Further from the North.
From the latest Northern papers we gather some interesting items. The Washington correspondents show that the Federal army is being moved from before Washington to a point higher up on the Potomac. The route was full of long trains of infantry and artillery on the 5th. A reconnaissance from Alexandria on the 5th, on a locomotive, showed that a force of Confederates is stationed at Berke's Station, 12 miles from that city. Captain S. P. Lee, of Virginia, has been appointed Acting Rear Admiral of the North Atlantic blockading squadron. Butler has placed his free negro regiment in camp at New Orleans. In Baltimore all the barrooms were closed on the announcement that the Confederates were in Maryland. A Provost Guard was instantly sent out, bringing in straggling soldiers and officers from the streets. The panic of the Unionists at Frederick, Md., is thus described by the Baltimore American: The excitement culminated about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon by a farmer arriving from Buckeystown, who reported to the people of Frederick that the rebels were encamped in the vicinity of that town 40,000 strong, and that they had seized and killed the cattle of the farmers in the vicinity. This spread throughout the city like wildfire, and the prominent Secessionists whispered to the Union men confidentially that they had better leave, as danger was impending. A scout was sent out to see if the report of the excited farmer was true that the rebels were cozily encamped, living on the fat of the land, without even having pickets out to warn them of impending danger. The scouts returned, declaring that they had seen the ‘"gray backs,"’ forty thousand strong, all leisurely taking their evening meal.--They went within two miles of the camp, and could distinctly see the color of their uniforms. Their return to the city of course increased the excitement, and there being but a provost guard of military there, and about 600 sick men in the hospitals, all thoughts of defence were abandoned. The prominent Union citizens were of course in great excitement, and with the prospect of a Richmond prison before them, they saddled and harnessed their horses and left by every available route, principally moving towards the Pennsylvania lines, many of them taking their families with them. Provost Marshal Faithful, in the full belief of these reports, ordered the destruction of all the hospital and other stores not immediately wanted, which were burnt at midnight last night. The destruction of these stores increased the panic, and the telegraph operator took his instruments and fled with the excited portion of the people. This morning the train of cars for Frederick from this city was stopped by some of the fugitives five miles this side of the Monocracy, and on their representations the train turned back to the city. The disappearance of the operator at the Monocracy during the flight was said to have been caused by his seizure, but we cannot trace his disappearance to any other cause than that which carried off the operator for Frederick.The preparations in and near Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Gazette, of the 3d instant, noticing the rapid preparations to defend that city, says: ‘ But in addition to the uprising within the city, there are other features developed by this movement that are gratifying. The spirit that animates our own citizens extended far beyond the limits of Hamilton county. The patriotism of the rural districts has been fanned into a flame. In the villages merchants closed their stores; in the fields farmers deserted their ploughs, and grasping their rifles, sprang forward to aid in the defence of Cincinnati. In the town of Eaton, on Monday morning, upon the receipt of the papers from this city, the fire bell was rang, and soon the inhabitants of the town were collected. Farmers, with their sons, rushed in from the country; judges left the bench, and in a few hours there were one hundred and fifty volunteers Messrs. Hendricks & Campbell came to the city in the evening and tendered the services of this company, which were accepted. Last evening this band of patriots filed past our office, carrying their own rifles and ammunition, ready for the field; and they left behind, at the station, three hundred men, awaiting transportation. At Springfield, on Tuesday morning, a meeting was held, a company organized, and last night two hundred men arrived, carrying their own arms. This is but the first instalment of Clark county's offering. We have not space, however, to particularize. Hamilton has two hundred men ready, and we do not care to mention how many thousand self armed volunteers the railroads will bring forward during the next 24 hours. Most of these men are sharpshooters — dead shots — and there will be enough of them to make the Kentucky hills fairly swarm. Let the rebels come. It would save trouble, time and expense, in fact, if they would favor us with a visit. ’The Line of the Potomac.
