Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-12

T',oo Net, Military DepGrtments-The Negroes
Celebrating their Freedom Opening of the
Baltimore and Ohm Railroad Danger from
GueriIlas- Work for Fremont and Banks
4 Battle ut YorktOIcR
WASHINGTON, April 7.
Gen. Banks is pet at the War Department
\ new military department has been created for
him, embracing all the territory between the
Shenandoah river, on the east, and Western Nr-
ginia, on the west, and as far south he chooses
to 20, which will probably be not quite to Staun-
ton The rebels are in strong force along the
line of bills north of the railroad from Gordons-
vile to Covngton, and all the mountain passes
and natural deenses leading TO that road from the
north have been fortified 10y Gen Henry Heih, one
of the best engineer officers in the South. If
Gen. Banks then really wants to fight (hs sol
diers of course do he can have the opportunity
if he will march southwark about sixty miles.
New military departments now spring up like
mushrooms The new military department of
the Rappahannock" is the most important that
has yet been organized. 1t extends from Har-
per's Ferry on the north, to Richmond on the
SOUTH from the Patuxent river (east of the Poto
mace To the Shenandoah. 1t thus embraces that
part of Maryland east of the Lower Potomac, but
does not include that part of Virginia south of the
Lower Potomac, east of the railroad from Rich
nOnd to AQUA creek and south of James river
This Department of the Rappahannock' Gas it
is miscaled, for the principal part of that stream
is not included in it at all, is placed under the
command of Major General Irwin Mcdowell, "A
man in every respect worthy OF so grave charge
If there are laurels to win there General Mellow
ell will gather them.
That part of Virginia between Richmond
Chesapeake Bay, the Lower Potomac and south
of James River, has not been erected into sep
arate Military Department since the date of the
Presidents war orders 1t is possible, therefore,
that the distinguished officer named therein will
have something to do outside of the Department
of the Rappahannock" But of that no man
here knOweth.
The negroes here are getting up demOnstra-
ton in honor of the celebration of their freedom
Some Of them want to have it now, because the
bill for the abolition of slavery in the District of
Columbia has passed the Senate But others
want to wait until the House also passes the bill
Ii will be rich scene when il does take place Ii
will be strange, too if it is not attended with
some outbreak of violence. People at dis
lance, who have not been to Washington during
the past year, can form no idea of the change
that has beer caused here since the AbolitOnists
came into power. Runaway slaves enticed
away from their masters and their comfortable
homes, flock to the capital because they have
heard that they will be free: their idea of free
dom being freedom from work and plenty to eat
That is the negrO's paradise. and it must be adj
mtted that he finds it pretty often Just now At
Fortress Monroe, at Port ROYAL, and at other
places where We have opened the gates to them
they have rushed in and been fed and clothed at
the expense of the Government (rather at the ex-
pense of the loyal,people OF the North and kept
in idlenesS. At Fortress Monroe, our soldiers
complain, and with reason, that the negroes are
better taken care of than they are. 1t may be-
after all that the President will veto the bill Ii
he does, the chances are there will be a slave in
surrection here The negroes here are mad in
toxicated, with the idea of freedom. Ii they are
disappointed, who can control their rage? So
that either way the results, it Is fraught
with evil The Abolitionists have sOwn the wind.
and the people the good and loyal citizens, must
reap the whirlwind
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad is now open
and in running order along its whole extent from
Baltimore and Washington to Wheeling; and
trains have been passing over 1t regularly for
some days past. The energy and enterprise ex-
erted by the railroad company in re opening and
putting in repair their road can only be apprecia
ted by those who pass over il and see along its
track the evidences of the devastation to which t
has been subject. IL has been in the possession
of the Coniederates for nine months between
Harper's Ferry and Cumberland, besides being in
land and Grafton MANY OF the most valuable
and costly bridges were rebuilt by Gen. Kelly and
then DESTROYED second time by the rebels Ii
Is remarkable however, that all the bridges that
built entirely OF iron ana stone remained in
tact. The wire suspension bridge, and the great
iron bridge. both near Grafton, believe were
both uninjurei. The road i now guarded by a
military force along It's whole extent. This IS
highly necessary and the only question IS, Is that
force strong enousht Nv own opinion i that il
i not near strong enough and should be n least
doubled Immediately. There is no danger at
present from Confederate army. There j no
Confederate military force neerer than the second
rebel defensive line. from Fredericksburg and
Lewisburs. But the people along the line OF the
road and Immediately south OF il. are hostile
and although they viii not dare to do any dam
are 10 the road themselves they will afford every
aid TO desperadOes who may do so The whole
country south OF the road. from Grafton TO Har-
per's Ferry. and this. by the way, j. all in Gen
Banks's new Department including Winchester
. Strasburg Mount jackson. HarTiSOnburg. Rom
ney. Phillip2i, Buckhannon, Beverly and Monte.
rev abounds in mountains and mountain passes
inaccessible and unknown 10 civilized men. These
mountains swarm with bands OF guerillaS, who
will no doubt watch their opportunity, and on
some dark night NAV destroy some valuable
bridge The western part of the road Is in Ere
mont's Department; and If he and Banks can
drive these gueriilas out of the mountains the
road will then be free from all ANNOYANCE
There are rumors here today OF a battle al
+ yorktown Yesterday between Gen. Mcclellan
with l-00o0 troops. and Gen Magruder The