Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-13
Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Timcs
WASHINGTON. Arril 2.

AT THE CAPRICE OF A SArRAP, &C, a..
Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Timcsl
WASHINGTON, April2.
The operations OF the Confederate troops in the
Peninsula are causing great uneasiness to the
President. A small portion of Gen. Lees forces
have been acting as a corps of observation on
the Peninsula for some months past. They hold
the railroad from Richmond to White House, the
right bank of the Pamunky and York rivers and
the turnpike road from Richmond to Williams
burg. passing over Bottom Bridge and through
New Kent and Brahamsville. They are watch
ing all the movements of the Union troops at
Fortress Monroe and Yorktown, in order to dis
cover the first Indications of an intention ON our
part to inaugurate a new Peninsular campaign.
Thus far they have seen nothing, although it is
now a month later than Gen. Mcclellan began the
Peninsnlar campaign last year.
Let me ask you to recur to my letter of Octo-
Der %, and 10 regard the events that are now
taking place in the Peninsula in the light of the
facts therein set forth. The forts defending
Williamsburg are all on the est side OF the town
Before daylight on the 18th ult, a strong party
of Confederate infantry entered the town from
the west (which fact shows a lameiltable 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 pickets around the own were then driven in
by the Confederate cavalry, and captured, ex
cept eight or nine men, who escaped to Fort
Macruder. This is the largest of the thirteen
forts which, built in - line. were erected 10y Gen
Magruder across the Peninsular at " illiamsburg
to prevent the advance of Ger McClellan's 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 10 B~rahamsville, 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. It is reported to-
day that the enemy have % 1000 troops at Bra
Evansville, and that they are preparing to seize
Williamsburg with a view to its permanent occu
patton. This may he true. II il not at all i'm
probable. The enemy has at Richmond and at
various points on the Peninsula, 10000 troops.
and it may be that they have concentrated the
whole OF them in 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 trooEs
cannot land at any point west of Williamsburg
If our troops can land either at West Point, al
the head of York River. or at any point on the
Pamunky, or at any point on the james River
above the mouth of the Chickah0miny. the pos
session of Williamsburg by the Confederate
would be of no use to them.
But if. when we the new Peninsu.
lar campaign, we find that the CJnfederates have
employed the last eighteen months in so fortify.
ing the banks and obstructing the channels of the
Pamunky, the James and the York Rivers, thai
we cannot transport troops up those streams. but
will have to begin the campaign de moro, almost
where General Mcclellan began it before. what
will then be thought of the strategy of Lincoln
and Stanton? In that case. you may be sure that
the COnfederates will retake Williamsburg ant
its Notifications, and that We will have to fight q
second battle of Williamsburg, more bloody thar
the first.
At the "great Union meeting" recently helC
in the Capitol House of Representatives a res
olution was passed applauding to the echo th'
course which Gen. Schenck has pursued. and il
pursuing, in Maryland. and which Gen Burnside
has inaueurated in Cincinnati As there is ne
knowing how soon a sairap or pro consul, witt
unlimited powers. NAV be appointed for Illinois
it may be well for your readers to familiarizt
themselves with the mode in which the Military
Governors of lOyal States" exercise their lunc
tions, that they may be ready to ''crook the preg
n mt hinges Of the knee before some man Of thu
Wendell Phillips str pc, who will be sent to rul,
over them. as Schenck rules over the heretofor,
free citizens of Maryland and Pennsylvania anc
as Burnside has been sent to rule over the fret
citizens of Ohio.
Schenck, who is a politician of the ultra rAdi
cal school, knows no more of military scienc
and the ar: of war than an intelligent private il
the ranks. vet he has been made by the Admins
tration a Major General, the highest rank in th'
service This was done in order that he nigh
carry out the tyranny of the Administrator t.
its full extent in the two great States over which
he is made the ruler
Tie rule which he has laid down is, that 10y
atty consists in blind and M questioned acquies
ence in all the acts and measures of the Admin
i%straiion; that whoever dares 20 think that any o
those acts are unwise or iniudicious, or to speal
disrespectfuily of any military officer of the Gov
eminent, (meaning Schenck and his uHder-strap
pers,) is dislnyal aud a traitor; and that all dis
loyal persons or traitors. whether men, women q
children. shall be banished from their country. Ii
enforcing this rule. the Constitution OF t'
United States and the laws of Mars land hav'
been equally disregarded. and Schenck has com
mitied Outrages on the rights OF the people o
that State Tor which. AT some day, he will have Il
answer HIS miiions have forced themselve
into The houses ct peaceful citizens, whose onl,
crime Was oh u thev have relatives an the South
and not into their houses alone. but int
the l~rivate apartments of the la,iieS; and the,
have even gone the length of causing the person
of ladies to be rndelv Sc lrched. From the person
of "a lady subjected to this brutal treatment,
folded paper WAS drawn Pronounced at once
- reasonable document" it was carried Il
Schenck. aud. whea opened. it was found to b,
"A PRAYER FOR PEAcEI' Nor is this all Deli
cate ladies ste torn from their homes and iron
their families, gurdei ~ soldiers with ixe,
bayonets- tr nSported to Harper Ferry. and sen
thence, through SNOW stnrm~, rain sud sleeI, anI
in miserable OK carts. through the Federi line
and across The mountains, to StauntOn and Rich
mond. Their crime WIS that they would no
take the nth to speak disrespectfully of Gen
Schenck
Your readers need not be incredulous about tn
story of "Jeff. Davis boots and Mrs. Davis linel
night gowns beautifully embroidered. 1t is lit
orally true. The valiant hero ~ Of Vienna &C
tuslly nosed out the existence OF these articles
and waylain and captured them. and now exhibit
them in triumph, although it is said he is goins
to present them to Mrs Lincoln. Oh heroic ex
ploitl Does not the achievement deserve to lv
in history7 Ii is facts of this kind which show fh'
ridiculous lengths to which the administrator
has gone Suppose. after having vlndicated In
proves in capturing these articles, Schen-k ha'
forwarded them TO their destination, as any chiv
alrous soldier would have done, by A flag of truce
Wouic the Cause of the Union have suffered b,
the aci7 Will the possession of those nigh
gowns IN his family give Mr. Lincoln any aid il
crushing the rebellion2 If Schenck had sen
them to their proper owner, would not the court
esy have been reciprocated by the release Of SOM
prisoners at Richmond? Is Schenck determines
that, so far as he is connected, tn. ferocisy of th'
war shall be m~itigated by none OF those amenl
ties on which the pen of the future historian vii
love to dwell? What is it that gives the charm
70 the brilliant chronicles of the wars of th'
Middle Ages, and ever 10 those OF more mOderi
times, but those little courtesies between th'
combatants. which prove that The finer feeling
OF mans nature will assert their supremacy. eveI