Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-19
From Washington.
DISASTERS TO THE ARMY OF THE PoroMAc-GEN
LEES ARMY STILL 8 1900 SrRoSG-PRoGREss
OF THE FALL CAMPAIGN EAST AND WEsT-THE
QUESTION OF PEACE IN THE CABINET.
Special Correspondence of the Chicago rimesl

QUESTION OF PEACE IN THE CABINET.
Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Timesl
WASHINGTON, October ~.
The sudden rise of gold il New York took
MAJ persons by surprise. IL was attributed by
most persons to secret news of an unfavorable
character from the army IN the West. The New
York Post of that evening attributed il to the
export of two millions of gold during the last few
DAYS. But neither Of these explanations was the
true one. The true one was, the defeat and re-
pulse of Meade's army Oh the Rappahannock. and
the reported retreat OF that army to Centreville,
pursued by the Confederate army under General
Lee.
Intelligence of these events was secretly tele
graphed from here to New York between eight
and ten o'clock Jn Saturday morning, with what
result the country knows. Your well informed
correspondent with the Army of she Potomac will
send you the details of the facts as they occurred.
| will only state that it is understood here that on
Friday a body of about 1000 Union cavalry were
sent out from their cam west of Cedar Mountain
TO make a reconnaissance towards Madison
Court House; that they were met while on the
way, by a superior force OF Confederate cavalry,
and, after a sharp fight, compelled TO fall back
upon the army corps which was holding a post
near Culpepper. 1t wa supposed that the enc
my would not press the pursuit, but they did so.
The Confederate cavalry were followed by
several batteries of artillery and by a strong in
fantry force; and, between this force and our
troops near Culpepper, a battle ensued. the re
suit of which was, according to the accounts
that have reached here, that our forces ut Gull
repper-in other words, the remnant of Meade's
army-were compelled to retreat from that place
towards Centreville. This result affords another
example of the manner in which Lincoln and
Stanton are managing the war. 1t is no longer
a secret to the world that two whole corps of
Meade's army were Withdrawn from him a week
or two ago, and sent to the West. Even if his
corps we're each 10000 ~strong-and every one
knows that il is "a liberal estimate--this would
leave him only 80, ZOO men in his other five corps,
besides The cavalry The least degree Of military
Judgment, therefore, would have dictated the
immediate Withdrawal of Mehde's depleted army
TO a line much nearer this city. But who looks
for military judgment in either Lincoln. Stanton
or Halleckr The little army, therefore, was
kept pushed out TO Culpepper. with a long line of
railroad to guard, and behold the resultp Mr..
Lincoln's ap0logists say in his defence that he
believed that the bulk of Lees army had been
sent to the West TO reinforce Bragg. Ii is true
that a number of reliable contrabands did bring
into our lines n story to the effect that all of
Lees army, except the single corps of A. p.
Hill. had been sent to reinforce Bragg; and it is
true that Mr.. Lincoln. and Mr.. Stanton, too, did
believe it.
But the truth is. only four divisions, out of
Gen. Lees whole army. have been sent to rein
force Bragg. Two of L0ngstreet's divisions and
two of EwelPs are now with Bragg. But the
divisions of Gen. Lees army are each 10, 900
strong, and his army was 25,000 strong Just
be ore the battles of Chickamauga we're fought.
He has now, therefore, 81 300 troops. including
his splendid cavalry aud all his artillery. What
he may dare to do with this vast body of veteran
. o,lJ,a., an Iaur dev, mill loo.io Tho s;t,ot,on
of affairs here. he is perfectly acquainted with.
The irrepressible MOsby has taken care of that.
On Thursday and FRIDAY of last week, MOsby and
his band of 800 guerrilias reconnoitered the
whole country in front OF Washington, in the
neighbOrhoOd of Centreville and Fairfax, from
the Chain Bridge and Lewinsville to Springfield
Station on the railroad; and. on Friday night,
they visited Munson's Hill, Falls Church, and
Bailey's Cross Roads, thus coming within seven
miles of Washington
Gen. Lee is well served, indeed, in all direc-
tons. During Scnenck $ absence in Ohio, he has
lett matters at Harper's Ferry to take care of
themselves. Gen. lmboden, who commands some
5000 mounted guerrillas, became quickly aware
of that, and has, within a few days. advanced
from his camp near Winchester to a point be-
tween Harper's Ferry aud Msrtinsburg Here,
on two separate days, he encountered and de
feated two separate regiments of Union troops.
with heavy loss ON our side. From the prisoners
whom he took on these occasions, and from his
previous scouts along the line of the Baltimore
and OHIO railroad, ImbOden learned all that he
desired TO know about the recent movements of
Union troops westward.
There is reason to believe, however, that what
ever movements of Eastern troops we're made to-
wards the West were made too, late to be avaiIa-
BILE. Its known that Immediately after the bat
tie of Chickam1uga, General Bragg and General
Johnston were strengthened by 30 1000 more
troops from Gen Lees army, besides those al
ready there under Longstreer; by l0,OOO troops
drawn from those who had been stationed along
the railroad between Richmond aud Wilmington;
by 10000 ftom Charleston, and by 5000 from
points west of the Mississippi. IL j. well known
that Johnston and Bragg had fully 80, 900 troops
in the recent battles, while the three corps of
Thomas, McCook and Crittenden could not have
numbered over 81. 900. The Administration
papers here are Boosting that, since the battles,
R0secrans' strength has been reinforced by 25,-
600 men. Admit it. and that it will raise Rose
GRAMS strength To 20, 900 men, is il to be exported
that he can hold his ground against a Confed
crate force that must be, AS | have shown, 100 900
strong?
From all that can be learned here, il is evident
that il il the intention of Gen Johnston to invest
Chattanooga on all sides and besiege that place
in regular form. IL is, unfortunately, completely
commanded by Lookout Mountain and Mission
airy Ridge, and upon these nights General Bragg
is now mounting heavy siege guns. nearly a
hundred of which have been sent to him from
the foundries at Atlanta.
If the Confederate designs in the West sue
ceed-if the army of Rosecrans is defeated, or
even compelled to retreat 10 Nashville-then the
probability is that there will be lively times in
the neighborhOod of this city. Perhaps, when
the new Congress meets, the Presidents Message
may be read amid the thunder OF rebel cannon
from Munson's Hill.
The air here, tor days past, has been filled
with rumors of proposals for peace" which are
said to be entertained, and to be now under dis
cussion at the White House. If there is any
foundation for the rumor at all, you may rely
upon it, it is based upon secret intelligence which
the Administration has received from the South,
to the effect that it is really the intention of the
southern people to liberate and arm their slaves,
il they can gain their independence in no 9th er
way. When this once becomes understood, the
hopelessness of the further prosecution of the
war will become apparent. If any 'peace pro-
posals" are now under consideration in the Cabi-
net. they originated here. No peace proposals
have come from the South. and none will come
as long as "A Republican Administration remains
in power. The southern people have no desire
for reunion with - country ruled by men who
hate them, aud who have trampled laws, coDsti-
buttons aud State rights alike under their feet
X.