War matters.
From various Northern papers in our possession, we make up the following summary:
Combined movement of Federal troops.
A correspondent of the New York Express, after stating that there will probably be no immediate advance on
Manassas Junction or
Aquia Creek, proceeds to say:
‘
About 14,000 troops are collecting on the
Pennsylvania line, including the
Fort Sumter force,
Capt. Doubleday, a body of U. S. engineers, artillery, cavalry, &c.
Four brigades (sixteen regiments) will be at
Chambersburg by the close of the week.--
Col. Ballier's rifle regiment,
McMullen's company of desperate roughs, the
Scott Legion, and the
Philadelphia City Troop are among them.
The artillery will all be regulars.
three battalions of that arm are under orders, and of these the chief is the
Fort Sumter garrison.
Gen. Patterson's aim has been to secure those who have seen service.
Col. Dare's fine regiment of
Philadelphia City Guards will be part of the marching army, which it is supposed will not be less than 20,000.
The Confederate forces are being posted at
Richmond,
Harper's Ferry and
Norfolk.
The movements planned out for the
United States corps d'armee of
Gen. McClellan, is from the
West; for
Gen. Patterson, from the
North; for
Gen. McDowell, from
Washington; leaving
Gen. Butler for the seaboard.
Gen. Scott is either to force the
Confederates to concentrate at
Richmond, and risk a battle there, or to cut them off in detail, and thus render the capture of the main point more easy.
’
McMullen's men, it is said, will lead the forlorn hope at
Harper's Ferry, supported by the
Scott Legion.
Brigadier General Thomas is spoken of as having been fixed upon to command the advance brigade.
He is a skillful officer, and was lately
Colonel of the Cavalry regiment now at
Chambersburg.
This latter force is expected to be increased by additions from
Fort Leavenworth, from the companies which have seen service there on the great plains, so that the Cavalry will be not only numerous but exceedingly effective.
Gen. McClellan, it is thought, will do most service by crossing from
Grafton to
Winchester, and cutting off the retreat of the
Confederates down the
Valley.
To do this position he must also take up a position at
Strasburg, so as to prevent
Lee's force east of the mountains from a quick transit by railroad to his rear.
Holding these two positions, and
Gen. Patterson's corps moving in force upon
Harper's Ferry, not only would the latter be cut off, but the
Confederates at
Manassas Junction and elsewhere assailed or threatened simultaneously from
Arlington, would be in an unenviable way.
The purpose of the
Government is to make the enemy to treat or fight, as
Harper's Ferry and
Manassas Junction are essential to the safety of the forces at
Charlottesville,
Culpeper,
Fredericksburg and
Aquia Creek.
If these be lost, the rapid movement of three such armies as those approaching from the
West, the
North and the
Potomac, would render it impossible to maintain any post north of
Richmond.
Bartlett's Naval brigade — statement of one of the men.
On Wednesday 180 men belonging to
Colonel Bartlett's naval brigade arrived at New York from
Fortress Monroe. One of them has furnished the following statement to the
Commercial:
We embarked on Monday, the 27th, for
Fortress Monroe, and came to in the
Roads on Wednesday morning under the guns of the
Fort.
We lay there on Wednesday night, and landed at the
Fort on Thursday morning about 850 in all. We were then drawn up in line near the shore, and
Colonel Bartlett gave the order to march up to the camp.
Arriving there,
Colonel Bartlett ordered us to break ranks and get into the woods to shelter us from the sun, stating that he would return in two hours.
Colonel B. did not return to the camp till Monday, when he stated that he had met with an accident.
While in camp
Lieut. Col. Whittemore informed the men that
Gen. Butler was much pleased with their appearance.
The brigade had but five muskets in all, and two of these were damaged.
Col. Allen's regiment and the Zouaves were between
Fortress Monroe and the brigade, leaving the brigade at the mercy of the enemy had they made an attack.
The men complain of gross imposition on the part of the officers of the brigade.
The brigade was very short of provisions.
The rations at the camp consisted of but two biscuits and a small piece of pork twice a day. Those who had any money were obliged to buy meat for themselves and divide with their comrades.
The men pulled down fences and formed huts, covered with boughs, to protect them from the weather.
Gen. Butler sent an order for the brigade to embark for New York on Monday at 4 P. M., as
Col. Allen had enough to do to protect his own men, without taking care of over 800 men, who were without arms or equipments.
Lt. Col. Whittemore called the men together on Monday noon, and informed them that the Naval brigade was disbanded by order of
Gen. Butler, but that if any of the men would wait until he could proceed to
Washington and return, they would probably be taken into the service and organized under the name of the Butler Guard.
All but about 180 remained.
These returned in the
Coatzacoalcos.
Many who remained did so for fear of being ridiculed if they returned.
They were dirty and without decent clothing.
Many of those who returned were without shoes, and others without shirts.
They threw away many worn out garments, as they were promised new uniforms on their arrival at
Fortress Monroe.
Arms were carried to
Fortress Monroe for the use of the brigade, but as the owner was not paid for them, he refused to deliver them up on their arrival.
They will be retained for the use of
Gen. Butler.
The men who enlisted in the brigade were to get $20 per month, and a month's advance in addition to uniforms.
