The military force in Washington.
The Washington correspondent of the Petersburg Express says:‘ "Certain it is, that there are over 10,000 secretly well-equipped gentlemen in the city, and the surrounding cities and country, ready, at a moment's call, to flock to the standard of a certain military man whose name I had rather not mention. This is no surmise, but certain knowledge. When to expect the call to be made, or what will be deemed sufficient cause for making it, I do not know. But should this secret force be called out, there is danger of there not being much bloodshed, for the city force will make scarcely a decent resistance. The oath required previous to the enlistment of volunteers has occasioned much difficulty. Not only have two of the finest companies in the District been completely broken up, but there is scarcely a company whose number has not been greatly reduced by this requirement. Besides this fact, there is great dissatisfaction manifested in the ranks of the Federal troops. Scarcely a day passes without an instance of desertion. Over 200 men, from the 900 that have been stationed in the city since the inauguration of the revolution, have deserted. A day or two since 20 marines left at once for the South, and the officers privately assure the citizens of their real intentions and determination as to carrying out Lincoln's policy."
’