[Washington Letter in Philadelphia Press Sept. 5] If there is anything in human skill, artillery and destructive ordnance, I do not see how Washington can be taken. Wherever you look forts are seen. They command every hill, ford, bridge and ferry. From Bladensburg to Alexandria, from Alexandria to Chain Bridge, from Chain Bridge to Bladensburg, is one complete and unbroken line of defences. It would be as difficult to cross the Potomac within range of any of these points as it would have been to evade the flaming sword of the guardian angel. Under their guns our army is now resting — gradually accumulating strength and preparing for another campaign. No one, however, anticipates an attack upon Washington from the Potomac. The generally accepted military theory is that the rebel armies will attempt to engage our troops at Fairfax, and, while diverting their attention, make a movement by way of Leesburg or Harper's Ferry, force a crossing at these points, occupy Maryland, and excite the secession feeling there into riot and anarchy, break the line of the railroad from Washington to Baltimore, and thus interrupt all communication with the North, prevent supplies from reaching our army and our people, and naturally cause a surrender by causing a famine. In the meantime, to prevent these supplies from reaching the city, it is supposed that another column of the rebel army will move down to a point lower on the Potomac, erect batteries, and either cross into Maryland or prevent our transports from coming up the river. To avoid these schemes I may state that we have on the Lower Potomac a large number of gunboats; on the Upper Potomac large bodies of troops. A crossing at Edwards's Ferry is a favorite theory of the rebels. At Edwards's Ferry the river is narrow and fordable, but a division of men at Poolesville, with a battery on the hills occupied by Gen. Banks last year, after Ball's Bluff, would render such an attempt a dangerous experiment. Poolesville, Point of Rocks, and Harper's Ferry are all strongly guarded, while a large body of troops are being massed at Baltimore, as I am told, to be held as a reserve, for the purpose of resisting the capture or the invasion of Maryland, or the assault upon Washington. It is said, also, that there is a proposition to establish a large camp at Chambersburg, in your State, for the purpose of preventing a raid into Pennsylvania.--Jackson would desire nothing better than to go into winter quarters in the fruitful valley of the Susquehanna, and his guerrillas would find abundant and exhilarating sport in foraging upon the loyal farmers of York, Franklin, and Adams.From New York.
New York, Sept. 3
--New York is but seldom satisfied with letting well enough alone.
It is eternally over doing things.
Thus, the committee appointed at the Park war meeting the other day, to wait upon our wealthy citizens, to solicit subscriptions in order to forward enlistments, instead of confining themselves to that single duty, met to-day and
Resolved. That Gen. Fremont and Gen. Mitchell be requested if the Government will consent, to organize in this State, without delay, a corps of fifty thousand men, and that application for such consent be made to the General Government, and if it refuses, then to the State Government.
Resolved, That all residents of this city who are willing to join such a corps be requested to communicate their names and residences to some member of this committee.
It is difficult to discover the drift of this action.
It is certainly very inopportune, to say the least of it. At a time when the Government is straining every nerve to raise men by volunteering, and preparing even to draft, here is this Park Meeting Committee seeking to come in competition with Government, and to raise recruits to the extent of 50,000 men for Gen. Fremont and Gen. Mitchell.--The thing has a bad look.
It looks as if there were some arrangement making outside of the Government to put an army in the field for some sinister purpose.
Let us hope that the Committee will see at once the false position in which they have no doubt unwittingly placed themselves, and retreat from it, for their own sakes, as soon as possible
A rumor was afloat this afternoon, that Stonewall Jackson was marching on Baltimore.
The next story will be that he has thrown out his pickets over at Hoboken
A charge Refuted.
Today, for the first time, a letter from, Gen. Lee, ‘"C. S. A.,"’ dated ‘"Near Richmond, 2d inst,"’ fell under my observation, charging Brigadier General G. N. Fitch with having murdered in cold blood two peaceful citizens. I have no claim to the title, being plain Colonel, but am doubtless the officer alluded to. Some journals landed me, during the late White river expedition, for the alleged hanging of two hostages, and Gen. Lee censures me for the same supposed act. The praise and censure are alike undeserved, and the charge in both cases without the shadow of foundation. In fact, however many of them may have deserved different treatment, not a man was killed by the troops under my command except in fair action. I am, very respectfully, your ob't serv't.
G. N. Fitch.
Colonel 46th Indiana Volunteers, commanding
Brigade and the late White River Expedition.
G. N. Fitch.
Colonel 46th Indiana Volunteers, commanding
Brigade and the late White River Expedition.
