Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-03
PREDICTION OF AN ADVANCE

IhEplCIlON Of AN Adv ANCE.
It is said that our army of the Potomac
has been waiting for arms from Europe, and
that as soon as the 100 900 just received are
distributed we shall see something done. The
Washington correspondent Of the New York
World says -" The assurances Of Mr.. Chase
to the bankers Of your city will be carried
out to the letter. Unless all the signs fail,
the ARMIES Of the rebels will be attacked be-
fore the middle of January. II will not be
an attack upon one quarter, but upon every
essailable point. People in the confidence Of
the authorities here distinctly assert that
Richmond will be in the possession of our
troops before the first Of February The
placing Of Gen. Rosenoranz in command at
Romney; the concentration Of troops there I;
the movements Of Gen. Banks the expected
sailing of Gen. Burnside's expedition within
two weeks, and the significant preparations
in the army in front Of Washington, togeth-
er with the news we hear from st. Louis, Ca
iro, and Green River, all point to a simulta-
neous attack upon the rebels within a very
short time"
The rebels also profess to expect to be at .
tacked-they no longer talk about making an
advance Themselves which is significant The
Richmond Dispatch predicts that the affair at
Drainesvlle will induce the federals to ad-
vance and seek general engagement, and
adds =" Trusting to large superiority OF
numbers, the enemy seem steadily to be push
ing forward their troops 10 Kentucky, for an
attack in force upon our army under Gen.
Sydney johnson. From all the indications
in that quarter, grand engagement within a
few days seems unavoidable Thus oircum-
stances all combine to bring about two great
engagements on either side of the Allegha-
MES, which, but for the relations of Great
Britain to the North, would be decisive OF
the war. If the South should be beaten on
both fields, she could hardly expect for some
time 10 get together two armies of any mag
nitude, and would have to depend altogether
upon the virtues of Fabian policy, and a
general system Of diminishing against the en-
envy. If the South, on the other hand, should
gain both battles, the North would be com
PEELED to desist from aggressive measures for
such length OF time as it would require to
organize and discipline other new armies
Considering the low state Of their exchequer.
the period required for this purpose would be
so long that a virtual suspension of invasion
would be the result, and the South would be
enabled to carry invasion to their own doors
ich an invasion, though only partially sue
cesstul, would virtually end the war, especial
ly If it resulted in stampeding the Lincoln
government at Washington. The appearance
OF England on the field Of strife would have a
decided influence on the contest. The frs.
effect of the imbroglio, even if it should not
result in war between that country and the
North, must be to precpitate the latter in
whatever action it may have been preparing
against the South, during the last few months
of busy activity. An attack upon our armies
in Kentucky and on the Potomac might 9TH
erwise be postponed until the spring but the
complication with England must at once de-
tcrmine the administration to strike its blow
without delay. successful battle on the
Potomac and in Kentucky might avert a war
with Great Britain for defeat by the South
on these two fields would be taken by the
world as conclusive proof of her inability to
make good her independence.