Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-10-04
The Plan of the Campaign.

We believe we may say that the plan
of the autumn and winter campaign has
been determined, and that the leading
Generals are apprised Of the parts they
are to play in it. Itinvolves operations
of so extensive character as to be with
out parallel in history, and to be morally
certain of efectng their robject-namely:
the suppression Of the rebellion before
next spring.
The plan presumes that the Rebels
will remain inactive at their present
posts. Should General Beauregard at
tack Washington, a change in the pro-
gramme might be the result, as it is con-
fidently anticipated that he would meet
with an overwhelming defeat, which
would probably precipitate matters
A gain, should General Johnston under
take an aggressive movement against
Cairo, the Mississippi expedition might
proceed to work more speedily than is
now intended. 1t is not believed, how
ever, that either Of these contingencies
will occur. At Washington, as at Cairo,
an attacking force would fight at such
enormous disadvantage, that it is not
supposed the experienced leaders Of the
Rebel army would wantonly run the risk
of forward movement.
Assuming, then, that the Rebels pur-
sue the wisest course, and wait to be at
tackled in their intrenchments, we have
reason to belie7e that, in the first or
second week of October, the campaign
will be simultaneously commenced on
the coast, in the vicinity of Fortress
Monroe, at Manassas, at Harper's Ferry,
in Kentucky, on the Mississippi, and in
the Western portion Of Missouri.
We believe that three naval expedi-
tions are being fitted out in New Eng
land and New York. The camps at
Hampstead and Scarsdale are to furnish
men for two of them; the third will re-
cruit 10, 900 volunteers in New England
We presume we shall not be far wrong
if we predict that these expeditions will
be commanded by Generals Butler,
Burnside, and Lander. Two of them
will probably operate in different points
of the Southern coast, with a view of
distracting the attention Of the enemy
from the line of the Potomac; one, for
instance, may effect landing at or near
Port Royal, South Carolina, while the
other, reinforced by the garrison of
Fort Pickens, may reopen the excellent
harbor of Pensacola to the commmerce
of the world. 1t is likely that the third,
which will consist of at least 10000
men, and will be commanded by General
Burnside, will operate in the Chesapeake,
landing so as, on one side, to flank the
Rebel army on the Potomac; and, on the
other, to take Norfolk in the rear, in
case the Rebels should fall back from
Manassas. All of these expeditions will
be provided with ample artillery, and
the landing will be effected under cover
of heavy naval batteries. Ships, steam
ers, gun boats, and launches are, we be-
'lieve, being actively prepared for this
service.
simultaneously with the departure of
these expeditions, we look for forward
movement on the part of Gen. Banks
A glance at the map will show how Gen.
Mcclellan will cooperate with him. If
the enemy resist him in force, Mcclellan
will naturally attack Manassas at once.
If he moves on without opposition, the
attack will be deferred until he is in a
position to take part in it by fanking
the enemy. We have an intimation
that simultaneously with Gen. Banks s
movement, Gen. Sickles will cross the
Potomac some twenty miles below
Washington, with view to gain a po-
sition between Manassas and Richmond.
These details, however, are Of course as
yet undetermined; and the intimation is
merely shrewd guess. The main
point-that Manassas will be threatened
on three sides simultaneously, while a
to cut off the retreat Of the enemy
may be regarded as pretty certain.
Meanwhile, further west, Gen. Ander-
son may be expected, by the 10th OF
October, to have raised such an army OF
Kentuckians and East Tennesseeans as
to keep Tennessee effectually in check
and to CO o-operate efficiently with Gen.
Fremont, who by that time will proba-
bly, have mustered an army sufficient to
beat the Rebels in the neig eighborhood OF
Springfield, Missouri, and to man a
powerful expedition for the descent of
the Mississippi. We do not look 70:
naval operations Of the first Importance
on the Mississippi. The fortified points
on that river will naturally be assaiIed
by land. Corps d'drmee will converge
upon them from either shore, and reduce
them as Hatteras was reduced, or, when
the thing is practicable, with the bayo-
net. The gunboats will be useful as
auxiliaries. and the river will prove val
liable for the transportation of supplies.
But the fighting in the West will be
done on land. If the campaign in that
region is to keep pace with that in the
East, the Rebel forces under Price, or
Nee Culloch, or whoever has succeeded
them, which are now in possession of
Springfield, Missouri. and the vicinity,
must be defeated and driven into Ar
kansas, or scattered altogether, before
October Is. Whether this can be
achieved depends upon considerations
which are known only to Maj. General
Fremont.
Thus, if our information be correct,
the battle will have begun along the
whole line, from the Atlantic to Kan
sas, by the middle of October, and at
least two points on the coast will be in
possession of or under bombardment by
our forces. It is believed that the
whole force employed will be not less
than $4,000 men, excl tsivs of reserves
and home guards in Kentucky, Mary
land, and Missouri; so that at every
point attacked, we shall probably out
number the enemy. Our armies will be
well supplied, we'll provisioned, we'll
drilled, we'll equipped, and we'll COM