Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-07-19
From the New York News Correspondent


WASHINGTON, July 10, 10 P. NJ.
To-day has been an anxious and trying one
for Washington. There was little sleep here
last night. Every one knew that large portion
of Gen Lees army was almost within sight of
the city. with the determination. it was feared, of
making an attack on the capital this morning
All night. however re Inducements of veteran
troops continued 10 arrive Between sunset of
Yesterday and this morning, $4,000 veterans
reached here, and during the course of to day
5000 more arrived. making %, 900 during the
last twenty-four hours. This of course, is in
addition TO those that had reached here before
Yesterday. With the force that we had this
morning. therefore. we felt pretty confident of
being able to hold the capital. unless indeed the
whole Confederate army vas at our gates.
For some DAYS previous as long rs the rail-
road between here and Baltimore had remained
open, pretty general hegira had been going on
among the more timid souls i'm the employ of
the Government. Many of those who are noted
for their loud clustering abou. this wicked rebel
lion. and who delight in expressing their appro-
val Of the cOnfscation and emancipation policy
Of the Administration, and who are all the time
speaking of the necessity of continuing the war
until the South IS entirely subiugated. now sud-
denly found urgent business in the North and
left here in hot haste
IL was reported on the eleventh that the Pres-
dent himself had Joined the throng of pilgrims to
the North, but Old Abe was still here YESTERDAY
Yesterday. however. strong pressure
brought TO b1ar upon the President by his friends
and advisers to induce him to 60 on board an
iron-clad vessel. and secure hi- personal safety
by fight. IL is said that Old Abe refused. but
that preparations for his fight were actually
made. His friends believe that the chief object
which the audacious rebels have in view is to
dash into the capital with strong force of fifteen
thousand cavalry. Overpower all resistance. sieze
the President and hurry him off to Richmond a
prisoner
They say that if The Government" should be
carried of IN that way the Government would be
seriously embarrassed. and that the Democrats
would then say that We no longer had Govern
meni. and that anarchy would prevail They
siy, also, that Old Abes nature is such that he
il So accustomed to yield to the pressure,
that If the latter were applied at Richmond. he
might be INDUCED to sign treaty acknowledge
ing the Independence Of the South, and to give
pledge that IL released. he would stop the war
To avert this evil, therefore they enormously
urged bis departure. But Old Abe is here still
Some severe skirmishing took place this
morning between the Confederate forces and
those bodies Of our tr00ps that are posted 10 the
north of the city The Confederates were re
pulsed. and the loss on either side was not large
The result might have been very different. had it
not been FOR the presence here of so large BODY
Of veteran troops. That fact. OF course. is known
20 the Confeterates. and IL NAV lead them 20
abandon MI their designs against the Capital.
Indeed. il nav be doubted whether thev really
entertained any design for its capture Perhaps
they viii be satisfied With having drawn TO its
defence 30 large portion of our army. from
points in their country. heretofore threatened.
and may now retire without any further demon
stralion Indeed. the indications tonight are.
that they are already retreating. and are sking
preparations to recross the Potomac at Edwards
Ferry.