Affairs at Manassas — Baltimore wanted for winter quarters.
“
Se de Kay,” writing to the
Louisville Courier from Camp Bartow, near
Manassas, under date of August 23, says:--
A week of chill rain storms has served to remind us not only of the personal discomforts of camp life, but of the rapid departure of summer, and the near approach of the season of “mist and mellow fruitfulness.”
The “last roses” are indeed blooming, though it was but the other day that I plucked one on the battle-field, where it had opened its delicate fragrance upon the tainted air, amid the wreck and desolation of horrid war. We still linger in possession of our dearly-bought position; our forces occupying, at present, no more advanced lines than before the 21st of July.
Aside from the moral effect upon the whole world — and that is momentous — our immortal victory has availed us but little.
We barely hold our own ; but then the month of apparent inaction has been wisely employed by our generals in preparing for the decisive blow of the contest.
When we shall strike,
quien sabe. No one, save
General Johnston, who closets himself in his little yellow brick Headquarters, a mile west of our camp, and diligently engages himself in reorganizing the army, and making ready for the conflict which shall result in freeing nine millions of people, and reestablishing the ark of liberty, so long desecrated by the impious
Northmen.
That there will be a forward movement soon, we have every reason to believe, and no reader of the
Courier need be astonished while sipping his morning coffee, if he sees the announcement of our occupation of
Maryland, and the hemming in of the
Federal Capital.
We must have winter quarters, and
Baltimore would furnish splendid accommodations for our forces.
