Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-15

- | observe that you have very able coue-
spondent in the Shenandoah Valley. and leave
to him, therefore. relation of the interesting
events that now in progress there Ii is be-
lieved here that the Confederates have designs
against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and
that their plans even extend as far as another in
vason of Pennsylvania; and it is believed,
furthermore. that they are prepared to undertake
these enterprises with such force as will afford
them good prospect of success Such. say.
is the belief that is entertained here in high quar-
tiers The existence of this belief will lead the
authorities TO keep on the line Of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. and near this city, at least
20.O00 troops, which. there is good reason TO
believe we're destined for Gen. Grant until few
days ago And il may be that this is the very
object sought to be Obtained by the Confederates
in their present raid toward New Creek. Ii the
latter is, really, only stratagem, and IT, by il,
the Confederates prevent neeied reinforcements
from reaching Gen. Grant. whereby Knoxville
will fall. il will only afford another illustration of
Lincolu's military iucapscity, and of bis absurd
fooishuess IN persisting to manage the war, and
direct the movements of armies himself sals
My announcement that the siege of Charleston
was abandoned was only premature 1t is well
known here in military circles that all the best
troops that were operating before Charleston
month ago were withdrawn therefrom within a
week or TWO past, and have been ordered to
other points. IL is nov stated semi officially
that Gcn. Gilmore himself mas been ordered to
report here In the meantime, occasional
shot is fired into Charleston but il Is only waste
of ammunition. .E 'tf-
repeat the siege of Charleston has been aban
doned by the Administration. and all the troops
remaining there will soon be Withdrawn. There
a significant passage in the recent report of
the Secretary Of the Navy. in which the old An
tediluvian permitted the feline quadruped to ef-
feet her escape from the-weli. from the bag.
Gideon says:
: "In a military or strategic view, the place is
of little consequence u.s." aud this Is TO be
made the pretext for giving up the attempt to
capture t. But. the public will ask, If the place
was Of so little consequence TO US, why have
such tremendous preparations been made 10 cap
tnre III aud why, above all. have many thou
sands OF our best troops been kept there for
eighteen months. when they could have been of
| such inestimable service elsewheref fe
Since my last letter have seen some persons
from the South who have in their possession evil
dence of the most trustworthy kind and of the
most startling nature, in relation to the present
military strength Of the rebels. Ii appears from
this authority (and il is unquestioned,) that the
North has been shamefllly 6eluded by the stories
which have been circulated under the authority
Of the Administration, to the purport that the
rebellion on it's last legs. add that IL cannot
survive the coming summer. The stories, and
| also those that are now circulated in regard to
the effect Of the Presidents proclamation OF pre-
tended amnesty in the South. are sheer fabrica-
tiops The rebel soldiers, 40 a general thing.
Ispurn and spit upon Lincolns shallow and deu-
sve promises. There are men in the Southern
armies. msrcenary wretches, who have no more
interest Ia the South than the hundreds OF ori-
4 gaods and criminals who. unhappiiy, disgrace
4 and stain the Union army. have In the honor and
glory Of our common country. nese are ue
men Who are deserving: and there are few OF
Them at the best. II is childish to try 10 conceal
the fact that the great mass Of the Southern
j soldiers are the people Of the South, the owner
4 Of the plantations and farms.
4 Itis this measure, and measures like this. tha
4 have stseled the heart Of the Southern people
/ against the North. They have intelligence
enough 70 see that the men now in power at TN
Il North do not want them TO return to the Union
They know that what the Administrations want