The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-30

peace may De the more speedily conquered, ana
the nation restored the sooner TO the prosperity
from which it has fallen.
The Rebel Army OF the Potomac and the
Fire in the Rear" of Our Great Naval
Expedition.
With the falling back of Beauregard from
Munson's Hill some weeks ago he betrayed the
REIMBURSEMENT of his audacious original de
sign-the capture and occupation Of Washing
rebel flag hoated full in sight from the western
portco Of our national Capitol but he re-
coiled from the intervening Gordon Of frowning
Notifications thus exposed to view. He has
been gradually falling back ever since, until
Fairfax Court House, late his headquarters, has
been abandoned even by his outposts. His
headquarters, as last reported, were at Centre
vile, on the eastern heights Of Bull run, and
the main body Of his army still fingers in its
stronghold of Manassas contracting or expand
ing its wings according to the rumors Of fede
raj advance.
Now, however, with the sailing of our great
naval expedition, Beauregard is called to meet
ginia or the cotton States. Let him hold his great
army at Manassas, and he will leave the cotton
States an easy conquest to the land and naval
forces of our great squadron; but he cannotafford
The required relief to North or South Carolina,
or Georgia, without abandoning Virginia to the
army of General Mcclellan. The position of
Bcauregard is thus a very embarrassing one;
for with the loss either of Virginia or Of any Of
the strongholds Of the cotton States, this whole
rebellion must speedily fall to pieces. The
rebel leaders clearly comprehend their danger
as thus indicated, and by way of desperate
diversion they have been despatching large
force, including some detachments from Ma
nassas, for the daring enterprise of the s,rbjuga-
ton and occupation of Kentucky. AT the same
time they have been straining every nerve to
give employment to fifty thousand federal
troops III Missouri.
But all these desperate expedents to keep the
war in the border slave States, for The winter
subsistence of the rebel armies, are recoiling
upon them. From present appearances, one
half the fifty thousand Union troops in Missouri
will soon be free to so to the deliverance Of
Kentucky; and Kentucky, from these and other
reinforcements, will soon be able to carry
the war into Tennessee. But, above all
these dangers to the rebel cause, will
now come the cry of help from the
seaboard cotton States, and what then, is
Bcanregard to do? He can do nothing at Ma
nassas. The retention Of his army there now
will be equivalent to quiet cooperation with
our naval expedition. He cannot risk an as
sault upon the defences of Washington; he can
not even cross over into Maryland above or
below the city But should he abandon Ma
nassas Gu nasse he may be pursued and over
whelmed by Mcclellan.
We conjecture that the only alternative to
Ieauregard is the gradual Withdrawal of his
| camp from Manassas; that he will be compelled
| to despatch his regiments drawn from the cotton
| States back to their defence; that he will thus
| soon reduce his force at Manassas to rear
| guard, which, on the approach OF Mcclellan,
will retreat towards Richmond, breaking up
the railroads and bridges behind them TO re-
tard his pursuit; and that Beaurcgard, mean
time, will proceed to fortify Richmond for a
desperate defence. Upon this theory we can
understand why General Mcclellan has not ac-
commodated Beauregard with another Gull
run affair" Mcclellan only hopes that the
rebel cheftain will wait little longer
The Potomac Union army is amply pre-
pared to wait For some signal from our
great naval expedition. But it. will be
well for the rebel army meantime to be eau
tioua in sending Off achievements to the cotton
| States, or Mcclellan may pounce down upon
| Manassas with an overwhelming force and put
an end to the rebel programme in single
| decisive blow.
| From these general views of the present
| desperate situation of the rebel army of the
| Potomac, we can appreciate the value Of that
| strong right arm Of the national defence, our
gallant navy, with our absolute possession O.
the sea. Our rebcllious States are thus be
leeguered and locked up from Fortress Monroe
TO Galveston, like an invested city. In this
connection we may form some idea Of the
value Of Fortress Monroe, when the rebels have
declared that its possession to them would be
equal to half million of dollars day. Let
US not forget that an honest and brave man, at
the critical juncture, was in charge of that
Fortress, for its possession to us has been equal
| to hundred thousand men.
1t is from this advantageous rendezvous that
our great naval expedition has sailed, thus re
ducing its continuous sea voyage to less, per
haps, than two days to its destination. We have
thus, in this matter Of time secured an important
guarantee Of success against the chances Of
tempestuous weather. We can now discover
the unmistakeable CLEANS of daybreak il our
Southern horizon, al along the eastern sea
board. The rebel troops from the south Of Wiz
ginia in the army Of Deaurcgard must leave her
to her fate, or permit their own STATES TO be
! reconquered to the Upion. In either event thi: