New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-14
THE WAR FOR THE UNION.
FROM WASHINGTON.

tSCsn Our Special Correspondent
WARRINGTON Oct 10, 1861
The oceupatiOn Of Leyinsyille 10 the regular Sc
suepes of the occupation Of Falls Church, ten days
AGO. Those who before doubted the certainty OF
ooshiye and formidable demonstration against the
,,Sels can now hardly continue TO do 3d. There can
no no other purpose in advancing and extending ON
inc. The movement need not be very sudden, but
n y,iIl he none the less decisive. believe that,
Som the present time, the progress of the army will
.ot be interrupted Such, certainly, are the signs,
which are 80 apparent that there can be no lmpro-
0yie.v in discussing them. The separate advances
are duly chronicled and it only demands an exam
nation Of the situation 10 develop their general
object.
The withdrawal Of the Rebels from their posts az
uunson's Hill and proximate points was the begin
ming Of their end. For many weeks they held a
very bold and very determined front. Their troops
had been pushed ont from Manassas the base and
center Of their operations IN every direction 70 the
north and west. The radsting columns were 80
formed as topreseDt line extending irregusrly from
points opposite Gen. Stone, on the. Upper Potomac,
along through Fairfax County, and down to the
vicinity OF the mouth of the 0ccoqusn River. We
know how nearly in many plsces that line APP
preached to Washington. 1t included the country
5ust beyo nd Lewinsvile the valley Of the -Four Nile
Rnn dis side of Falls Church, MunsOn's and Nasous
Ill., and other stations within short distance from
the Capital. For time tie attitude was intended 10
Dc threatening. The retirement beyond Falls
Church was the first acknowledgment Of inability to
hold the position. The failure to oppose our Oecupa-
ton of Lewinsvile is another and a more
emphatic one. A month ago we should not
have possessed it without resistance on their part.
At Lewinsville we approach, however, q region
through which it is Of vital consequence to the Rebels
to maintain communications, until their force from
the Upper Potomac is drawn in. A few miles further
exactly how many il TO- of course impossible TO
say-and we should cross that line which, whatever
betide, they must not have broken. If We should
once get between their troops the Potomac, and
those near the Occoquan and about Manassas, they
are lost, and they know il. They cannot hope TO
preserve this line for any length Of time, and so they
win, undoubtedly, call in all distant columns and
concentrate themselves once more at the old point
or at all events not far from it. Yet they may not do
this without endeavorng to annoy and retard us in
some way. should not be surprised # they should
offer some objection TO our moving onward from
Lewnsvile or even 10 occupation Of that place,
although the latter ia not probable. We ranging
ourselves 90 near tnen tnaJ tney uueb sPoeOLy
demonstrate in one way or another.
have heretofore expressed the conviction that the
rebels viii not, of their accord, contend against
ne at Fairfax Court House, at any place this aide
of their old and, as they think tested battle-ground
If they should be attacked before having brought
their forces we'll together from their present extended
line, they would fight for selfpreservatOn. To al
low us TO advance unoppOsed either st Fairfax or in
the direction Of Vienna, while they have q large
body posted away TO the north, would be fatal to
them. Blu: ii does not at present seem likely that
this will be forced upon them. Our advance, which
is certainly going on, will probably continue for days
to be gradual. therefore still believe that the next
battlefield may be near the very spot where we
were before repulsed--not upon it, since the rebels
have there an advantage. And believe that the
contest, when it comes win be 30 ordered and de-
sised as to sweep away and crush the Southern
army TO utter helplessneas. 1t has either this fate
before it, 0. retreat; the other is inevitable