Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-08
At rHE CAPRICE OF sarRAP. &C. &C.


THE PuSTsHMENr or BASIsHNESr INFLICTED
At THE CAPRICE or A SArRAP, &c, &C.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Times
WAsntxGrox. April 2
The operations OF the Confederate troops in the
Peninsula are causing great uneasiness 10 the
President A small portion Of Gen. Lees forces
have been acting as corps of observe alton on
the Peninsula for some months past. They hold
the railroad from Richmond to White House. the
right bank of the Pamunky and York river and
the turnpike road from Richmond 10 Wllams-
burg passing over Bottom Bridge and through
New Kent and Brahamsvile. They are watch
inc all the movements of the Union troops at
Fortress Monroe and Yorktown. in order to dis
cover the first indications OF intention ON our
part 10 inaugurate new Peninsuar campaign
Thus far they have nothing. although it j.
now month later than Gen Mcclellan began the
Peninsnlar campaign last year.
Let me ask you TO recur TO nv letter of Octo-
Der %. and IA regard the events that now
taking place in the Peninsula in the light Of the
facts therein set forth. The forts defending
Williamsburg are all on the east side OF the town
Before daylight on the 2gth ult, a strong party
OF Confederate infantry entered the town from
the west (which fact shows lamentabe want OF
vigilance in the commanding officer and the
Sunday mornings sun saw the Confederate flag
waving from the steeples of the ancient city.
The plckets around the town were then driven in
by the Confederate cavalry, and captured. ex
cept eight or nine men, who escaped to Fort
Magruder This is the largest of the thirteen
forts which, built in line. were erected by Gen.
Magruder across the Peninsular at " ilamsburg,
10 prevent the advance of Ger McClelans army
toward Richmond
In the course Of the day, the Confederates col
lected all the ambulances and army wagons in
the place. loaded them with Government stores.
and took them with them To Brahamsville. seven
teen miles distant. on the road to Richmond
We had a small party of troops in the forts, but
before they could come up, the enemy were gone
Now this means something. Ii is reported to-
day that the enemy have 10000 troops at Bra
huntsville, aud that they are preparing to seize
Williamsburg with view to It's permanent occu
patton This may he true. 1t is not at all i'm
probable The enemy has At Richmond and at
various points on the Peninsula. %, 900 troops
and il be that they have concentrated the
whole OF them ia order to take and hold Williams
burg. They would not try to take Williamsburg
unless they did intend to hold it: and they would
not desire To hold it. unless. also, they have so
fortified the james River and the right bank of
the Pamunky and York Rivers. that our troops
cannot land ut any point west Of Williamsburg
If our troops can land either At West Point at
the head Of York River or at any point on the
PamunlSy. or ut any point the James River
above the mouth of the Chckahominv. the pos
session of Williamsburg by the C0ntederates
would be of no to them.
But if. when we commence the new Peninsu.
lar campaign, find that the C1nfelerates have
employed the last eighteen months in 80 fOrtify
ing the banks and obstrucling the channels of the
Pamunky, the James and the York Rivers that
cannot transport troops up those streams. but
will have to begin the campaign de moro. almost
where General Mcclellan began il before. what
will then be Thought of the strategy of Lincoln
and Stanton? In that case. you may be sure hat
the Confe1erates will retahe Williamsburg and
its Qualifications, and that we will have tn fight
second battle o. Williamsburg, more bloody than
the first.
At the great Union meeting" recently held
in the Capitol House Of REPRESENTATIVE res
olution was passed applauding to the echo the
course which Gen. Schenck has pursued. and is
pursuing. in Maryland. and which Gen. Burnside
has inaugurarei in Cincinnati As there is no
knowing how a satrap or pro consul, with
unlimited powers ma, be appointed for Illinois,
it may be well for your readers to familiarze
themselves with the mode in which the Military
Governors of loval States exercise their iunc
tons. that they may be ready TO "crOOk the preg-
mt hinges of the knee" before some man of the
Wendell Phillips stripe. who will be sent to rule
over them a Schenck rules over the heretofore
free citizens of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and
as Burnside has been sent to rule over the free
citizens of Ohio.
Schenck, who is politician of the ultra rad-
cal school, knows more Of military science
and the ar, of than an intelligent private in
the ranks. vet he has been made by the Admins
tration Major General. the highest rank in the
service This WAS done in order that he CHIT
carry out the tyranny Of the Administration to
its full extent in the two great States over which
he is made the ruler
The rule which he has laid down is that lov
atty consists in blind and unqIestoned acques-
ence in all the acts and measures of the Admin
istraton: that whoever dares to think that any of
those acts unwise or iniudicious, or to speak
dsrespectfuly of any military officer of the Gov
eminent. (meaninS Schenck and his under strap
pers.) Is diSloyal and traitor; and that all dis
loyal persons or traitors whether men. women or
children. shall be hanished from their country In
enforcing this rule. the Constitution of the
United States and the laws of MARYLAND have
been equally disregarded, and Schenck has com
mtted outrages OH the rights of the people of
that State for which, at some day. he will have to
answer. His mnons have forced themselves
into the houses of peaceful citizens, whose only
crime was that they have relatives in the South :
and not into their houses alone, but into
the private apartments of the ladies: and they
have even gone the length of causing the persons
of ladies' To be ruielv searched From the person
OF lady subjected to this brutal treatment a
folded paper WAS drawn Pronounced at once a
" fseas'.i,ahle document" il wa carried 10
Sch'nck. and. when o; eued. II VAS found To be
- PRAlLR FoR FEAck.' Nor is this all Deli
cate ladies' are tom from their hunes and from
their families. guarded 10y sohiierS with fixed
bsyOnets. transported to Harper's Ferry, and sent
thence. through snow Storm rain and sleei. and
in miserable ctrt-. through the Federal lines
and across the mountains To Stanton and Rich
mord. Their crime VS. that they would not
take thA oath to speak disrespectluily of Gen
Schenck
Your ruiler- uee'i not be incre,lulouS about the
story of ".pf Davis hoo'- AMI Mrs Davis linen
night gowns beaLtitgll. emar.'n.cred' lt il lit
eraly true The valiant hero - 81 Y lenna &C
tually nr>ei out the existence 81 these articles,
and waylaii and captured them, anl npw exhibits
them in triumph, although il i -aid he j. -oing
TO prese taem to Mrs Lincoln Oh heroic ex-
ploit Does not the achievement deserve to live
in histor IL IS facts of this kind which show the
ridiculous lengths to Which the administration
has gone Suppose. after h4ving vindicated his
proves in capturing these articles Schenck had
forwarded them 10 their destination. as any chiv
arous soldier would have done, by flag 81 truce.
WOulc the cause OF the Union have suffered bv