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Later from the North.

Old Abe has a moonlight review of McClellan's army — a Breeze in Congress.



The New York Herald, of the 11th, is received through the kindness of a friend. It has voluminous correspondence from the ‘"Grand Army,"’ but the letters are so much like all those it has published that we will only make extracts from them. From Harrison's Landing, on the 7th, it is stated that ‘"ship loads of supplies come to the wharf, and fresh beef is plentiful."’ The writer adds, that after a few days rest ‘"the boys are ready to meet a foe at a moment's notice whom they have tested and learned not to fear."’ Gen. Griffin, who managed the artillery at Malvern's Hill, thinks he can whip the Confederates ‘"every pop."’ It was feared that the Confederates would establish batteries on the south side of James river, and annoy them in transporting supplies. Another, dated the 9th, gives an account of


Old Abe's visit to the Grand army.

Our division, like the other divisions of the Potomac army, had an opportunity last evening to show their power of jubilant expression and utterance to their fullest extent. Loud and far the air rang with their clear shouts. The occasion was the passage through our long drawn up lines of President Lincoln. Gen. McClellan and staff. It was after nine o'clock when the President and party reached our lines. Each successive booming of salutes made known his progress, and, although our men had been kept waiting two hours, the impatience to see the President only increased with the lapse of time. Some were disappointed at only being able to get a glimpse of him by moonlight. His tall figure, like Saul of old, pointed out our chief, and his long stovepipe hat, unmilitary dress, and position at the head of the reviewing column by the side of Gen. McClellan, left no doubt as to the man. As he passed each regiment he was most enthusiastically cheered, as was also Gen. McClellan.

The effect of the visit will be splendid. It shows the interest in the army of President Lincoln, and is an earnest of fulfillment of his promise to furnish every required aid of men and money to enable this army to push into Richmond. Our tattered flags and decimated regiments told more eloquently than words the services rendered by this division during the past week in the field of battle.

An order has just been issued to every regiment of this division, informing them what battles each may inscribe on their flag. There is not one that does not have a list to show it can always be proud of. This is another thing that, is having an inspiriting effect on our troops. The inscriptions are to be made forthwith. And here begins the noble record for future history of the Grand Army of the Potomac.

The unexpected visit of President Lincoln to this army has had an excellent effect. He was, as before stated, most enthusiastically received, and appeared to be much pleased to find the army in such excellent condition, after the labors which it had undergone. Each division was soon under arms and in line, and was visited and reviewed in turn. The division of General Sykes, which is composed mainly of regulars, not within its severe losses in the recent battles, made a very good appearance. This division has rendered good service of late, and has fought well. At Games's Mills and other recent battles they have fought well. and reflected credit upon themselves and the army. As the President and his party rode slowly along the line, the cheering was most enthusiastic. It evidently gratified and cheered both officers and men to witness this evidence of a lively interest in their welfare and sympathy with them of the President. On his part, he seemed to be much pleased with his reception, and to be satisfied that the army of the Potomac was yet a living institution and destined to enter in triumph the rebel capital and that before a very long period. The thunder of the cannon as they peeled forth a salute, the long lines of soldiers, and the gay uniforms of the officers, all made up a scene, slivered by the rays of Diana, the Goddess of Night, long to be remembered.

The intensely hot weather of the past two or three days has rendered any labor or exposure in the middle of the day not only disagreeable, but to the unacclimated somewhat dangerous. The mornings and evenings, however, are quite comfortable, and the reviews and parades all take place at those hours. On Monday the thermometer reached 104 degrees in the shade. It was not quite to warm yesterday, but still enough so to render any exertion uncomfortable. This morning opens beautifully cool and invigorating, and we may be spared the intones heat of yesterday and day before.

The army is rapidly recovering from the prostrating effects of its recent exertions, and, strengthened by the reinforcements which are dally coming forward, will soon be in a condition to resume offensive operations.

The visit of the President is also generally supposed to have reference to our future movements, which will probably develop themselves soon. The spirits and confidence of the army are now fully restored and the depression which over exertion and a non-comprehension of the object of the recent changes in our base of operations had caused has passed away. The enemy do not seem much disposed to trouble us in our new position.

A letter from Fortress Monroe, date the 9th gives an account of the return to that place:

Mr. Lincoln had not returned up to noon, and his movements are so quiet we fail to find out much; and just at this time it is no more than just to say to the public that, whatever he may be doing, he is working for the best interests of the country at large.