They received neither.
Much difficulty occurred between
Col. Bartlett and his officers at the camp.
After reaching New York the men published an appeal to the "Union Defence Committee" for aid, in which they say:
‘
"Many of us have been without a change of clothing for full a month, having been promised again and again our uniforms and detained in camp on scanty rations.
During the last week our camp has been a line of huts formed of rails and covered with brushwood.
We have been posted near the enemy unarmed, and stood guard with clubs for defence.
Some are barefooted, and others at a distance from their homes.
Had not the brigade been disbanded, no doubt we should have become the victims of exposure, and fallen from other causes than the fire of our enemies.
In a word, many are utterly destitute.
We have been promised pay — yes, everything — and received nothing.
’
the Duration of the war.
The
Washington correspondent of the New York Journal of Commerce says:
‘
The three months men are soon to be withdrawn from service, and their places taken by three years men. All arrangements indicate on both sides preparations for a protracted war. The operations in
Western Virginia, and on the
Ohio, and the
Mississippi, will, at an early stage of the war, be conducted on a large scale, under
Gen. McClellan, now second to
Gen. Scott in command of the United States Army.
A descent upon
Memphis, with an overwhelming force, by a flotilla and an army, is one of the greatest of the operations embraced in the programme of the war. As this will require much preparation, it may not be attempted till next winter.
The removal of the
Montgomery Government to
Richmond will be, as we have abundant evidence already, attended with a transfer of immense bodies of Southern troops to
Virginia.
They are pouring in from all the
Southern States, and the prospect is, that the
Southern crop of wheat, corn, &c., will be ample to sustain them.
The non-export of cotton during the blockade of the sea-coast, and the prohibition of its export
except from Southern
sea-ports, will cause a still further diversion of slave labor in the
Cotton States to the production of corn and cattle, during every successive season of the war. There will be less of luxury and extravagance, and perhaps even some lack of ordinary comforts, in the
Southern States, during a seven years war, and the same may be said in regard to a portion at least of the
Northern States; but it is evident that, on both sides, all the privations consequent upon the chances of the struggle will be accepted, and endorsed with resignation, and hope of a more happy future.
’
intelligence from
Washington.
The
Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger says:
‘
It is asserted that the main reason of no further forward movement into
Virginia at present, is in consequence of intelligence that has reached the War Department representing the enemy as too strong to cope with, and, as the
Government is not disposed to rush rashly into battle, it will take a little more time for the complete perfecting of such plans and arrangements as may be thought necessary.
The landing of a force at
Aquia Creek, for the capture of the formidable battery there, is said to have been abandoned, as
General Scott does not think the object desired would be worth the risk run to obtain it.
It is a fact that a clamor exists among politicians, to the effect that movements are too slow; if they, forsooth, had the management of things, they would go ahead, cut and slash, and destroy things generally.
I hear this from the best sources.
It works upon the upper men in the Administration councils, who, in turn, express that concern (to say the least) on the subject, that annoys
Gen. Scott, and other capable and responsible officers. --It is currently reported that that officer says that he don't want to take premature steps that would be destructive of life to the extent of ten thousand to each member of the
Cabinet.
There is no confirmation of the reported evacuation of
Harper's Ferry; nor is it, as I stated yesterday, believed.
On the contrary, the latest advices thence represent that there are at least 20,000 Southern troops there, and that their position is of such strength that three times the number opposed could not dislodge them.
’
The correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says:
‘
There is said to have been a difficulty between the
President and the
Secretary of War in regard to certain brigades, and the
Secretary is much censured by
all who are familiar with the circumstances.
He
may yet resign.
Yesterday two hundred horses from
Pennsylvania arrived here via the
Northern Central and
Baltimore and Ohio Railroads, for the use of Government.
Two locomotives from the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroads also arrived at this point yesterday.
The locomotives were of
Baldwin's ten-wheel class, weighing about 26 tons each.
They are intended for use on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad,
as soon as that route is opened to Manassas Gap.
The camp at
Arlington Heights is continually alarmed by reports of the advance of Confederate troops.
’
an officer arrested for Treason.
A Baltimore paper, of Friday last, says:
‘
John Timmes,
Captain of Company B, 70th Regiment,
Brooklyn, was placed under arrest yesterday, by order of
Brigadier General Cooke, and is to be tried by court-martial, for uttering treasonable language at a parade of the 70th Regiment at East New York.
On the 29th of May a disturbance was created among the German members, by Timmes' expressing sympathy with the Secessionists, and abusing the Administration and
Carl Schurz; and on his return home he was threatened with lynching if he continued his treasonable expressions; but this had no effect on Timmes.
Yesterday
Lieutenant Philip Schack, of Company D. 70th regiment, preferred a complaint against
Captain Timmes before
General Cooke, in which he is accused of using treasonable language, among other expressions saying that the first shot he fired would be to put a bullet through the head of
Carl Schurz, and that if his regiment were ordered to the seat of war he would desert to the
South and take as many other men with him as he could get, and help the Southerners to whip the d-d Abolitionists.
Timmes has been deposed from his command, deprived of his sword, and will be tried by a court-martial to be convened in a few days.
’
