Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-18
Special corrssponsence o. the Chicago Times.
WASHINGTON. Nav IL.

The Administration, with unblushing effron.
terry. has been circulating. during the lat three
DAYS such stories ~ that Hooker has recrossed
the Rappahannock and has again resumed the
offensive" and that 'Richmond has been cap
tured by our forces, and j. nov IN our posses
sion" There is not a word Of truth in either OF
these two tales. The facts in regard to Richmond
are a. follows:
At the time Gen. Stoneman's cavalry were NJ
work destro sins the railroads north of the city.
and indeed from the 81 20 the 5th inst there
were no troops at Richmond. except the artiller
ists in the forts around the city All the troors
there had been sent TO Join Gen Lee But on the
9th and eth inst 10000 troops arrived there from
Suffolk. These were part OF Gen. Longsireets
corps who had been left behind by that officer too
keep no a show of force in front of Gen Peck,
while LOngstreet's main force wis withdrawn and
sent North to reinforce Gen. Lee In his opera
tons on the Sd and 4th of May, Gen. Stoneman
saw enough Of the strength of the notifications
of Richmond. and learned enough from the pris-
oners whom he captured, 20 satisfy himself that il
was beyond bis power 10 take them with the little
force of cavalry which he had. On his arrival at
yorktown. on the 7th ard Sth inst, he consulted
with Gen Keys and Gen King. and il was con
cluded by them and Gen Dix that an attack on
Richmond, with the forces at their disposal,
was mpractcable.
Il
% 81, 1000 troops. A accommodating expedition
was, however. sent up the York river to White
House. by Gen Dix full account Of which has
by this time reached you On the 9th inst. when
it became evident to Gen Lee that Rockers
whole army had reiterated 10 The north bank OF
the Rappahannock-in such precipitation, too,
that he left his dead lying unbured upon the field.
and all his wounded in the hands of the Confed
erates-w when Gen. Lee knew that. and knew that
Ill A l..
prise he then sent back to Richmond 1000 Of
his troops He did this because he knew that
Gen. Hooker would be unable to resume the
offensive during the next two weeks at least, and
because the troops migM be needed at Richmond.
and were not needed with him. The distance to
Richmond was only sixty miles. The men were
transported bv railroad To Saxton's j motion.
From thence. the railroad being destroyed, they
marched the remaining distance. twenty miles.
The last of them reached Richmond on Saturday
night, the 9th inst There are. therefore. % 900
troops az Richmond now
This is the only foundation there is for the
other story started. and now being circulated. by
the Administration 10 the effect that Lee army
hts retreateJ To Richmond. Gen. Lees army
occupies the identical position that IL held before
the late battles and during the whole of last
winter and spring, namely: the line OF the Malta
pony river. covering Richmond. There are de-
tachments az Gordonsville and Louisa on the left.
with ontposts and cavalry pckets at Orange
Court House; Germania Ford. RaccOon Ford,
and Ely's Ford, ON the Rappahannock: and other
attachments at Port Royal. on the right And
the Nights of Fredericksburg are also strongly
held.
Stantons bOmbastic dispatch to Gen. John
Pope published in the Times of Nav g. may de
cieve the loyal people of the North. but it cannot
and will not deceive Gen Lee. That officer knows
perfectly well the condition of Hookers army.
and that il will be in no condition to resume of
fensve operations for two or three weeks Lee,
therefore, if he does not himself assume the of
fensve. will remain in the position have indi
Gated until Hooker again leads his men to anoth
er Charlottesville slaughter. Whenever Hooker
does make another attempt to move southwark,
General Lee will attack him again. and the re-
suit will be the same as last week There a
dozen Chancelorviiles between the Rappahan
mock and Richmond. Lee may evacuate Fred
ericksburg, and lay pontoon bridges, as his sol
ders offered to do, to assist Hooker in crossing
the Rappahannock. he may retire behind the
Nattaponv, behind the North Anna, behind the
South Anna. behind the Pamunkey he may
stop Hooker's advance at Charlottesville again;
or he may make a stand at Bowling Green; or he
NAV fall back to Hanover But. wherever
Hooker fights Lee. on that route. he will he de
feated The Contederates desire nothing better
than that our armies should be thus FILTERED
away in insane attempts. like those of Pope and
Halleck, and Burnside and Hooker. to reach
Richmond by the overland route.
Rockers late campaign exhibits the true value
OF Halleck's generalshp Halleck is tn, Gener
al in Chief liz is his business To plan the cam
paigus. and to see that his plans are executed
How did he do il in Hooker's case? 1t was his
business To see that Stoneman was sent off on his
expedition To cut the railroads before Hookers
movement began Ii he had done this. not only
would il have been impossible for L0ngstreet and
Hill to have Joined Lee. but also. and most i'm
portant the whole of Stoneman's cavalry would
have been back and relOined Hooker and taken
part in the battle The result would have been
of course. victory. He did not do this 1t was
Haleck's business To have sent Hentzelman.
with his corps of 30 .000 men. to act as a reserve
to Hooker. and also large supplies of ammuni
ton and provisions. which Hooker really needed
II he had done this. Hooker would not have been
compelled to retreat across the Rapplhannock.
as he did on Tuesday night. But Hilleck did
not do this. In point of fact. Halleck permitted
Hooker To cut loose from him altogether. t.
act entirely independent of him, and afforded
him no support or assistance whatever A
pretty General in Chief. truly,
But, perhaps. Halleck j. not to blame This
Is Mr. Lncoln's war He is managing it himself
where. And of the navy TOO. And OF the niger
recruiting business. too. And reads all of Mr.
Stewards dispatches to foreign Muisters-ALL of
them, Mr. Seward savs-before thew are sent off
Wonderful man. Take him Tor all in all, We
ne'er shall look upon his like again
Gen Lee has sent flag of truce across the
river. saying that We must send surgeons and
medical stores to wounded. whom Hooker
left in his hands. And the surgeons and the
medical stores have been sent. Hundreds of rel
atv-s of wounded officers and soldiers have
focked here. since the battle, 10 seek out their
friends whom Hooker left to the tender mercies
of the Rebels. Many. it is known died on the
field, after lingering in agony for three DAYS,
So great has been the anxiety on this head that
Hooker has issued an order in which he saws that
the wounded in the hands of the enemy will be
sent US. bat that me enemy rciH NOT aliotr
any person 10 risif them But how tares il with
those who too horribly wounded TO bear re
movalf Hooker does not say These facts,
however. prove the falsty of the stories that
Hooker has recrossed the Rtppshannock. or that
Lees army has retreated 10 Richmond. Y
NJ III,