Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-08-18
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS.
SEws FROM xoBILE-THE CAPTURE OF TIE CITY
NOT CONSIDERED oERTAIN-FoRxIDABLE NATURE
Or THE MISUNDERSTANDING BEAuREGARD At
MOBILE WHAT DOES 1T xEAx1
Correspondence Of the View York News
WASHINGTON, August IL.

WASHINGTON, August IL.
There has been n wonderful abatement in the
Growing over the supposed fall of Mobile within
the last forty eight hours IL i evident that the
first glowing accounts that were put in circula-
ton, 10 the effect that the city was virtually
taken, for that il could not hold oct after our
vessels had passed Fort Morgan" were either
gross fabrications, or else exaggerations of the
real facts Ii is possible that the city may be
taken, but candor compels me to say that the
chances are all the other way.
Ii il said that the expedition was set on foot
without the sanction, without even the knowledge
OF Gen. Grant; and that the latter was amazed,
on his recent arrival here, to find that the affair
had gone so far He was not prepared either, il
is said, to take the responsibility of the move
ment, and the latter will have to rest upon the
shoulders of the President. 1t is Mr. Lincoln
who arranged all the details, and who must be
held responsible for its success or failure. 1t is
said that General Grant declared the force under
Gen Granger entirely inadequate, and declared
that it it had been prudent TO have drawn any
more troops from New Orleans besides the 18th
corps, that he would have brought them 10 him
az Petersburg weeks ago
The bes! and latest accounts from Mobile rep
resent the number of Confederate troops there
as quite small, consisting of fifteen regiments OF
three hundred men each, together with probably
FIVE hundred new recruits. The great reliance
of the Confederate leaders is up0n-frst, the ma
val force in Mobile bay. its powerful armament
and its skillful officers; second the forts com
handing the hasbor and bay, the impossible ob
suuctions, and tse torpedOes which are plenti-
fully disposed in certain places; third the strength
and extent Of the defensive works upon the land
side, and fourth, the presence OF Beauregart
| himself.
The latter distinguished officer il is said, lef
Petersburg some days ago, and is now in chic
command at Mobile. Ii is said, too, that the de
fenses of Mobile, both from land and naval at
| tacks were arranged in accordance with his in
| structions, and that he considers them nearly az
formidable as those which have so successfully
answered their purpose at Charleston. The fac
! that one of our strongest and most powerful iron
clad yesSels-the Iecumseh-was blown up anC
destroyed by torpedo, shows how effective and
| how terribly destructive those implements Of
warfare are
Large as Admiral Farragut's fleet is therefore
and heavy as the weight Of metal is which il
carries, there is a well grounded apprehension
felt here that il runs good chance of being de-
molished; and that the expedition against Mo-
bile, like those against Charleston. Richmond
and Atlanta will be failure.
Your readers remember, OF course, in the case
| of Charleston, the boasttul assurances that were
made day after day for weeks that the obstruc-
tons in Charleston Harbor would speedily be re-
moved, and that the nest of the rebellion would
soon be captured-snd how those assurance;
dwindled down to the humilistng confession tha
1--WE had no appliances by which the obstruction:
could be removed" and so the great expedition
had to be abandoned.
From what | can learn in relation to Mobile
il will probably be very much the same there
The successes which have attended on ths
brave old Farragut at the commencement o.
the enterprise are DO greater than those which
attended Commodore Dupont before Charleston
but with these his success will probably ter
inmate
Ii is possible that 1.-THE Government" has re-
ceived private adyices from Mobile, representing
the hopelessness of taking the city, for have
heard number of persons TO day in high officia
station, making such remarks as that 1.-The mere
possession of Mobile is matter of minor i'm
pOrtance, and great solcitude ought to be felt
whether Mobile is captured or not" Straw:
show which way the wind blows; and just suci
remarks began to be made here when an idea o
the mpossibility of capturing Charleston begaI
to dawn on the official mind.
There is reason to believe that the Confederate
steamer Tallahassee, recently operating off th,
coast OF New Jersey, is only the avant courier o
fleet of similar vessels which may be expected
in the course of the next four weeks. Look on
for them MALCOLM