Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-17
special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
III AsuINcrnx EnErtiarN


Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Times
WAsHINGToS. February TO-
Before this reaches you, the telegraph will
have brought you the news that the separation of
the Army of the Potomac into three Grand Di-
visions has been abolished and the old organi-
cation of corps d'armiee. the same prevailed
under Gen. Mcclellan, has been restored. The
impression prevails almost everywhere that the
idea of separation of the army into three "Grand
Divisions" originated with Burnside But am
assured that such is not the fact, and that 1t
a pet measure of Haeck's, aud that the latter
prevailed upon Burnside to adopt it as an expert
ment, Immediately after McClelans removal.
1t WAS found to work very badly and it was, in
deed. one of Burnside's failure to accom-
plish ANYTHING at all The organization of the
army under Gen. Mcclellan was as perfect as
could possibly he, aud worked admirably. Gen
Hooker's order Of February will do much to-
ward restoring matters To that organization, aud
it is, therefore. wise step.
The terrible nature of the blunder committed
by the Administration. however, in the removal
OF Mcclellan aud the appointment OF Burnside, is
now becoming evident On the 9Th of Novem-
| Der the army could muster fully $50, 900 bayo-
nets, all effective The discipline OF the army
superb. the men were in splendid condition,
| the morale OF the army was unexceptionable, and
/ it was making steady progress in the campaign.
| held the command, all this has become changed
| The army is terribly demoralized. Senator
| Summers resolution a few days ago declared, and
as Gen. Sumner testified before the Congressional
committee and in spite of what Burnside said
| few evenings ago in New York As to the pres.
ent number OF troops, Wendell Phillips has re
Gently been here in close and confidential contab
with Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Haleck, Senator Wilson,
and the members of the Military Committees of
| Congress. These men know precisely how many
men Hooker has. | know also, but | will not
say But these men whom | have named told
Wendell Phillips, aud he said a few days ago in
! New York and the statement was published in
an Administration newspaper there, - General
| Hooker has 66, 600 bayonets, and 10 more"
! Now | knew that the slaughter at Fredericks
| burg was terrific that there has been some loss
since; AMI that in eleven weeks, the army has
suffered greatly from cold ami exposure; but
never could figure up "A tota of more than 30 600
put hors du combat from all these causes together
| If the figures of Wendell Phillips are correct,
therefore, whit has been done with the other,
"a 900.
| We have fallen certainly upon evil times when
your correspondent can find a word to say in favor
of conscriptioR law-a law of Congress in
tended To drag unwilling men from their happy
| homes. force them against their will into the
| ranks of a heterogeneous army composed of a
mixture of white men and negroes. and compel
| them TO murder, it may be, their cousins, their
uncles their nephews perhaps even their brothers.
| BE it so I will say that word. And it is this.
The conscription bill reported to the Senate yes
terday by Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, is by far
the farest the least unjust, and the least oppres
siye of all the desp0tic acts of this despotlc AID
| mnstration Ii must have conscrIption
law-if our armies must be repenished-if the
war must 90 on-why, then, at the eleventh hour,
the Administration has stumbled upon a really
wise plan.
1t is copy. in many respects. OF the French
conscrptiOn law, which is as perfect and Just as
any CONSUMPTION law can be. The division of the
conscrps into two great classes--the second class
not To be drawn until the first is exhausted-is its
| great distinctive feature. If there must be con
scripts. the young unmarried men betw cen the
ages OF Is and 80. and the unmarried men be
tween 80 and IS. ought certainly to be taken first
and the bill provides. The experience of all
armies has taught those who have studied the
subject. that unmarried men, men without the
cares OF family. make the best soldiers Indeed,
a man cannot be perfect soldier until every fac
ulty of his MUD and body is swallowed ~ and
| absorbed i'm his business His business is to kill
and the business of an officer is to make these
! killing machines as effective in large masses As
can be possible. So well recognized are these
truths that, in ordinary times, no man who is
married or who has child is allowed to enlist
/ Ii the BILL a. reported by Mr.. Wilson, becomes IA
law. and the conscrpts of the first class drawn
according to It's provisions, the probability is that
there will be in that class far more men than will
4 be needed TO finish the war, even ii il hould last
/ two wears more.
+ 1t is SAID that the radicals, with the exception
OF few fanatical fools, are convinced OF the ab-
| solute impossibility of raising negro soldiers at
! all: and that Mr. Wilson has brought this bill in
/ rs a substitute for the negro soldiers bill. Ii Is
very certain that, even If the negro soldiers were
raised. no white officers could be found to lead
them 10 the Seld: that. Is, no competent officers
/ The Confederate military authorities have an
nounced that they will hang. not only all negro
| soldiers. but also all officers with them, who NAV
fall into their hands. 40 officer is ambitious of
i such Il death as that. There may be found few
! rowdes and desperadoes who are SO lost TO honor
/ vs. be willing 20 command gangs of lascivous
/ black savages But the number of such men
must be few indeed. The who alone are
fit TO command gangs of niger troops are the
very men who will not do it. Horace Greeley.
Wendell Phillips. Henry Ward Beecher-theSe
are the mea To make negro Generals of But
they knos too well the late that would await
them on the first battlefield To be ever caught
with negro brigade
/ have been unable TO ascertain what the Ad-
ministration proposes to do about 1.-THE draft
which ordered some months ago. and has not
/ vet taken place q some States. and whlch has
/ proved to be such ridiculous failure IN those
+ States in which il has taken place Mr. Stevens
/ openly declares in the House that the draft can
not DE enforced: oct il is certainly unfair and
just in the highest degree to let the great State of
I New York and the New England States escape
f the draft entirely after il has been enforced in
/ the Western States and in MARYLAND How would
+ the West fee, it the Administration begins t.
+ draw causcripts from Illinois and Indiana, while
+ New York and Massachusetts are still in arrear
+ for their troops under the draitg Would not the
I West feel like acting upon that noble declaration
F ot Senator Turpse, that "the American Car viii
+ find no serfs west OF the Allegheny moan
+ talnst
! petition TO Texas could be productive of no good
effects | was persuaded that what | said WAS the
truth An event that has since taken place there
must now make il evident 10 the world that | was
correct ailude 20 the capture of Sabine Pass
by the Confederate troops With Galveston and
Sabine City both IN their possession; with their
troops holding all the KEYS 10 the State: with a
we'll appointed fleet in rts harbors the Confede
rates in Texas are now prepared 10 dispute our
future occupancy of that State With good pros
meet of success The New York Tunes saws:
I'VE are now driven from our las, foothold on
the soil of that State: 10 which would add that
10 regain A foothold there will require expen-
dtnre of blood aud treasure that no advantages
can compensate for. n