Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-03-13

OFFICIAL REPORT or VAN DORM S FIGHT.
CHATTANOOGA, March G.-The following Off
cial despatch OF Gen. Van Dorm late engage
ment has been received. The fight took place
at Thompsons Station, and not at Franklin
TuLLAnoMA, March 2.-To Col. B. II. Epell
The enemy attacked Van Dorm yesterday at
Ihompson's Station, between Columbia and
| Franklin. lie drove them back handsomely,
and captured five regiments of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ty-twc'hundreG officers and men. Our loss is
not yet reported.
[Signed] BRAxToN BRAGG.
WHAT THE coNFEDERATEs THINK OF THE FEDERAL
coNscRIPT LAW.
From The Richmond Examiner.
We publish full synopsis of what is justly
regarded as the most important document that
has been published by the United States dur
ing the war-the Federal corscription bill
1t will be perceived that this act is a very
different instrument from the CONSUMPTION law
now in force here. 1t is not framed upon our
plan, but is a strict copy of the French, Sar-
dinian, and other European conscriptions.-
| The draft on the population is much less ge-
neral than that by our law, and will produceI
fewer fecruits to the army in proportion TO the
number of the inhabitants The principle of
tine Southern law. is, that every man shall be
placed in the position where he can most eff
lectively serve the country and aid the war;
Hence it exempts only those engaged in certain
industrial pursuits the continuation of which
are Indispensable to the subsistence of the ar
my, the support of the Government in its lc-
Ultimate functions, and those Fundamental
operations of social existence on which both
depend. These classes are limited But the
Northern law of exemption is founded on va
rioGs social distinctions, including great num-
bers, even il strictly interpreted, and which
admit Of almost unlimited stretching.
The true meaning Of this law is to be found
in those clauses which relate to the return of
men and officers now absent from that vast
army, existing on the pay rolls, of more than
one million OF men. The law does not seem
intended to increase the numerical force of the
United States--already larger than that coun-
Try OF any other can long maintain--nor will
it do So Its object seems TO be, drst--to pre-
vent the men whose term of enlistment has ex-
pred from leaving their ranks IN May. Second
Ito enable Lincoln TO make such future drafts
on the people as the waste OF war may render
necessary, and to carry on the war without
the assistance Of the new Congress now about
10 enter on lis term, and in defiance Of The
majority Of the people, who desire cessation
Of Aostili;ies. These objects the law will GER
lainly accomplish.
from the people ana the States We cannot
now estimate the power extent or results Of
the discomfort and opposition. Bat we fear
these who suppose that this opposition will
render the law imperative, and end in a revo-
luton, mistake the present condition of the
North. II has been justly rem irked that they
assume the people of that country to be now
what they formerly were, and guage their
spirit and determination by the sentiment
which still prevails among ourselves. They do
not realize the fact that the Government of the
United States has CONCEALED into a despotism,
and that its inhabitants have actually sunk
down into the characteristics Of ahject, tremb-
ling and underlying slaves 1t is the part Of
reason to anticipate the triumph of Lincoln
and the entire execution Of the law. Nor need
we stand appalled, at its probable consequence
es The Southern Government need only en-
force in all the States the CONSUMPTION law now
existing To procure such addition TO its pre-
sent army, that it will not only be as great as
the country can maintain, or as any generals
are capable of mannuvering, but abundantly
sufficient TO meet at all points every force that
the Northern CONSUMPTION can send to the field.
| WHERE IS HooKER's ARaY2
From the Richmond E1dminer, March 2.
After all the reports and rumors we have
had Of Rockers army changing its base, y
/ ii is now believed that the bulk and strength
of his forces are yet above Fredericksburg.
I 1t has been ascertlincd that no material sub
traction has been made from the army operat-
| ing there, and that, with the exception Of IF
teen thousand men-sent TO some unknown
/ point-the Yankee force is quite as strong and
/ formidable in numbers as it has ever been.-
I This gives a new phase to the situation about
Fredericksburg, and will again make that old
borough the centre Of interest.
THE RECENT CONFEDERATE CAVALRY Radcliffe
AFFAIR 1T WINCHESTER.
On Wednesday last, Brigadcr Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee with dctachments from the lst I'd
! and 81 Virginia cavalry numbering five hun
dred men, crossed the Rappahannock seven
miles above Fredericksburg, and fell upon u
cavalry encampmcnt AT lIertwood Church
The enemy were dispersed with little resist
ancc and we're pursued until they found re-
/ fugc behind n heavy body Of their infantry
our men killing, wounding aud taking pris-
/ oners upwards Of two hundred Of their num-
/ Der Our troops then beat q retreat, bringing
off their prisoners and number of horses
and having lost in the affair only one man
killed and one wounded. One hundred and
fifty Of the prisoners, among whom were two
captains and three lieutcnauts, were brought
TO this city ON Saturday. They represent six
d ffercnt regiments Of cavalry and the 18th
Massachusetts infantry.
On the same day General William r. Jones'
commanding a brigade in the valley, attacked
and routed Two brigades Of the enemy at Edin-
burg, forty miles from Winchester, killing one
hundred and taking between three and five
hundred prisoners.
In this charge the Yankees are said to have
offered but the fceblest resistance, and to have
surrendered with evident feelings of satisfac-
ton Hardly had the attack been made than
their white hanGkerchiefs were seen tapping
in the wind and the fire Of our men diverted
by this miniature display Of the =" white flag"
II is said that nothing can exceed the demon
alizltion Of their army and that their men are
so disaiIecied and disguised with the war that
they refuse 20 fight. The prompiness and
alacriiy with which this party besought the
immunity Of the "white flag would 90 to
confirm the stories We have Of their demoral-
cation,
WAR VESSELS Building ~ ESGLSSD.--T'hc|
Boston Past has information from its London
correspondent, that iye steamers are in course
Of construction in the shipyards Of the Clyde
and the Thames, which, If they do not come
& Ia ,t. Iutdg Of tho Tfuitpl Gtafaa Oovnru-