The battle of Leesburg--McClellan's Plans.
The falsity of the Federal official statement of as the strength of Baker's force in the battle of the 21st, is fully exposed by the Baltimore South, which proves conclusively that it could not have been less than 4,000 men. The same paper reports the loss in the California alone at 237, showing that the efforts of the Administration to diminish the total 627 are intended to delude the people.--It is farther stated, positively, that McClellan authorized the crossing of the river, and that it was a part of his general plan; but that its success is attributed to the failure of Gen. M all to en-operate, though he may have teen threatened by a flank movement from Fairfax, which compelled him to retreat-- McClellan, it is said, will not abandon his pet project of capturing Leesburg, and rushing from there into the Valley of Virginia, and will send forward large forces to effect his object. Meantime, however, he finds himself menaced on his left, and is totally ignorant of the strength of his adversary in front. The Baltimore papers of Saturday last publish a formidable list of wounded in the Leesburg engagement, which includes the names of many commissioned officers. The Washington correspondent of the Clipper writes as follows.The feeling of indignant censure for the sea less waste of life on Monday last, is still strong here, both among citizens and strangers. One of the points most bitterly commented on is the forcing of a small body of men across a swollen river, in front of an enemy whose force was not known, and without any supply of boats or other means of recrossing, in case of a mishap. The cry is, whose is the fault, where lies the cause of blunders so that an idiot would not commit them?
We have many rumors to which I must not tongue. But I may say that the general report is that McClellan was not apprised of the intended movement at Edward's Ferry, or at least that its character was not communicated to him. He is said to be extremely indignant at it.
