A Waif from the Bay State: Westboro’, Sept. 5, 1861

Waifs from the Bay State
[Correspondence of the Pac. Commercial Advertiser)

Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu: October 31, 1861

My dear commercial: -Since my last “Waif” which was sent from Washington, just after the disastrous affair at Bull Run, a great change has come over the face of affairs. Not only is the utmost energy manifested in every department of the government and the army, but secrecy is now maintained as to all movements, and the result has been that public confidence is increased, and the public press relieved from sensation reports of what projects were on foot, of which the rebels have been quick to avail themselves. The rebel army is now menacing Washington, and the pickets of the opposing forces are in close proximity. The golden opportunity for the capture of Washington, however, has I think fled forever, for the rebels. McClellan is every day more ready to withstand an attack, and Beauregard would I think retire at once with his forces for some more vulnerable point, but for the moral effect of such a move upon the Southern States. Silently but constantly, a steady stream of Northern troops has been pouring into Washington since the Bull Run defeat; the army has been reorganized, a thorough discipline introduced, incompetent officers removed and their places supplied with tried and trusting men, and a thorough reformation effected, which could never have been accomplished with volunteer troops, but for the bitter lesson taught at Bull Run.

The battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri, though it lost us one of the best Generals in the death of the brave Lyon, was really a victory over the rebels. Had our forces retreated before the overwhelming superiority superiority of the rebels, they would have been pursued and cut to pieces before they could have been reinforced, and the valuable baggage train, worth two millions, would undoubtedly have been captured. To prevent this disaster, Gen. Lyon deemed it best to attack the enemy, and endeavor to strike a severe blow that should disable them from pursuit. With this view, he led his little force of less than 5,000 men in a desperate attack upon the army under McCulloch and Price, numbering 24,000, drove them from their position, destroyed their tents and wagons, and though he himself feel dead on the field when leading a fierce and successful charge of the Iowa 1st, yet his handful of men effected a retreat with their train, leaving the enemy too much cut up to follow. Fremont is rapidly organizing a formidable force, and when he is prepared to take the field, we shall hear no more of rebel troops in Missouri, Memphis and New Orleans will be attacked, and if our troops are successful, the mouth of the Mississippi will before winter be open to trade, and England and France may procure their supplies of cotton from the Union sources. 

The brilliant victory achieved by our navel and land forces under Com. Stringham and Gen. Butler, in the capture of the forts at Hatteras Inlet, is a most important one and will change the whole character of the war. With an enemy in their rear, the confederate army before Washington will no longer be able to give their exclusive attention to the little matter of planting “the stars and bars” on the Capitol,” and the theory of “State sovereignty” upon which the right of secession is founded, will be likely to be put in force by the Governors of the respective States by the recall of their forces to defend their sovereignties from menaced invasion. The Georgia or Alabama, or South Carolina regiments will not be likely to remain quietly in their camps at Manassas and Fairfax, if the “bloody abolitionists” are landing at Savannah or Mobile, or Charleston, and when our navel and land forces are making combined attacks on these points, we shall see the rebel forces silently melting away. 

Gen. McClellan will know when to strike, and when the blow falls it will be no Bull Run affair, but a blow that show make all Secessiondom reel to its center, and from the effect of which, it is to be hoped, rebellion will never recover. All these predictions may be falsified by the result, but a few weeks will show. The rebel leaders are desperate, and have put forth their whole strength. Without money or credit, or a large population to fall back upon, it will be almost impossible for them to rally from any serious reverse; while the North has not yet begun to put forth its strength, or to feel weakened by the conflict. The action of the Banks in taking one hundred and fifty millions of the government loan, thereby preventing the necessity of an appeal to European capitalists, has increased the public confidence and confirmed the government credit, and is worth more even to the Union cause than the victory at Hatteras Inlet. This inlet by the way was of great importance to the rebels. It is the main entrance to Pamlico and Abemarle Sounds, and by way of the latter afforded an unobstructed communication with Norfolk through the Dismal Swamp Canal. It was called the back door to Norfolk, and while it was kept open, the rebels could laugh at the blockade of Norfolk and the frowning fans of Fortress Monroe. It was a safe resort for Privateers, who used to dart out like spiders from their holes, seize the rich cargoes of unsuspecting merchantmen, and dragging them into the sound, devour them at their leisure, protected by the two forts from all interruption by the cruisers of Uncle Sam. That game is now stopped, and Uncle Sam has complete control of the whole coast of North Carolina by this bold stroke, without the loss of a life on our side. 

Dr. Russell, the correspondent of the London Times, is not at all complementary in his remarks upon the Bull Run disaster, or upon our military institutions generally. A good deal of indignation is expressed here at what are considered his unfair and disparaging statements, but I think his letters have been of service to us rather than otherwise. He is prejudiced against everything American and his views are very much tinged by his prejudices. But many of his criticisms are just, and though we scold at his abuse, we are not slow to avail ourselves of his suggestive criticisms. He is a man of great experience and observation, especially in military movements and matters, and his opinions are worth listening to, and divested of their national coloring, are very valuable. And as long as he is paid by the London Times for thus giving us the benefit of his extensive knowledge, we can afford to laugh at his abuse while we profit by his hints. The fact is, we Americans are altogether too sensitive to the opinions of others, and more ready to take offense at any ridicule of our ways than we are to correct them where the censure is just. And though the course of England, since the rebellion broke out, has been neither so friendly or magnanimous as we had reason to to expect from her previous professions that we have been made much more fuss about it then was discrete or dignified or then the importance of the case demanded. It is not probable that either England or France will in this interfere in this unhappy struggle. If they do not, it will doubtless be a brief one, and we shall emerge from it a wiser and, I trust, a better and a stronger nation. Yes, stronger, for though our resources may be lessened for the time, and our energies overtasked by the intensity of the conflict, I think we shall have rid ourselves of an element of weakness, that has been threatening our dissolution, but which I believe will be so shorn of it's gigantic proportions as no longer to control our government, or menace our very existence. 

MAIKELA.