Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-23
Interesting Information.

The Yorktown Correspondent Of the
EVeaiag Post has had conversations
with rebel officers who are now prison.
ers, relative to various matters Of impor
tance, OF which the following is the SUB
stance:
The reason assigned for the delay OF
the rebel government TO publish the OF
fetal account Of the battle of Manassas
was that the rebel generals did not wish
to disclose the rebel strength at that bat
tie, which was much less than was rep
resented. Besides, the force at Manas-
sa5 was designed simply to menace, and
by tending 20 keep a large Federal army
at Washington, hinder operations on our
part West and South. And the rebels
won the baltIe SO dearly that it would
have given encouragement to the federal
amy to report the loss Of that OF the re-
bells.
Ii the battle of Manassas had been
fought on Thursday, the Federal troops
would have won it, The great error we
ieil into was allowing Johnston to rein
force Beauregard. We fought the battle
by regiments, whiio the rebels say they
fought US by brigades and divisions. Be
sides, the rebel officers say, if the 'front.'
of the enemy had been pressed by u,
he battle was ours, as it was very weak
by reason Of continued reinforcement,
being sent thence 10 the left, which was
50 hard pressed by our right Our sol
diers, the officers say, fought calamity,
but they were not commanded.
The reason assigned for the evacua-
ton Of Manassas was that the rebel GEN
erals knew as carly as February, that
GtueraI Mcclellan designed sending
large pant Of his force by water, to attack
Richmond, and it became necessary to
concentrate all the rebel force at that
place. The evacuation took place Sc
Getty, as the Confederatcs knew that they
could not iail back on Richmond So
speedily as Gen. Mcclellan could reach
1t by water.
1t was the fear of our taking Clouces-
ter Point, and running troops up York
river in gunboals, who would have
caught the Conicderaies at Yorktown in
the rear, which caused the evacuation of
that place so suddenly.
According to the statement of the Of
ficers alluded 20. the "last ditch" is in the
vicinity Of Richmond.
Cap. W. b. Newton of the Fourth
Virginia Cavalry makes the following
statement concerning matters affecting
the case Of Gen. Stone 81 heard it
mentioned a short time since as an evil
dence Of Gen. Stones completely, that
Col. Jordan, Adjutant General to Gen,
eral Beauregard, had sent to General
Stone a copy Of dispatch found on the
body OF Col. Baker after his death at
the battle Of Balls Bluff. remember
very distinctly having been informed
about that time by Captain w. b. Ball
Of my regiment, that one of his pickets
had captured federal courier with dis
patches, on the Drainesvile turnpike,
addressed to General Mccall, of the
United States forces, ordering a recon.
hOissance IN force, OF the country above
Drainesville in the direction of Goose
Creek, and mentioning that a similar
demonstration would be made by the
forces Of General Stone. The intercept
ton OF these dispatches was the cause of
the defeat of the federal forces at Balls
Bluff. When the northern press blamed
General Stone for this defeat, Colonel
Jordan sent under flag of truce a copy
of this dispatch, with an explanation Of
its interception, as an act due to General
Stone under the circumstances. This
written explanation from Colonel Jordan
! am informed, was found among papers
of General Stone. and was one Of the
causes Of his arrest"