The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-15 00:00:00

[Stamped. id. Additional

presented to his mind, and he must choose between
them. He decided on evacuation. But @honk' the

enemy know it, would he not fall upon the retreat-
ing forces and cut them up ? Or on the other
Lend, while they were 'teeming to the Potomac,

would not Lee and Jaclow; annihilate Pope?
It soon became evident to the military

authorities at Washington that Lee ..d
Jackson, while occupying the attention of
M'Clellan, were in fact preparing for an

onward movement to the Potomac. To accomplish
this it was ne,...emry to dispose of Pope. Whether
they suspected the Federal evacuation at the tune
their plans were arranged it is not easy to say ; but
their movements make it probable they counted
upon keeping M'Clellan cooped up on the banks of
James River. Thus the game was being played on
the military chess-board. As Pope assumed com-
mand, Jackson was to work along up the Shenan-
doah valley, and fall upon the Federal right wing
or rear, whilst Lee engaged him in front. Pope,
on the other band, was to draw off the attention of
the Confederate army whilst )I'Clellan cut himself
loam from the Peninsula. _

To carry out this Richmond programme Jackson,
with a fame estimated at 33,000, turned his face
northward. Zither Los crept along too slowly or
Pope was too swift of foist, for before the main
rebel column reached Gordonsville Pope had pushed
his forces far enough into Virginia to endanger this
place, and thus cut off Jackson's communication
and supplies. This oompelled Jackson to change
his plan, and be marched to Cedar Mountain with
the hope of cutting off Banks. After the battle
here he remained about two days. Lee had by
this time reached Gordonsville, and pushing north
the next move was to catch Pope between the Rapi-
dan and the Rappahannock. This was foiled by
the recrossing of the Federal army and the occupa-
tion of the north bank of the latter river. Nothing
daunted, the energetic rebel general marched
towards the head waters of the Rappahannock, and
threw his whole force across ; but the rapid rise of
the streams in consequence of the rains, and the
vigilant eye of Sigel, who guarded the rear, while
Pops with his main force fell beck ten miles,
frustrated this scheme. Then Jackson bethought
him of reaching Manassas by forced marches
through Thoroughfare Gap, with the design of
' cutting off Pope's communications with Washing-
ton, while Lee would fall upon him, and thus by a
combined attack deal the fatal blow. In the mean-
time Pope, who was at Warrenton and Warren-
ton Junction, upon learning that the division
which he had two days before ordered to Manassas
j failed to reach that place, at once, as we have seen,
marched upon the foe. On Tuesday night and
Wednesday morning Jackson was between him and
Washington ; on Friday Pope is in the rear of his
foe and in communication with Halleck and the
reserves of the Potomac. Such is a brief and com-
prehensive survey of the campaign since Halle.*
took command. Having in mind what the parties
intended and what they have already accomplished,
we can then judge of the present condition of
affairs. It is not enough for Lee and Jackson
to keep the enemy at bay ; unless they defeat
Pope they will fail in their plan. Their
move was a bold one, and if successful would
have great results. To hang around Washington
till the Federal, mass their forces would expose
them to serious danger. They must either fight
or attempt some new movement. On the other
band Halleck has extricated himself from the net-
.
work on the James. He can concentrate and use
at one point all his forces, and a large body of his
army has been snatched from the pestilence and
ifever of the Peninsula. The fact that the battle
field has changed from Richmond to Washington
only increases the risks of the Confederates. Should
they succeed in utterly routing the Federal army,
then the pathway to Washington would be opened.
i Thus matters stand to-day. The news of to-morrow
may throw light on the great problem. The eyes
of both parties in the strife are now eagerly turned
to Centreville. The Confederates at Richmond

profess to be exultant and sanguine of victory ; the
leaders at Washington have a calm confidence that
they will be able to snatch success out of apparent
danger. The hour of decision draws near. Anti-
cipations are worthless when facts are so near at
hand.

