The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-04-09
Letter from the National Capital.
WASHINGTON. d. c. April 4

| note on the floor Of his room, whence many
visitors ignominiously strove TO pick it up;
and at Wizards there was sudden rush Of
correspondents from the Washington offices
| of the New York dailies to find one of their
fraternity, who was understood TO have just
arrived released from his long captivity in
Libby Prison. The grass grows daily brighter
under these April rains; it is weeks since the
first appearance of the crocus; all the trees
are bursting into leaf; the long session of
Congress draws 10 close; and the campaign
upon which so much depends is close at hand
The long wards of the hospitals, which
will soon be filled TO overlooking, are now
almost vacant. The patients of last TALL have
been sent to the front, transferred to the Vet
eran Reserve, discharged and restored to
civil life, or laid peacefully to rest in the last
sleep of patriot martyrs.
Two weeks ago to-day, Gen. Meade issued
an order requiring more strict and careful
report of the number of officers and men
"present for duty" and directing that any de-
fciency in equipment for active service should
be promptly supplied AT O'Clock the next
morning Gen. Grant arrived in Washington.
Then the hustle of preparation began to be
obvious to the most careless locker on. Three
| hours of the forenoon were spent with the
| President and Secretary of War, and in the
evening Gen. Grant and his wife paid their
respects to Mrs. Lincoln. The same day is
sued the Presidents order, consolidating the
| five corps OF the Army Of the Potomac into
| three, and several rooms in Winder's building.
opposite the War Department, were selected
for the Washington headquarters of the
| Lieutenant General.
The next morning Thursday Gen. Grant
| with his staff left the city on a visit of in
| spection to the Army of the Potomac. All
along the route, the troops were under arms
| to receive him. By o'clock he had reached
his quarters at Cupeper, the extreme front.
There is nothing beyond except the outpost
at Mitchelrs station and the picket line along
the Rapidan' Gen. Sykes of the Fifth Corps,
| Gen. French Of the Third and Gen. Newton
| of the First, issued their farewell orders on
| Thursday. Gen. Warren takes command of
the Fifth Corps; the First and Third are
merged in the remaining three.
On Friday Gen. Peasanton is relieved from
command Of the cavalry and ordered to re-
port to Gen. Rosecrans. Gen. Sykes is to
report to Gen. Curtis in the West: Gen.
| Newton to Sherman; Gen. French at Phila-
delphia; Gen. Meredith at Cairo; Gen. Spin
relieved to sit in court martial; Gems. Ricketts,,
Gibbon and Wadsworth to report to Gen.
Meade for assignment to command Major
generals are shuflled about like cards in the
pack, and facetious gentlemen begin to sug-
gest that the new commander is trying to turn
up knaye in every deal. Sedgwick still
commands the Corps with which he carried
the Fredericksburg heights last summer; the
well loved Hancock has the Second; and
brave young Warren the Fifth.
A rapid visit to Washington, and on Sun
day the Lieutenant General returns TO the
army. Personally unknown to most Of those
who are watching for him, he wears only the
two stars Of major general, and thus as
usual avoids observation. II there is modest
man on the continent, 1t is this blue-eyed
firm-lipped, russell bearded soldier, whose
thoroughly American features will soon be-
come so familiar to this great people Pre-
cisely what he is doing in Culpeper does not
appear, but Oh Tuesday morning there is
review of the First Corps, cut short by heavy
rain; and that night Gen. Grant reappears in
Washington. Only to disappear again how
ever, for Friday morning he turns up at
Fortress Monroe, where he has probably en-
joyed the distinguished pleasure of an inter-
view with Mr.. Commissioner Ould, that gen.
tleman having so far conquered his prejudices
as to visit "Beast'' Butler in his den, and
having arrived on Thursday with a mass of
papers which seemed likely to furnish food
for a months discussion.
Such is the personal activity Of the man to
whose hands SO vast interests are now COM
mitted. Between him and the President
there is a perfect understanding. Gen. Burn
side says he possesses qualities which pre-
eminently fit him for the position he now
holds" The Christian Adrocate says she
has been well educated relgiously, and has,
we doubt not, just views of the fundamental
principles of the Gospel" The World
compliments his prompt recognition of the
decisive point on the military map" He
will be supported with rare unanimity by the
country, and he has about two hundred thous-
and more men at his disposal, than we had in
the field at this time last year.
On the other side of the Rapidan, there is
activity too. Lee has been reinforced by
Bragg, and Longstreet's whole force has
probably Joined him before this time Gen.
ID. ii. Hill is in command OF the defences OF
Charleston, and Beauregard has gone to the
Southwest. As-for consolidation, the Mont
gomery Advertiser mentions remarkable
instance-the merging of the Sd, 18th, 2lst,
22d, 10Th, 9th, 18th and 3lst, no less than
eight Louisiana regiments into one, to be
known as the I'D. So as these spring days
slip swiftly by, the work Of preparation is
brisk. BY and by the shock of battle comes,
and in that hour may God defend our just
cause! H.W.R.
ARrEMUs WARD.-The Oxford Democrat
saysrArtemus Ward returned from his extern
ded tour, on Saturday, I'd inst. He went TO
California last fall, and made a highly success
FIJI lecture season in that State during the
winter Returning by the overland route