Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-06-10
The Conquest OF virginia.
From the Philadelphia American.

From tue philadelphia American.
In order to understand the operation of
our own forces in Virginia, it is necessary
to look somewhat closely into the positions
ard plans of the enemy, which thus far
have been very much neglected hy our
newspaper critics. Not approaching thu
systematic manner in which the rebel !erd
ers had arranged their lines and fortified
their main points, many have though, il
WAS only necessary TO make rush ut them
in order to prove victorious. We have
ourselves hitherto refrAined from discuss
ing the matter in this connection partly Tor
prudential reasons, hut chiefly because the
Hrdor manifested by jealous patriots might
do good Ivy stimulating the energies of al
engaged in preparations, and could moi
possibly do any harm.
Everything, however, is now so far adj
vtnccd that there is no longer any reason
10 refrain frnm observing that the Admu-
istrHiiOn and all Onr commanding generals
are thoroughly advised OF the pl.n- of tlrr
rebels, and they are mucE more exten.ivc,
scientific aud formidable than those unlc
rustomed to deal with mill AIRY afftirs
might suppose. We showed, on Wcdmes
day, the manner in which the main bodies
"f the army were intended to art upon the
leading points of the enemy; but there.
were some matters which We held in re-
serve, and now propose to refer to.
II has been generally supposed that the
rebels ut Harper's F-rry would evaruntr
without battle, and tLeir preparations to
'iccamp have been cited in proof. It may
turn OUT so, though VIC are inclined to dis
believe it. chiefly because there is at pre-
sent no military reason why such II thiag
should take place. If their retreat were
| endangered, the evacuation would he nat
urNl, but MS yet their COMMUNICATIONS are
all secure and OPEN, and their position j.
well supported The man body at Htr-
per'S Ferry is supported Onihe right hv the
force ut the Point of Rocks, land on tue LEFT
ny the regiments at Shcpierdstown, oppO
site Sharpsburg. and at the point OSpusite
WiIIiHmspOrt. In fact, from Point Of Rocks
to WilliamspOri, there is continuous
stretch of picketS AMI rebel posts. This
constitutes perfect line of defence along
the south bank of the Potomac, and in MI
probability the enemy will he found in con
siderable force aad well posted aud de-
tended. 1t is To breStk this line that Gen.
Patterson is now preparing
In order to du this, it has been generally
supposed that he woull concentrate his
whole force upnu the centre, aud capture
tnre Hnrppr's Ferry. That wOulu he essen
tial part of his plan, hut not necessarily
his whole object, for in Ih,t case the enc
my would merely fall back upon his sec
and line of defence, which extea,ls from
| LceSburg, on the east. to vii Transport on
| tue west, where strong dertchments arc
now posted, nj the same time embarrnss
Gen. PIttersOu'S operations by throwing IL
no ~ of m"n in bis rear. seat from L ,es-
burg to Point of r cks, and 81 on up to
cut OFT his communication with PrunSyl-
vanih, while the same object cOnll he pro-
| NOTED Trnrn Sl,.OL md ri, 90,
| opposite WiliiamspOrt. If Gen. johnson
had intended to retreat at once from IIar-
| Pcrs Ferry, he could have done it by
means OF the road to Winchester. whereas
he has ordered two hundred baggage WA
ghns To Hhrper's Ferry. showing that he
intends marching down the valley ofthe She
nandOal liver to position on his second
line nf defence between Leeshurg InI Win.
chester. His preparations for retreat (.
therefore, are COnditi nal upon his com
munication heing hereafter cut off. M
good general cTu neglect rO take care of
his means of retreat. Now. before attack
ing the centre, Gen. Patterson will. OF
course, know what is To be done to provide
against the 'lAtsar of hi. own rom nuni-
cittiOns being interrupted in the mInuer
stated. How lie will do this, we prefer
not TO discuss ut present.
The ttlied line of defence of the rebels
extends trGm Fhirfl Courthouse and Ma.
masses junction on the east tn Strhshurg ON
the west. aud is very strongly fortiGe,I.-
. Before the United States troops had crossed
the Potomac. this line stretched 10 Alex.
nndriH, anil thus there WAS a line of flank
detcnccs from Arquia Creek along the
whole bank of the river to Williamspnrt.
This was broken by the advance of Nc
DOwelis column, but the ultimate a,lvan-
NslFr r.F \. q
subsequent cOndnct of She campaign As
we explained on Wednesday, this advance
looks To nm attack ON Mhnasses junction,
and the cutting off of the communichtiOus
of the HHrPer's Ferry rebels. an operation,
the perfect success of which requires the
Occupation OF StrdSburg and Winchester
by McClellan's corps. The reader will see
therefore, that the operations of these three
armies must be simultaneous in order to he
4 effective. If the army under Mcdowell
we're to take Manassas junction before the
armies of Patterson and Mcclellan reached
their positions, it would be difficult Ia keet
open the communication with Washington
as the line would be threatened on both
sides.
But surprising all this northern ground
to he cleared of the enemy, their next lin,
Of defence would evidently be that of til,
R'ppahannock river from Cuipepper Cour
House ON the west to Aqnia Cresk on tn,
east, the main point OF attack being Fred.
erickshurg, because that commands til,
railway approach, to Richmond. Befor,
this line could be reat he'd the accumulate
armies on both sides would attain the mos
formidable dimensions by the uuinn q
their various divisions. Patterson ans
Mcdowell, reinforced constantly iron
Washington, wOnld conduct the operations
while McCiellan's corps, sweeping dow
the valley To S.auutun, would secure tn,
mountains against the enrmy's retreat il
that direction, and he prepared to take il
due time, the railroad via Charloitesvinr
to Richmond. Were it not for this import
ant fact, and ,he simultaneous danger iron