The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-22
Where the Rebels Stand.

That the halance of advantage in the late
movements of the rival armies on the Poto-
mac is on ths side Of the rebels is now gen.
orally confessed, even by the warmest
friends Of our generals. a correspondent
of the World, who has been personals over
the whole field near Manassas, surnssup his
observations in this wise:
|" l.. The rebel army has made the most
successful, complete and handsome evacua-
ton, the most secure and perfect retreat, of
which history furnishes an example. 1t
has safely escaped, with its entire right and I
left wing, from Centerville, from the Upper
and Lower Potomac, from every point |
threatened by our lines. - II
at has securely carried off its every gun,
all its professions and otaaait0sls, and three
fourths of the popuEace, black and l0Aite,
along its route. General Stewart threaten
ed to come back to-day. and sWoop off the |
remaining people and houses, and nothing
but his sudden pursuit ay our army has
perhaps prevented him from doing it.
1t has blown up or otherwise destroyed
every bridge and culvert on turnpike and
railroad along its route. s.rss.
cit has swept clean every camp, except
I the few at Manassas Junction, whence its
rear guard evidently departed in FASTENED
alarm at the sudden approach of ouS army.
Never was an evacuation more complete
all. General Jackson has escaped from
Shenandoah Valley, burning bridges be-
4 tween himself and Gen. Banks. This is posi-
lively stated by escaped contrabands coming
in tonight. .s.-.---s 49, ~
GIL. The number of camps and bar
racks scattered far and wide would afford,
even as they stand now, accommodation
for near seventy thousand men, and this
only refers to those within eight miles of
CentervilIe. ..-
"Iv. A large portion of this evacuation
must have been gradually accomplished du-
ring the past two months. But nearly fifty
thousand rebels were here and at Manassas
within the last week, of whom ten thous-
and went off by the Warrenton turnpike,
and forty thousand by railroad to Warren
ton Junction and beyond. Trains were
running day and night. Gen. Johnston
left on Thursday night; Gen. Smith on
Saturday, and Gen. Stewart on Sunday
evening" t-
Not only have the rebels escaped, but
they have possessed themselves of defen-
4 siFe line which is much better than that OF
Bull Run, which is nearer their sources OF
/ supply, and of course more distant from
ours, but which they have been preparing
J according to the best rules of military en-
J cheering for several months A writer in
J in the Herald, who is evidently familiar
with the localities of which he speaks,
says:
HTbe next stand of the enemy is along
the precipitory bank of the Rappahannock
river, from Port Royal up to Fredericks-
burg, thence along the south bank of the
river, up as far as the junction of the Rapi-
dan with the north fork of the Rappahan-
mock, thence along the Rapidan as far as
! the base of the Blue Ledge Mountain.
The country Immediately south OF the
north course Just marked out is strikingly
like that on the south side of the Potomac
: aboveG Georgetown, very hil1y, with wild and
deep ravines, particularly is this the cass
for some eight miles below Fredericksburg
z all the way nm to the base IF tho m nl1rtair
1 | efickso1rg, leading over the RappahannocE
in the county of Stafford, and one at tn,
village of Falmouth, which is in Stafford
county, leading over the river in the county
t of Spottsyfvania. Falmouth is a mile
b above fredericksburg, and there are bu
D three fords in the river between Fredericks
!. burg and the mountain; one at the vii
dernees, which is about mile from tn,
!, Rapidani another where the railroad
/ crosses, and third about three miles
Q northwest of Orange Court House."
D Beauregard, Johnston and Lee chose thi
D point as their line of defence, and were only
q induced to move on to Bull Run because i
E was nearer Washington; but they have beer
> engaged in Certifying it ever since. 1t il
9 not so easily flanked as Manassas might be
: and, indeed, as the writer we have quoted
D says:
D g The abandonment of the whole Lowe
Potomac and the Rappahannock below Por
Royal is because they are untennable OF
account of the ready approach of boats
and being easily outfanksd by fore,
: reaching them there. The country is the
f best possible one for defence along th,
whole atlantic slope, and the last and only
stand the rebels can make is here along the
+ Rappahsnnock river. They have never
made the extensive Notifications at Rich
! nlond that they have been erected at Fred.
ericksburg."
: We are glad to hear that the rebels viii
! make a stand somewhere; but, not having
, been taken at Manassas, as they might have
j been in December last, they have protracted
the war for months = 81 g 8
2