Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-19

Correspondence of the y. Y. Journal Of Commerce

Correspondence Of the y. Y. Journal OF Commerce
WAsHIsGToS February ~.
An intelligent man who formerly resided ia this
city but who. for reasons not proper % mention
here. has resided in Richmond for he last ten
months has recently arrived III Washington. de
was a clerk in the Adjutant Generals office under
the ConedeFacy, and resigned bis position Tor the
double purpose OF avoiding the CONSUMPTION and
making his escape TO the North. he came North
on foot, creeping along stealthy. and between
CupeDper Court House aud the Potomac he did
not happen to meet single Rebel or Federal
soldier The information which he has commu-
nicated to the authorities here is considered
thentic. and am enabled to give YOU few par
ticulars.
The fact that he was clerk in the office of
the Adjutant General gives Importance to hi
statement concerning the Rebel army He says
that there are only 4sl regiments in the Southern
armv bat that these are all kept full, and all
skeleton regiments have been abandoned; the
total number of men at the present time being
525. 900 which will certainly be increased TO
100 900 by the first of June. The whole mum
Der OF Rebel officers he estimates NJ 2o.OUU, or
about one half those in the Federal army, and
he asserts most positively that droves OF that kid
new do not crowd the hotels ot Richmond rs they
do here He SAYS it is Il common occurrence for
men to be shot down for attempting to shirk their
duty, and from his knowledge, gathered from the
records AT least :, 500 have thus persisted in diff
ferent parts of the country.
When he eft Richmond there were five thou
sand negroes engaged in strengthening the de
fenses OF that city, and now il is surrounded by
three lines OF Notifications. He describes the
CONSERVATION that prevailed in the Rebel capital
when the Merriinac was blown up, and when
Gen. Mcclellan at Harrisons Landing, as
truly frightlul, and there was 1T least one Occa-
sion when the city might have been captured With
liz common saying among the Con
federates. that the only man they feared was
Mcclellan.
In the opinion OF our informant. the rebellion
can never be put down until the finances Of the
Rebels are ruined or their army broken, for until
these events take place the leaders will have
their own way and the masses remain in a state
of subju CATION. Cripple the head devils, and
then things will come right
An auction sale took place this morning or
Government account of large amount OF sub
sstence stores, which are declared unfit for use
To whom are indebted for this waste of pub
lie property is not stated. but among the articles
sold are the following: lis GA pounds of bacon
355 barrels of beef and pork. together with mis-
celsneous assortment of -four, molasses, coffee
potatoes. &c.
The Republicans about this region are rather
Disguised with the selfshness of the California
members of the House who were candidates for
the Senatorship, because, as is alleged, their
.quabble secured the election of a Democrat
Nothing better could have happened for the
Golden State. in such time as this, and those
who have not wholly forgotten their county are
hoping that similar results may come to light in
other quarters.