The Leesburg Battle--how The Failure Occurred

Correspcndence of the Evening Vost. Washington, Oct. 25, 1861.Genéral McOlellaa is back at his headquarters, umi Ihe attempt to cross tt.c Potomac :it Edward'a Ferry is ackpowlttded to be a complete failuro. - The rebels can say with perfect truth that they drove the Federal troops back to their own sido oi the river with heavy slaugbter. Hiere has been a disposition in söme quarters to blame Oolone) Baker ftr bis conduct in battlo lt has been chargcd by somo that ha was rash, ambittous of military renown, and led his nica into unnoeessary danger. There is no foundation vvhatfver ior this criticism. Upoti consullirrg persons wbo were present at thobattle, and olhers here wbo koew ot the entire plan, I foei coufident that the facts are as folioira : First, that Gen. MeCleüun isued the general order föf iho croes! ng of the Potomao and a reconnoit-sance upoh its Virginia shore, Second, that that all the detail of the matter were left to General Slone, who was allowed to nse his OWCf judgment p.ven in the time ior crossing; at Edwarde' Ferry, lmt it was understood that if he perceivcd great danger in the inovement he could so report, and at least temporarilj postpono it TJndcr these eircurnstances Geiieral Sroneordured Coloni-1 Devens to cross and rna&e a cureful recoDnoissance. He didj 80, nit into a sevore skirmish with the rebels, end Colonei Baker was seut to his relief. There is no evidence in the worldto show rashness on tho part of Baker, but on the eontrary, tiscertairc that he cr.issed the river under circurastances of grèat risk and danger, with the sencrous object of rescuing Ui poor feHÓTra who were caught in a bad trap. As for the particulars of thecrossing of the river, so far as it is possible to gather theri! from the few persons here who witnessed it, ie would seem as if the act was full of risk ar.d danger. A scow and two or threo boats were all the iLeans of transport. The river was high and the weather every way bad, and not only was tl. ere ao almost total lack of meana of transit across tho river, but, alter a sinall iorce had succeeded in landing, they do not seem to. have guarded the Virginia end of the crossing. The most brüliant part of the wholo performance was thetinal retreat at night of tho force that had, subsequfttitly to the battle, been thrown across. This was done in the face of a strong rebel force, and succeeded most admirably, not u man being lost. General Stone was tho last man to leavethe Virginia shore, and once more his litilo anny occupies a defensivo posit on. The government is urged iinmediate'y to put the roads m acd about Washington in a good condition, so that access to the various campscan bo kept up during tho winter. So far, however, nothing has been c!one, and perbapa nothing will le done till it is too lato. Suuh a thing as fn-esight seems to be entirely out of the question. Two montlis henee ths roads to tho camps aröund the city will be impassable wherecs if they were graveled during ihe fall they would bo put inta a, good condition for the winter. Our forces havo been withdrawn from Harp :r"s Ferry, even the picketst and th3are no.v are at Point of Kocks. Tho fact is, that Banks and Stono havo no7erhad bul a small (orco under their cuntro', the government insisting thafc nearly all the avaihiblo force should bo kepl for ita deiense at this point. The rebels had a much stronger force tha:i it wassupposed they had at Leesburg. Since writingtho above I learn, upoti good authority, that Genoral McClellao asserts that the Loesburg recotinoissancc was made without any consultation nitb him, and that General Soott ordered it, or Stone oxecuted it without orders, Genoral McClellan's friends assert further that ho Will resign if such movements are to De made without his authority, while he is at least nominally connnander. Is is said that General Scott, without tho assent of McCleüan, ordered General Stoneto cross the rivor for a single recon.noissance.