Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-01

The ESEMY's RAILRoAD CoMMusIcArioS RE-
PAIRED-THE RADICALS ABCsiSG HooKkR-
vtoLArIoS OF LlScoLN's AND SrAkroS's
PRoMIsEs.
Especial Correspondents Of the Chicago Times.
WASHINGTON, May l9.
There has been no change in the position of the
Army or the Potomac since my letter OF May 10,
nor is there any Indication whatever that a move
ment will be made before the end of this month.
Hundreds of officers, of all grades, have passed
Though this city on their way North, Oh briei
furloughs, during the last week, and this fact
alone would be sufficient to shJw that no move
ment is at present contemplated. Indeed, the
army is in no condition to assume the offensive.
The Administration organs-the same papers
who asserted so positively, on the 9Th and llth
of May, that "Hooker's army has again crossed
the riyer"-an assertion which was proved to be
a falsehood on the 12th-these same papers now
say that the army is in fine spirits, and eager to
be led against the enemy again. But am war
ranted by the best testim0ny-the testimony OF
dozeas Of officers and men from each armv
corps-n saying that this is not so; that there is
no heart left in the army, as long as Hooker
commands it; and, more than that, that the losses
in the late battle. SO FAR from having been over
estimated, are much greater than was stated, and
will reach %, 900 men. OF Gen. Slocum's army
corps alone, the 18th, there are now 200
wounded lying IN one hospital, besides those that
still remain in the enemy's hands The fearful
account of those who we're left to linger in agony
for three days and then die last. has not yet
been rendered, and probably never will be.
The loss sustained by the army. too. in the re
turn home of thirty eight regiments of veteran
troops, is very great. They are by far the best
regiments i'm the army, fully equal in every re
spect to regular troops, and their loss cannot be
aooI fha dnaip5 .fio had had
foresight at all, it would have provided long ago
for this emere ency. There several States
where the draft ordered last year has never been
enfoIc ced, and in these States the administration
coud easily have raised 50 900 troops three
months ago, and had them now in t0leIabe
state of efiiciency--at least enough so to fill up
the depleted corps Of Hooker's army The con-
sequence of failing to do this will be that Hook
er's army will now be unable to DO ANYTHING more
than to act on the defensive until the conscrip-
tion act is enforced. unless it is juined by troops
now employed elsewhere
The facts that have come to light during the
last week show that the work accomplished by
Gen. StOneman's cavalry, in their recent expedi-
ton towards Richmond, really amounted to moth
ing ut all. so far as any real damage to the enc
my was concerned, or any interruption to his rail
road communications This. however, was no
fault OF Gen. Stonem1n's. The blame lies with
either Halleck or Hooker, for not sending Stone
man Of on this expedition on the 9th, so that he
could have accomplished that for which he was
sent. aud have returned to Honker's army in time
to have participated in the battles of the Cd. Sd.
and 4th Of May All the damage that done
to the southern railroads has been repaired long
before now
Joe Hooker is being as badly abused now, by
most of the Abolition papers. as he was formerly
unduly praised The New York Post, the New
York Tribune. and even the North American and
the Press of Philadelphia. are now snarling at and
abusing him for his ridiculous mistakes and eyre
grious bluLders | hope you can fnd room for
some of these .'Disloyal Gems" That in the
Press is particularly rich.
When our COS bined fleet and army we're de
feated at Charleston the 9TH of March. Mr..
Lincoln fastened to assure the world that il was
not even a repulse, but only check and that the
attack should be Immediately resumed. Ten
weeks have elapsed, and immediately has
not vet come When Hooker was so shamefully
Defeated on the lst and 2d inst, Mr.. Stanton has
tened to assure the world that serious disaster
to the army had taken place, and that the army
would speedily resume offensive operations.
Fifteen days have since elapsed. Hooker lies
still, and makes no sign Of moving; and it is ut
terly impossible that his army can move for
mouth Queer men-fheSe Administration peo-
pie. What do they mem by Immediately" and
"speedill!" And does Stanton mean tosiy that
the loss of % 900 troops. put hsrs du combGt, is
no serious disasterI'' IL i loss That Grip
pies the army that il cannot move. Is that no
'.serious diaster?" That loss and the loss of
confidence Ina Hooker have demoralizesl the army.
Is that 40 serious distsierT j. il not time that
the Administration shunld cease To deceive the
people b. declarations so utterly at variance with
the tr1thf .,s-
The work of ensting negro soldiers proceeds
very slowly. The nerroes. ms general thing,
all over the country, are averse to entering the
army-notso mach for fear of getting killed. as
because they fear falling into the hands of their
old masters and being sold again into slavery
They are well satisfied of the inability of the Ad-
miniStrion To prevent the latter fate in they
captured. aud this. too. notwithstanding the
assertion of Mr. Stanton That negro soldiers
shall stand upon the same footing ia all respects.
as white soldiers" The Americans of African
descent wiser IN their generation than the
mercsns of European descent; for, while the
latter have been prone to swallow ali the Nun
chausen stories that il has pleased the Admins
tration to send to them, the latter, with cunning
sagacity which i one of their traits. have steadily
refused to be duped either by Mr.. Lincolns Wis
ionafy schemes OF Central American colonial
ton. or by the glittering aud meaningless gener
alities of Mr. Stanton's promises. Still, by the
use of instrumeDtalities by no means creditabe to
the Administration, including the expenditure of
money in lavish profusion, the War Department
calculates on having under arms, by the end of
August, 50 900 of these black fellows, under Abo-
ltion white officers. arf Y.