, 1861-08-17

EC191e1pondalR@ G1n0nnAI 1AEasseJ
!. C1ARxa1e1a. AAS. II.
Nearly four ve4h have elefeed aince The
ront Of the rebeaa fom 1an90 atA Aan htea
Iable events have Occurred IN EssteEn Vir-
piuia and In Missouri; but In this section, the
interval has not been marked By single i'm
poEtant moFsment A. Laurel Hill the rebels |
lost their last footho1d IN NosthWestern F4r-
',gfnia The possesaion Of The fortified Chest |
Mountain Caps By cur troops Ut once closed |
the door On any future attempt to enter. |
There wae thenreforward nothing for ouf |
;orcea to do but to bold what hsd been gained,
and repfess tba secession tendencies Of per
The KauaWfa expedition seems likewise to
have Accommodated ite 1niaa!on and reached the
end Of its work Retreating Governor Wise
has found the 7ose Of the K*ilH0irt not N ap
p1oprtate pa1t, md = di.ga;t h9 c1os:sa 7s re
Richmond; while Gen. Cox il Left with moth
iug to do but to hold what he has won.
Thus Western Virginia, from the Panhandle
to Ahe Kanswha, IL freed; rot N Organized
rebel company resanss an sna 1ie People ne
! the opportunities, for organizing and arnlng
| for their own deteose.
| Therc still remain twenty-five counties of
| what is known a. Western VirEinia-the ex-
| t1eme southNestera porhon-1has are saP
! posed to be yet hotbea Of secesslonists. OF
! no importance in themselves, these counties
| only deserve attention - they command the
| road to the Cumberland Gap, aud the entrance
/ to loyal East Tennessee. Neither Government
nor Yebel troops have get entered this section
in force, but the rebels are knoWn to have
| DOW body Of some strength stationed at the
| Gap naeH.
| Meantime the army In Western Virginia has
been more thoroughly equipped. During the
active campaign, operations were constantly
crippled for the lack Of means of Transports
| +,
here for double the Number Of troops in the
field. There need be no nEther complaints
here about attempting to walk without legs-" "
4 lamentable deficiency, from whieh, during
eampajE r. a{ r. {{hs soaztanty os suffered
ccmparies Of cavalry, and the places OF the
three months men have nearly al been filled
by volunteers for the war. Thus the army has
been made more reliable and efficient.
- The situation at present, is, briefy, this
whole count1y+ are held By strong force-a
portion Of Gen. Reynolds b1igade-the re.
mainder Of which Is stationed 1t Beverly, Hut
tossville, and In TINT vicinity. Other portions
Of Gen. Roeec1a1s' command are scattered
over almost the whole Of Northwestern Vit-
ing and Parkersburg down to Grafton, and
thence eastward through the Cheat River
country, Oakland, Altsmont, and almost to
Cumberland occupying the kanawha Valleg
by Gen. Co1's brigade, and holding towns like
Weston, Buckhanno1, Summerbvi1le, Pniippi
and Bealington. Thus much Of our position
may, perhaps, be safely made pubic.
The enemy, on the other hand, are concen
,, I trBted at tHo important polnts-Coyington
near the entrance TO the KanaWha Valley, and
Monterey, opposite the Cheat Mountain Gaps
!. Rumor has it that Gen. Lee is himself at tht
latter point, organizing force to attack the
; Gaps and attempt another eruption into North
> | western Virginia. It is even said that SONS
!, Of his troops are now in the mountains. Or
; how reliable evidence this rests, can scarcel!
: say IS yet; though I confess that, on som1
J accounts, the idea of the rebels attempting II
1econquer Western Virginia seems anything
hut probable
, Still it is known that they have a stron!
force at Staunton, and there are pretty VEL
, authenticated accounts ofadditional regiment
), having been ordered to that point from th
extreme South. They may be there for tn
:. purpose Of eventually attempting to wipe ou
| the diegrace Of Philippi, and Laurel Hill, an
= Cheat River, and Rich Mountain; OR it ma
:, be that their purpose is to keep up the feint {
an inroad on Western Virginia, so as to mair
/. tain the diversion Of Federal troops from tn
. East, while they, Oh the other hand, are o
e the lire OF q railroad and can be run to Mar
y aesas or Richmond in q couple Of days,
y needed. The latter certainly seems the mo1
= probable hypothesis, SD would be in harmon
y y with their plans as hitherto developed.
- - But, should the rebel leaders really inten
u anolLer attack on Yves: :ern Virginia, a glane
- at the map will show that they must make
= !. in ole or two Ways-rei1foTce Wise and fore
=, ~ their way back iron, Co,ington into the Ka'
y, awta Valley sgain, or reinforce the troops
~ Monterey, and either attack our position
~ the Cheat Mountain Gaps OF attempt to fir
~ ~ eome other pass through the mountains, f
~ - as to api roach Beverly and Laurel Hill on
y. " more. Wlss's position at Coylngton beiz
Y Y coEnec cted with staunson by rail, it is We
la | eaev esff1er n throw fpYraa down to him
~ ~ to move his command up to strengthen Il
~ as body threatening the Gap1. Of the two, q
~ ~ latter would now seem the more probable {
aa a tempt. But Lse, or whoever really comman
10 the rebels at Monterey, will hardly try dire
y Iaeeage through the Gaps. A uuch mo
~ p1obeble thing would be an attempt to find
~ cut q new road across the mountains, 30 as
~ come down at IN unexpected point and ia
~ ~ Rnseczans in the fank.
~, In any event the Cheat Mountain Gaps 9
10 10 the important point. 1t vas through the
,a5 ue that Pofteffe1d's first motley crew enter
a ~ Western Virginia snd approached Cratic
~ Through these they retreated when scar
~, ne away from Phiiippi; and through these \
- to enter again, With his Lsnrsl Hill and Ri
1e. Mountain army. Thai door ia how shut !;
- will be well enough to bold 1t so, and Gonei
~ ~ Roeecrans seems fully awake 10 the fact
mh Hence, there is now going on s gradual &C
81 centr2sion OF our forces toward the G aps, a
~ 81. Gen Rosec1ans himself is to move his be-
~ quarters In that d;rection-to Buckhanuon,
70 20 least-in few days. Gen. Cox, too. it is
"t7 pected, will be brou* ht up from the Kauaw
oe u and the strength Of his brigade be added
-. -. the torce already here, while some of |
70 new troops from Ohio OF Indiana take
~ place.
,ht rhe vo,co ri Dour1as.
r17 To these Democrats who are disposed to
ers up party Issues and party platforms and (
lad tract the plans Of government with polit
"a ID We submit the following words Of Sena
the | Douglas ard ask them as candid men to foil
yer. his teachings and come cut fair and SOU