Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-12-25
INVASION OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.

The St LOUIS correspondent of the Cincinnati
Enquirer supplies the following outline OF General
Halleck's scheme for the invasion Of the Mississippi
1t is on the big figure and savors Of the Chinese.
An army Of rs, 900 and another Of $4,000 arc mere
circumstances. The one is to take all our positions
on the Mississippi in the rear, by the way Of the
Tennessee river the other is to move forward IN
conjunction with it. and sweep everything before IT
in the direction of Nashville. With these swagger-
ers, campaigns on paper are the easiest things IN
nature But all these great projects are, for the time
being, practically frustrated, by the movements OF
one daring man, at the head of handful OF bare
footed militia in Missouri.
The following IS the programme:
The newspapers Of the country are continually
alluding to the expedition down the Mississippi riv-
er, as if that was actually the contemplated pro-
gramme Of the movement under Gen. Halleck. The
movement will not be down the Mississippi river,
but 60 up the Tennessee, where Gen. Hallecks for
ces $4,000 strong, will leave the river and march in
the rear of Columbus, Hickman, and other points
towards Memphis This manauvre will compel the
rebels at Columbus and other points to fall back on
Memphis thus leaving the river clear for the gun
boats and transportation vessels to pass up and
down unmoested. The Confederates are occupying
their time in fortifying New Madrid, Columbus and
other points, and are mounting the same with
large number of guns. Upon the approach Of our
troops towards their rear rather than be cut on
from all communication with the South, the Con.
federates will fall back. No defences have been
thrown up on the Tennessee river and the continual
running up and down that stream, of gunboats has
kept the shore entirely clear Of masked batteries and
fortfcations. Our army will meet with no resis-
| tance, and will by this movement accomplish the
result without loss Of life and property, that
that the river expedition might have done after 80.
we're loss on both sides, and fearful destruction Of
| property, both private and public.
The column Of Major General Halleck will move
forward in conjunction with General Bues Division
| of 10000 mer from Louisville. which proceeds
through Kentucky, Ola Bowling Green to Nashville.
The friends of the Union have great reason to feel
confident in the assertion made by those in author
ty that the will have been ended in about three
months. As the attacking party, the enemy are
annoyed at the uncertainty Of the points our COM
manders shall attack; for instance Memphis will not
be taken ola Columbus and the river; Richmond
will not be captured oia Manassas nor will the a.
val feet make its conquest in the manner prescribed
by the Confederate Generals Already these annoy
and defeats creating great uneasness among
the Confederatcs, and this element in St Louis is
not now sanguine as they were few weeks since.
The defenders Of the Union, on the other hand are
confident, for
every thing lies level to our wish
! --pause-tl these rebels afoot
| Come underneath the yoke Of Government"