bridge
Ran ham nfu- FAM mil aOtlfh
west OF Manassas. IL is only about 600 fee, long
however, ard we take II for granted can be sufi-
ciently reconstructed in few days after our
bridge builders and TO; Il makers may reach fl
by rail.
There are but two ether bridges between that
point and Msnassas-One perhaps 3u9 feet long,
and another $50 fee: long. All other streams upon
that portion Of the route are inconsidersble as
10 be crossed by wooden culvert structures Of not
more than twenty or thirty feet In length
From the RappshanBock river back to the
Rapidan, where The advance Of the rebel army
now rests, IL distance of about 20 miles; upon
which there 10 but single railroad bridget
may be 200 or $50 feet long-with half dozen
cnlvert, stream, or drain crossings, hot averaging
more than ten feet In length.
There Is no timber, however, along tie rail road
suitable for building the larger class Of bridges
we describe above. That must go NJ by rail, II
10 be determined to use tie railroad for the necGs
sary transportation to supply pursuing force
THE MERRInAc
The fact that the Merrimac was considerably
Injured In her engagement with the Monitor ia
made plain by her failure, up TO II a. m to-day
to return to renew the fight. Had she retired on
Sunday last merely because out Of ammunition,
she would surely have again come on, from Nor
folk ere this
At . p. N. yesterday, dispatch reached Fort
res Monroe from Newport News, announcing
that she had made her appearance within reach Of
army glasses there, on her way out. The vessels
Of our sqnadron were Immediately telegraphed
and the Monitor and MInnesots steamed I'D to
meet her. The Information, however, proved
untrue
An hour afterwards information, deemed rcIi
able, reached Newport News TO the effect tina.
that yesterday evening she wa. to 90 into the
dry deck TO repair her injuries inflicted by the
Monitors guns. How extensive they were Is not
known, though the fact that she laid from Mon
day until Wednesday afternoon without entering
the dock, led to the impression that they were not
critical injuries.
By this time our feet to receive her has been
reinforced by the arrival Of one or more vessels
carrying 11-inch Dahlgren guns, the powerful
weapons, which, upon the Monitor, proved more
than match for her armament
The steamship Roanoke Is by this time far on
her way to New York for the repair Of her long
since broken shaft.
FROM THE LOWER POTOMAC
The tug Leslie went down to Quantico yes,er
day, towing large scow with shears and ma
ehinery for removing the cannon from the abap-
doned Confederate batteries She returned last
night.
large number Of shells have been found in
the rebel magazines. They are neatly packed
in fine seaweed, an excellent plan to keep the
powder dry and prevent premature explosions.
THE sEcEsH CAPTAIN BUCHANAN.
We are certain thst Capt. Buchanan, recently
in command Of the rebel iron-clad steamer Mer-
rimac, was not killed In either Of the late naval
engagements near Newport News. One of his
knees wss so shattered by shot, however, as that
the chances are that be will lose the Jeg by neces
sary smputation.
DxsERTERs
Two desefters from Norfolk made their wa
into our lines at Newport News last night What
intelligence they brought is not yet known here.
THE "RrPusLIcAN's" NEW ROUTE TO MA
NAssAs.-Our neighbor, the Repn6lfeaw, has
been very shy OF talking "strateyy,, since the