But while masses of men lie stretched on the
battle-Seld of Manassas, the tight is also raging in
the west. In Kentucky and Tennessee large forces
are gathering to dispute for a second time the pos-
session of these two States. Soon the war in this
section will change from guerilla raids to the move-
ment of organised armies. Mr. Davis ban an-
nounced the Confederate purpose of driving the
invader from the soil, and carrying the war into
the enemy's country. To accomplish this be is
massing troops in various places at the
West, and the cannon which booms along

the Potomac will meet with au answer

from Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi. The
recently elected Governor of Kentucky has called
on all tho people to rise and arm in defence of the
Union cause, and repel the invaders. The ;lays of
neutrality have passed, and the saddest features of
fraternal strife will be exhibited in this common-
wealth. Literally (father is arrayed against son,
and brother against brother. When the citizens of
South Carolina and Massachusetts grapple in
deadly strife, there is awakened and intensified the
feeling of State jealousy which has been, growing
for a generation; but in Kentucky men will
meet as foes who in the past have nour-
ished the same local feelings, been trained
in similar political memories and associations,
and dwelt together in neighbourhood and affection.
Under these circumstances, it is no surprise that
citizens bound together and allied alike to the
South and North should shrink from taking up
arms ; but the exigencies of the hour demand a
decision.

BOSTON, Firm 2.

There is but little additional news from the scenes
of the late battles, except that General Burnside has I
fallen back from Fredericksburg to Acquia Creek, a
movement made necessary by the change in the poai-
ti of the forces. The meagre details which reach
us make it clear that a portion of the Federal
troops were roughly handled on Saturday, and that
Jackson succeeded in turning one of the wings of
Pope, which compelled him to swing his line
round so as to occupy Manassas and Centreville.
As the various movements of the rebel army be-
come known, it is evident that Jackson has shown
great skill and celerity in throwing forward a large
force. Ilia plan was certainly a bold one, but
thus far it has proved a failure. If he had been two
days in advance of his actual time his swum
would have been more probable. The at-
tack on Cadets station was the first hint
that the rebels were in that direction ; and though

[TWOPENCE

at the time it was thonsht to be a raid it
began to awaken suspicion in an officer so much on
the alert as Pope. This movement of Jackson
must be regarded as one of the cleverest in the
war ; but on account of contingencies which his
plan did not allow he was too late. On the other
hand, the disposition and direction of Pope's co-
lumns, as soon as he discovered Jackson's designs,
exhibited good generalship. He came very near
cutting off Ewell and capturing his brigade. Cora•
potent judges declare that Pope's present posi-
tion is perfectly safe, and well adapted either for

defence or advance. The two armies are now
taking breath and rest. The forced march of the
rebels must have taxed their powers of endurance,
and as Pope's army is said to have engaged in fif-
teen battles, great and small, since be took com-
mand, they will recruit by a pause. But they will
not be quiet long. Both their own general sod
their foe are too active for them to remain without
attempting something. It is difficult to say what
will be Jackson's next move. The banks of the
Rappahannock are being strongly fortified, with the
intention of making this the base of rebel opera-
tions. But it would conform with Jackson's mode
of warfare to make an attempt on Pope's flank, or
to throw a force across the Potomac into Maryland
and threaten Washington on that aide. But a
failure in a manteuvre of this kind would be so fatal,
and the hazards so great, that even this may be too
bold an attempt for his audacity. He will now
have to move with more caution, as he is so ace
his enemy as to be watched. But as he commands
his rear, his movements in that direction are in his
own hands, and ere long be will probably turn up
again in some unexpected quarter.
The Confederate advance has begun in the west,
and Humphrey Marshall is reported as marching
on Cincinnati. Now is his golden hour. A month
hence will be too late, so hie columns are in motion-
Lexington, Kentucky, one of the neatest and most
pleasant towns, has been evacuated by the Fedora's,
and General Wallace is busily engaged in strength-
ening the Queen City of the west. Surely the fall
campaign has begun in earnest, and the next two
months will be among the most important in this
memorable struggle.