Since writing the above the President arrived here in the Ariel, from Harrison's Landing, which point he left at ten o'clock this forenoon. He comes down in excellent spirits, having greatly enjoyed the enthusiastic reception which the brave spirits of the Army of the Potomac gave him, as, accompanied by Little Mac he rode through their lines. He was of course much pleased at the fine appearance of the army, and its well preserved morele, after its late brilliant and bloody strategic movement. While at Harrison's Point, he visited the Galena, Monitor, and Maratanza, and appeared as jovial and genial as possible.

Upon reaching here Mr. Lincoln dined with Gen. Burnside, upon the Alice Price. Gen. Dix and several other distinguished military and naval officers were of the party. After dinner the President and party went aboard the Ariel, and visited the British sloop-of-war Jason, lying in the roads. He was received with the customary salute of seventeen guns, the national ensign being hoisted at the main while the salute was given. The fort returned the salute, gun for gun.

Mr. Lincoln will probably return to Washington to-night, and the fruits of his most propitious visit will soon be apparent.

The enemy will not be allowed to spend the summer in peace, you may rest assured; and if Union guns do not yet thunder under the very walls of Richmond in a short time we shall all be mistaken.

His return to Washington is thus noticed in a telegram from there:

Upon the President's arrival in the James river, off Harrison's Landing, he was visited by General McClellan and stuff. Soon after, the whole party disembarked, and, upon reaching the landing, they mounted and proceeded to the headquarters of Gen. McClellan, and thence without much delay to review the whole army. Many of the men were at work in the ditches, and among the latter were one or two ex-Congressmen. All were cheerful and sanguine of early and final success.

The President returned this evening from his visit to the army of Gen. McClellan. He was accompanied by Assistant Secretary of War Watson, Gen. Negley, and Col. F. P. Blair, Jr. During the several days spent in the Army of the Potomac the President had an opportunity to see for himself its condition and capacity. On Tuesday he reviewed the whole army, passing along the front in sight of the rebel pickets. Everywhere he was received with deafening cheers.

At one point of the line he could not refrain from dismounting from his horse, and mounting a parapet in plain view of the enemy, and making a brief speech to the soldiers of the Union. The President is satisfied that affairs on the Peninsula are in much better condition than they have been represented. He gives credit to Gen. McClellan for having in no way exaggerated facts. He has seen for himself the necessity for reenforcing the Army of the Potomac, and returns with the conviction that Gen. McClellan is in his proper position, that the army is devoted to him, and full of confidence in his ability, and that all he requires should and shall be done

without delay. The President expresses himself delighted with his visit.

On the way up the Potomac the boat was aground for several hours on the Kettle Shoals, and the whole party, including the President, availed themselves of the opportunity to take a bath and swim in the river. This delay occasioned some anxiety in the Presidential household, which was allayed by his arrival this evening.


Lively times in the Federal Congress--a Victim wanted.

In the Federal Senate, on the 10th, Mr. Chandler. (Rep.,) of Michigan, called for all the correspondence between Gen. McClellan and the Government.

Mr. Wright, of Ind, thought it too bad, in the time of the ‘"country's trouble. "’ to make charged against the Generals in the field. He would stand by the man who was fighting the battles of his country.

Mr. Chandler said that the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Wright) must have mistaken his (Mr. Chandler's) remarks. The press of the country has been filled with denunciations of the Secretary of War for what they said was a military crime on his part — not sending reinforcements to Gen. McClellan. It was intended that this assault upon the Secretary of War should be deadly and lead to his removal. He (Mr. Chandler) denied that Secretary Stanton was guilty of this crime, and lie (Mr. Chandler) simply called for the evidence in the case. It is plain to every man in the land that when the army was sent off to the Peninsula there should have been a force sufficient retained to defend the capital. He (Chandler) had the evidence of nine Major Generals, taken before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, in which they said it was absolutely necessary to retain a force here for the defence of Washington. Gen. Richardson, in his sworn statement, said it would require 40,000 men and a corps of 60,000 men to stop the movements of the enemy above or below the city. General Franklin thought that from 35,000 to 50,000 men would be necessary, and the others said that from 50,000 to 75,000 must be left here for the proper defence of the place.

When General McClellan went to Fortress Monroe it was found that he had not left a solitary regiment here except the Nineteenth, and that he had not left a solitary gun on wheels for the defence of the capital. Had this gone on, the enemy would have taken the capital before the month of April; but the President interposed and stopped it, and kept a corps for the defence of the capital. Was it not proper that these facts should go to the country? Was it not right that the people should know what the facts really are? The President and Secretary Stanton sent every solitary man, every musket, every sabre, and every bayonet to the army of the Peninsula that could possibly be spared from the defence of the capital. Nothing was refused to that army that could by any possibility be spared. Was it not fair, then, that the press should stop denouncing the man (Secretary Stanton) who was opposed to this division of the army, but who was in favor of marching the army straight into Richmond?

