, 1864-07-15
Washington Correspondence.


EDS STATESMAN You have heard by
telegraph the news of the great battles of
the Wilderness and S pottsylvania Court
House and will hear Of other battles in the
vicinity of Richmond before this reaches
you. Up to this date $4,000 of our wound
ed have been brought TO this city. About
5000 we're killed in three battles, and L..
900 are reported to have struggled off, while
we lost abott 5000 in prisoners How
many of the stragglers were picked up by
loss was something over $4,000. Some put
it as high as $4,000, including Buffers and
Seigels losses, but think GO, 900 will cover
the loss. How strong our army is now |
cannot tell, but presume Grant has at least
900 men with him, and there must be
at least 10000 under Butler, and 10000
under Hunter (formerly Seige's command)
both co operating columns. Some place the
number $4,000 higher Lee must have
something over 100000 confronting Grams,
and 80, 600 more in and about Richmond.
Grant present position seems to be south
east from Lee, and nearer to Richmond
than Lee, while the latter has possession
of the teE railroads from Hanover Junction
to RicAmoD&, SO that he can get there FIRST
if he wants to. would rot be surprised IF
Lee should leave $4,000 men in Richmond
with provisions sufficient to last 80 or 60
days and slip away from Grant and 90 up
into Pennsylvania and thus cause Grant to
fall back to prevent the overrunning of that
State. 1t is supposed that there are suffi-
cient forces in the defences Of Washington
to protect the city, but there are no troops
here that could be spared for any other pur-
pose, ! think il is quite certain Lee will
do this, unless he feels sure of whipping
Grant and destroying his army. 1t is said
that we have some 100000 men in the
field, and it is conceded that the Coafeder-
ates have over 100000 1t will require
three to one to destroy the rebel army and
hold the country. As soon as the Baltimore
Convention is over we shall probably have
another draft for 100000 or more men, but
unless Congress passes the joint resolution
now before the Senate, repeating the ''com-
mutation clause" in the conscription act, it
will be but "water haul" as more than
three-fourths will escape through that ciause
and the disability clause. If the clause
shall be repealed, then the naked question
of conscription will come home to every bod 5GGi :
and it will then be known whether public
opinion will sustain it or not, as the Presi-
Dental election coming upon the heels of it
will be decided with reference to that ques-
tom. hardly thiak that the Administra-
tion pagty Will desire to- take the respensi-
bility, yet I do not see how the South can
be "subjugated" Chat is the word now un-
less public opinion will enforce an uncondi-
tional draft and place and keep in the field
a still larger force than we now have for
sometime to come-say through the greater
part Of Mr.. Linccln's next term should he
be elected. Tie cry that the Rebellion is
"starved out" is pretty much "played out"
We have, it is said, 10000 negroes in
arms yet they are Of no service except for
garrison duty, and not very good for that,
one would judge from the result of the at
taeks on Forts Pillow and Plymouth. They
will prove to be the most expensive arm
of the military service. Requiring just as
much to feed them and transport them and
their rations as it does an equal number of
whites, they are not as much service as
10000 white soldiers would be.
Another source Of weakness with us is
the "Hessian" soldiers, wHO, fer the S80Oto
$1,000 bounties have joined the army. and
having received most of their pay in ad-
vance, run to the rear and slip away the
! first opportunity that presents itself These