Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-09-13

Gen. Rosecrans was at tue head only of
an army of occupation. He could defend,
not attack. His business was to hold
Western Yirgiuin. not to eugNge the rebel
troops in the valley beyond his depart
ment. To do this hc could either extend
his lines 10 the extreme boundary of West
crn Virginia, and steadily resist every at
tempt to enter; or lrescould allow tberebels
to pass into his lines. that lie might then
hit them harder blow when he had
caught them in n tighter place. He has
chosen the latter plan, aud we, who have
been watching the mnIGuvre and have
caught the inspiration of the camps, have
Iull fifth its success. ~. ril q
OF course the countryis full of the Wild
est stories about the movements and num-
bers of the rebel forces. ] have been
gravcly assured that the rebel force, de-
.uchments of which have been harrassing
Cox, and which drove Tyler from Cross
Lanes, could not number less than fifty
thousand men. And Others insist that the
armies of Wise and Floyd, lying at Hun
tersville and Lcwishurg, and now stretch
ing forward to o.Snmmersville, cannot pos
sibly amount to less than forty Thousand.
Let me assure those who have been so
needlessly alarmed about Gen. Rosecrlns,
perilOus position, that the rrbels have
neither fifty thousand nor forty thousand
moving in any column in this direction. j
do not speak unadvisedly on this point
Our scouts have traversed aud are trfyerss
ing the whole country through which this
army is said to be moving, and forty thons-
and men do not pass like a cloud In the
night.
Nevertheless, we have doubtless pretty
strong force to meet, emboldened by trivial
successes, s;ung by the disgrace of Wise's
retreat from the Kanawha. and Cred to em-l
ultte the rebel glories of MANASSAS. Their
base of operations must be Lewisburg and
Huntersville. Their advance, which has
driven Tyler from Gross Lanes, is posted
at Snmmersville. tthe county seat of the
adjacent county, y aud has bern skfrmishiHg
with Cox's outposts beyond Gahiey On
the direct road from this point to Gauley,
their pickets are but short distance from
ours, as was definitely ascertained the 9TH
er day by a scout, who, in Virginia dis
guise, encountered and-passed them. And
at Addison, southwest of us, they are said
TO have a pretty strong force.
In one word they have slipped up by
Summersyille, hoping to flank Cox at Gau-
ley. Rosecrans has hurried down from
Clarksburg, and has them between two
fires. Dec UoleHte, we'll catch them just
where we expected to. ef i
Of our own position aud strength, 1T
would be worse than foolish to speskinow.
A week-at tue firthe9t, two Weeks-I
hope to be able to give you a list of tie
regiments engaged, and tel of the gallant
ry they displayed. But let us not crown
them with laurel till they win the camel
Meantime, for the satisfaction of those at
home, and wherever patriotism still glows,
VINO fear that we are in an exceedfngly
dangerous, position. and are likely TO be
overwhelmed by-vastly superior numbers,
let me state that, with an intimate knowl-
edge of the condition Of the armies with
which the victories at Cheat River, and
Rich Mountain were won, / unhesitatfnEiy
pronounce the army now under Gen. Roses
Grams as in a vastly improved state of dis
cipline and efficiency. of course there
are exceptions; single regiments are still
lisorderIy and disorganfEed. We suffer
terribly in all Of them for the lack of com
netent off1cArs. but in general taHEno ~