Mr. Wright thought such speeches as had been made here were dangerous to the Union, and he was for the Union above all else.

Mr. Henderson, (Union,) of Mo., thought that this resolution was going to have the effect to make two parties in the country in regard to the operations of the General in the field. It is idle to talk, as the newspapers have done, that the rebels will not fight, for they will meet us at every point. But it reinforcements are promptly sent Gen. McClellan the rebel capital can be taken in a month. Cease, then, these mischievous resolutions, which only tend to excite party feeling. If any General is incompetent, let the President remove him at once; but he (Mr. Henderson) had seen no incompetency in front of Richmond. We are always apt to underrate the force of the rebels. We must have more energy and a larger force, or we shall never put down this rebellion. It is useless to close our eyes to the fact that the rebels are as strong as we are, and the people may as well know the fact.--The newspapers have been saying for months that the Southern army is starving. Is it possible there is such ignorance as to suppose that with the climate and soil of the South the rebels can be starved out. It is perfectly idle to attempt to conceal the facts from the people. They ought to know everything connected with this war.

The South are as well furnished with cannon and weapons of every kind as we are, and they will continue to make them. He wanted to inspire a little more zeal in the country. Let them use all their energy to suppress the rebellion. Let the whole country join as one; and let certain members of the Republican party cease their schemes of emancipation, not but that he believed them honest in their views, but that he believed they were mistaken. There had not been sufficient confidence placed in the men of the Border States. He (Mr. Henderson) had even heard it said that the men from the Border States were not as loyal as they should be, because they were so much attached to slavery. The Border States had put their share of men in the Union army. In Missouri they were ready to put into the field the twelve thousand men asked for by the recent call, and if this was not enough Missouri would put into the field twelve thousand more. In regard to the charges brought against Kentucky, he believed that the centrality adopted by the Union men of that State saved that State to the Union.

These schemes of emancipation might as well be postponed until December, for nothing can be done till the serried ranks of the rebels are broken up, and he (Mr. Henderson) did not believe that they were going to be broken up before that time. But he was not going to call loyal men ‘"abolitionists,"’ because he believed many of these men were most sincere in their belief. Loyal men in the South certainly cannot complain as much of the abolitionists as they can of the rebels for the latter have taken fifty per cent of the slaves from Missouri. He (Mr. Henderson) was not in favor of arming the negroes; for he believed that if a regiment of negro plantation hands were armed we should have to send one or two Yankee regiments to stand behind them, and than there would be great danger of the Yankees being run over should a fight take place. The staves never could be made soldiers of, but he (Mr. Henderson) would have the slaves used in every kind of labor. He should vote for the resolution of the Senator from Michigan, (Mr. Chandler,) for the people might as well have all the facts now; but he was very sorry to hear any charges of disloyalty made against General McClellan.

Mr. Trumbull said that he was astonished that Senators were so united in praising Gen. McClellan, and yet were so unwilling to hear any different opinion concerning him. The Senator from Indiana, (Mr. Wright,) with strange forgetfulness, says that General McClellan has not defended himself in the newspapers. Has that Senator (Mr. Wright) read the papers? The papers have been full of the praises, of General McClellan, and of his ‘"great strategic skill,"’ and ‘"how he was drawing the rebels into a trap,"’ &c. General McClellan was placed in command more than a year ago of all the army, with full power. If the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Henderson) had been told that Gen. McClellan was to take command of the army, and remain in one position, not only all the fall, but all the winter, without making any attack on the enemy, would that Senator have chosen such a General?

Mr. Henderson said that he had thought that Manassas should have been attacked; but he also thought that the Senator from Illinois, (Mr. Trumbull,) like many others, had underrated the force of the rebels everywhere. He (Mr. Henderson) was no military man, but he know that the Generals of our army had usually found the enemy stronger than they expected.

Mr. Trumbull thought that we overrated the rebels instead of underrating them. We had always acted on the defensive. We were putting down a rebellion; but has the General (McClellan) in whom the Senator has such unbounded confidence ever made an attack? Is this rebellion to be put down by digging, trenching, and acting on the defensive? The fact is, taking out the slaves, there were only about eight millions of people in all the States now in rebellion. The rebels could not raise as large an army as the State of New York, and they have to watch their slave population. Let the Union army stop watching the slaves. He (Mr. Trumbull) was not going to express any opinion this morning but the country will know whether digging trenches a years is the way to put down the rebellion, and then when attacked leaving all the trenches and doing the fighting outside of them. He believed that the people were ready to make any sacrifice to put down this rebellion, and he believed they would do it.

