Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-15
From the Richmond Examiner.

Intelligence has been received from various
sources that the enemy has succeeded in evading
or forcing the lines OF the COnfederatos between
Manassas and Washington, aud reached Airing
ton Heights with the wreck of his army This
story lacks confirmation, but it CONES from so
many quarters that We fear IL contains but too
much truth. We know from the northern press
that II was the intention of their Generals Il de-
feated on the Rappahannock, TO retire to Airing
ton Heights, there to renew the war of the spade,
and to reform their broken legiOns and new lines
during the winter. But il was the hope and be-
lief of the country that the arrangements of the
Confederate leaders had been such as would have
completely foiled that PLAN Ii the news of their
successful retreat TO Arlington Heights is con-
hrmed 1t will be another of those many disap-
polntments which we have bad to support, much
resembling and nearly great as the escape Of
Mcclellan after the battle OF Cold Harbor and
Malvern Hill
But ii it is indeed true, we hope that our foes
themselves will be disappointed ia their expecta-
tons OF a seige of Washington. The CHIEF prize
OF the late victories is not the possession OF that
city. but the opportunity which they would seem
TO afford for the commencement of offensive
campaign in the enemy's country. The capture
OF Washington would produce an immense sen
sation, but if unattended by an Immediate adj
vance into Pennsylvania, and menace of the
northern capitals, II is impossible to say that the
10 our advantage 1t would bea prOdigious NOR
tiication to the North, but would not cost fatal,
or even serious loss of strength. The moral
shock might possibly occasion negotiations for
peace; but If the northern people possess " real
courage, it would more probably result ia gene
raj rush to arms. Possession of Washington is
only desirable as the open door to invasion; and
ii II is effectualy closed against US by the occu-
patton of Arlington, We hope that this precious
season will not be consumed in picking the lock
or batteriLg it down, while the wall is full of
breaches through which may pass rs we'll
Reason indicates that the aim aud object of the
COhiederacy at this stage of the war is or should
be, transfer of hOstilities TO the enemys soil Ii
is in fact matter of necessity that we should do
So 1t is difficult to see how an enormous army
can be subsisted in Northern Virginia during the
coming winter Everything that it consumes will
have to be transported there from great distances
for il is now literally army la The desert Few
who have not visited IL know the extent TO which
the unfortunate portion of the State has been des
olated. At the end of eighteen months it has
been reduced to condition nearly resembling
thst of Middle Germany, after the thirty years
war
The drums and tramplings of three cODquests
have not produced elsewhere the ravages and
waste which the struggles of the Southern hosts
have caused in Piedmont, Virginia, during the
/ past and present summers Ii will take one hum
dred full years restore that country to the con-
dition in which the war found il. Deserted as il
is by the majority of its inhabitants, 1t is not east
ly perceived how the scattered remainder of its
population hope to escape starvation during the
coming winter; and the maintenance of an army
OF one hundred and hity thousand men there, de-
pendant on single track railroad, when the
winter has rendered The other highways impassa-
BILE, will be experiment not less dangerous than
costly.
Even if that difficulty could be overcome, it is
evident that our army can not waste its me in
proiracted operations Tor the possession of
frontier city, unless il desires TO lose the only op-
pOrtunty to make real approach to the cad of
the that have had since the beginning of
/ it. Such delay would be all that the enemy
could now desire, for il would give him just the
time necessary to organize aud bring up his new
army of six hundred thousand men; and while
Washington should be neither clearly lost or won,
but prize still ut stake between the two coun-
tries, the difficulty OF raising that army would
be greatly alleviated.
] FIVE can not take Washington by coup de
main it must be lett 10 take care OF itself The
| true goals of course are the de.iverance of
Mary land and the invasion of Pennsy lvania; and
and if we ever have an honorable treaty OF peace
with the United States, it will be signed on the
enemy's territory, and not on our soil.
War is game OF chance, and in all games of
]
bad luck. In the latter part of last winter and in
the beginning of the spring, we had our season
of evil fortune. Mshap succeeded mishap, loss
followed loss, and disaster pursued disaster in
melancholy series so long and unbroken that the
Cunfederacy could realize the sensation of Mac
beth, when he asked "Shall thy line stretch out
| to crack of dOomr
The tables are now turned; the cards run the
other way The North has now its dlsmal season,
/ while the winter of our discomfort is turned to
glorious summer. Splendidly victorious in Vir-
ginia, our first organized advance into Kentucky
is also marked by success even more brilliant
though of less magnitude. The battle near
Richmond, Kentucky, although ten thousand
only of the enemy were engaged, Is one OF the
most encouraging incidents of the war. If the re-
port which the telegraph brings is indeed true,
that the Kentucky regiments which the enemy
had raised by compulsory enrolment marched
over to the side of their compatrots to deliver up
the arms which their tyrants had forced into their
hands.
A large portion of the new leves Of the North
are to be drafted from the oppressed populations
of conquered southern Stales-Maryland. Ken
| lucky, Missouri and Tennessee. We now know
what these troops will be worth TO them and to
us, and can indulge the hope that they will or
ganze, arm and equip as many more regiments
from those States as the arms bearing population
will afford. The Kentucky victory appears by
/ the dispatch to have been complete, that we
tear the details may weaken the impress ion that
il leaves But it is at least certain that are
victorious in Kentucky. aud that our troops are
upon their way to Lexington. In the West, as
in the East, the smile of fortune is manifest; and
the masters OF the art of agree with other
gamblers. that luck should be pushed.