New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-08
the WAR FOR THE UNION.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Progress Of she Campaigns.
From Our Special Correspondent

Che lines" So it was yesterday, and 80 1t may NC
to.ro,rovv and the day after; but if were maker
Of amanaes, and had this Preseny moh'n Vi o''o'''
-. .o,odrat;on woufd not allow ts last TWO
,.a.L. a., rass without the emphatic marginal note,
..TooL Gar stirring events about tllis time !" There
.re MANY new grounds for the belief that the de-
S.,.;,o attitude in which our army has necessarily
,ood for MANY weeks is presently to be abandoned.
.. ro;ob, indeed be said to have been abandoned
,,;,h ,be frs. s,ep forward that was taken a week
aoo in the occupation Of Mnnsons Hill, Falls
Church and ether posts until then possessed by the
Rabels Bat that was merely venture, at the
start-a feeling of the position, which subsequent
events have proved TO DO sufficiently secure for us.
From that eight and not contemplated advance, the
larger and moro overwhelming movement will pro-
coed. There seem TO be no reasons why 1t should
be delayed The enemy, either through necessity,
or by accident made bad move, and the advantage
is for us 10 take if we choose. We began 10 do SO,
by instantaneously occupying the ground which the
Rebels deserted. The importance of the change
which our position then underwent is not to be es-
timated only by the number Of miles we have pro-
gressed, but rather by the strength OF situation
we have acquired. Considered az matter Of dis
tanee it may naturally appear of little moment.
Three or four miles beyond our former laes do hot
appear to count much in march whic is 10 be
measured by much vaster figures; but 4tN IT is an
adyance-the first for many weeks the fins under the
new order Of affairs From defensive, o'sg attitude
is openly changed TO offensive. The Est step is
taken, aud with an army like ours, that Eust mo;h
that there is to be no retrogressiOn : i cauticls
preparation and reserve must vanish w,fi the figs
sound of the attack. What was wisdom bs!Jre mil at
now be perilOus timidity; and where calm reii-
cence was lately the rule, vigorous boiheess W'l
now be promptly resumed
Such, certainly are the ordinary conditions WHICH
would guide military operation 50 excessive, AID
vet 50 Gmple as the present. There nss. be Gorge
very unusual and carefully concealed cy@9licatiEl
10 vary them here. There appears to - no suSi
obstacle Elaborate strategy does not se.-o TO foIt,
part Of this campaign. five can JUDI, ~ whE
Ia left open to the eyes of ALL there is u aed Of
In this case. The situation requires no .4y astut
insight to be understood. Two large aro;>a oppoh
each other for weeks. One defetds l,l.Ou nS
naturally strong, but rendered 50 by g. sal enlS
neerng; the other mensces, from potas,,i 80 :
Cellent that little welldrected labor an = yenui
might render i. almost impregnable OF = eudde (
che challenging amy hastily retires, no ~ know
exactly whittier. This is either ooia,eEion \
u
latter, the results must be speedily appan rs Sew
DAYS pass and there are results. 1T ia x refofH
IN any case, a confession Of weakness. +. n nGS
tho less So whatever intention there may >, luriI
our legions into some enormous anbuscadc hous
I, for one, have no faith in any such scIe1t:. az
army, reputed large and powerful, does nl - ando \
-~manding position except by reason u 8 .bilit I,
between this and Manass }! ere / \
10 better position than H.
has withdrawn. BY resignDg II " ~ my = pr
themselves of one chance in their own favor '''D'
throwing away the prestige Of keeping Wa'o,lgtorE
upon the defensive, which was great fact ~ ts in
auence upon the Southern people. It scene to be
clear that they could not afford to hold it. i they
were capable of doingso, their advantage c,,taiDly
was not on the side Of relinqushing it.
A series of deep valleys, some Of them sudS1i and
Of the character of ravines others broad and dual
hay between the opposing forces A few m1,s be.
yond Arlington there was the valley of til Four
Nile Run, the sides of which are steep and d;lculi
Of accent, and the passage of which would s., very
hazardous in face of determined resistance. Upon
The Interior hight, which by far the most con and
Ing the rebels had attempted some Of their lore and
irregular breastworks extensive enough to slow an
intention Of making them formidable, The cit alton
(Upton's Hill) was admirable for the purpote.
strong fort planted there might have successfully
disputed any advance from the direction of Airing
ION. Such fort our troops erecting upon almost
the same srot az that chosen by the enemy, with a
view to closing the approach upon Washington,
should any ever again be made. Munson's Hill and
Mason's Hill commanded and might have been
fortified SO as TO prevent advances from, a wooded
valley lying between Alexandria aud Falls Church.
These three hills were the strength Of the enemys
position, as opposed to our own. They could have
been extended TO the east and 10 the SOUTH TO
resist flank movements. II certainly does thai
the rebel army possesses half lite Wanted numbers
IL might in the two months idly passed, have 50 in
trenched itself to positively forbid the progress Of
the Union army without the most fierce and des-
perate struggles After a certain fashion, the rebels
sppear to have been aware of this for, in their
customary loose way, they had stretched the founda-
tions Of chain Of earthworks over the whole neces
sary space. To be sure their works were Of very
inferior character but the situation they enjoyed was
Of itself 30 strong that they might have risked an
encounter with all the advantages on their side.
That they did not do So and that they have without
molesatiOn withdrawn TO remoter positions, Is
but real admission Of weakness, which, believe,
they had no intention Of betraying five weeks ago.
Where the main body Of the Rebels now is, no per-
son hereabout knows. 1t was reported some weeks
ngo TO be lying between Fairfax Court House and
Manassas and it may probably he there STILL 30 dis.
posed either to unite in advance or a retreat. az
xeeeasifv NAV dictate In NOT prob.h1o a..