Mr. Davis, (opp.) of Ky., was in favor of the resolution, but condemned the Secretary of War as intriguing to supplant Gen. McClellan, Gen. McClellan had submitted his plan of conducting the campaign, but the Secretary of War had overruled it, showing hostility to Gen. McClellan.

Mr. Morrill, (rep.) of Me., asked if the Senator (Mr. Davis) stated what he knew, or was it on mere information?

rM. Davis said what he had stated he understood to be so, and if the Senator would give him (Mr. Davis) a committee he thought he could prove it.

Mr. Chandler said that General McClellan's plan, as submitted, was to leave the enemy at Manassas and the Potomac river blockaded, and the whole army was to be shipped off by the way of Annapolis. This plan was overruled by the President and Secretary of War. The facts ought to be stated fairly.

Mr. Wilson, of Mass, said the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) had made some statements which ought not to go to the country. He (Mr. Wilson) said, without hesitation or qualification, that the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) was utterly mistaken. He (Mr. Wilson) did not believe that the Secretary of War was engaged in any intrigue against General McClellan. His (Mr. Wilson's) position, as Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, gave him (Mr. Wilson) advantages in finding out it such was the case, and this was the first time that he (Mr. Wilson) had ever heard of it. There had been considerable difference in regard to the plans for taking Richmond. It was understood there were three plans. One was that of General Rosecranz, to go by the valley of the Shenandoah to Richmond, and he (Mr. Wilson) believed that the Secretary of War approved of this plan. Another plan was to go down to Richmond by way of the Rappahannock. The third plan was to go to Richmond by way of the Peninania, which was the plan of General McClellan.

The resolution of Mr. Chandler was then passed, by yeas 39, nays 6.

Nays--Messrs. Anthony, Foster, Lane of Kansas, McDougall, Saulsbury, and Wright.

The bill relative to calling out the militia, with

the amendments authorizing the arming of the blacks, their employment on entrenchments, &c., and freeing the wife, mother, and children of negroes so employed, was then called up. A motion to postpone indefinitely was disagreed to by a vote of nine against twenty seven. An amendment that loyal persons shall be compensated for loss of service of slaves taken under the bill was agreed to. The section authorizing the President to receive negroes into the military service was then passed. On taking the question on the section giving freedom to the mother, wife, and children of negroes so employed by the Government, there was no quorum, and the Senate adjourned.


A Federal Disaster.

The New York Herald, of the 11th, says:

‘ Dispatches from Nashville, dated the 9th inst., report that four companies of the 9th Pennsylvania cavalry were surprised and cut up at daybreak on that morning at Tompkinsville, by a party of one thousand five hundred rebel cavalry, under Col. Stearns, who immediately pushed on with his command in the direction of Bowling Green. It was rumored that Col. Williams and Majors Browne and Jordan, on our side, were killed, but some doubts were entertained as to the fate of the former officer.


From Fort Monroe.

Fortress Monroe, July 8,
P. M.--A. flag of truce was sent up York river yesterday, and returned this afternoon. At Cumberland they found 105 of our wounded soldiers held as prisoners by the rebels. The latter readily consented to give them up. Arrangements were at once made to convey them to the landing; where the steamer Jno. Tucker lay. When they had been conveyed about one mile, a rebel cavalry corps came up and compelled them all to return to the hospital, and Dr. Bradley, of the Hygeia Hospital. was taken prisoner, but subsequently released. The wounded soldiers were all left at the Cumberland Hospital where they found them, in the hands of the rebels. The joy of the poor wounded soldiers at their anticipated release was very great; but when they were informed that they must return to the hospital again, and be left there as prisoners, their grief was indescribable, especially among those who were sick. The scene was heart-rending.

The steamer Canonious was fired into yesterday by the rebels, a few miles this side of Harrison's Landing. No damage done. Notwithstanding our gunboats are stationed at intervals of three miles along that portion of the river, yet the rebels, with about six field pieces, dodge down near the river and fire into our transports every day. They fire and run away before the gunboats can bring their guns to bear on them.

Fortress Monroe, July 9, 1862. --All is quiet in the army. Nothing is going on except throwing up breastworks and clearing away trees.

Among the prisoners at the hospital on the York river, held by the rebels, is Mrs. E. K. Parlin. Dr. Bradly interceded with the rebels for the release of this lady, but to no avail, they turning a deaf ear to his entreaties.

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