The New York herald., 1862-11-27
THE REBEL ACCOUNTS.
Our baltimore Correspondence.

Our Baltimore Correspondence.
BALTIMORE, Nov. Fl, 1862
Gen Lees PIan for the Defence Of RicamondHsaas at
His Con,mdnd--Diposito Of His A,aey-JacIson Still
West Of The Blue Rid0e-What For s--conccntation Of
Troops al Rctmoad-Prcs Of Winter Sicos-fhe
Former Plans of The Rc,elS-The Cause Of JET Davis
Quarrel seth Lee, DC, DC
1t idle deny that persons here who (by
what means know not) have been able to keep con.
santy posted only regard to the movements and
position OF the rebel armies Of their actual strength
but also extent Of the plans and designs o. The
rebel leaders The experience and close observation ot
many months have convinced OF this fact 1t Is true
these persons not easily found nor are they at all dis
posed to But that is entirely another
matter The following, then is the version Of the pre-
sent situation and inkng Of what may be expected to
transpirc according to these sources of Information
There may be truth in it than at first appears
The removal of General Mcclellan known at the
headquarters of the rebel army the sth inst. The
news received at first with surprise and ncreduty
but when the announcement was officially made expires
sons OF Joy and satisfaction heard all sides
The universal sentiment Of the officers that "the
Yankees at the capital had gone and done II now" and
that ss they could not oumanGuvro and whip the Yam
kee army now they (he rebels) deserved defeat" On
the 9TH 10th and 11th cavalry reconnossances were
sent out all directions, and during these days the
generals deciding what steps to take in order to
improve an event which they believed would result in
the disorganization Of army II will be
remembered that the papers Of the 1oh 11th and 18th
inst. contained accounts OF squads OF rebel cavalry
having beon seen proving around OF which appear
cd ia the roar Of army. By Of these recon
nossances the generals ascefaned that the whole army
had come 20 stand STILL that the intention Of advancing
to Richmond by way Of Gordonsve had been Abandoned
that General Haeck in consultation with Burnside
and when the army did move again an entire change
in our programme would have been decided on.
In effect this pause operations consequent upon
tho sudden removal Of head Of army lasted ten
daysfrom the 7th to the 18th This ten days gave
.5fsssE smps .Ips !: make SAsssysr chances Y !fs
disposition army they wsned TO- ana the oppot
tunity improved.
The disposition Of their army already as follows
Tho main body under General Johnston, with headquar
ers at Gordonsve 100 900 strong, extended along the
Rapdan river from vile to its mouth, with de-
tachments also at culpepper and Luray The right wing
40 900 strong along the Rappahanncck from Fredercks
burg TO the Sulphur Springs the left wing under General
Jackson so 900 strong OF the Blue Ridge, from near
Harpcrs Ferry down TO Front Royal General Lee had
gone to Richmond but he continued TO exercise general
supervision over the movements Of the army.
The oniy change he made in the disposition Of the troops
was 10 withdraw all that part Of the right wing between
the mouth Of ths Rapidan that now
the Lower Rappahannock, from the mouth of the hapi
dan down. unguarded to send the troops thus with
drawn further up the Rappahannock and to move the
deachmens Cupepper and Luray to the south bank Of
the Rapon The position of the rebel army now there
fore is not materially different from what ii was before
he removal OF McCsan except that there are no rebel
troops at or near Fredericksburg and there were none
there except squadron Of cavalry acting AZ corps OF
observation, when Burnside approached that place.
What, then do these movements Of tho rebel army
mean The this question will be found In otncr
movements Of the rebels since they unexpectedly
land 80 fortunately thsm relieved IRON tho presence
OF the Army OF the Potomac in August last
Richmond Is now as strongly defended As Washington
The terror inspired in the rebel capital by the presence
OF Mcclellan S army their walls last June has not
been lo. upon the Inhabitants Of that city. Whatever
experience could teach energy accomplish has been
done in the way Of fertilization and defence. The mex,
Union army tina, sets down before Richmond will hnd be
fore Il task compared with which McClsans task there
or his siege Yorktown either, was the mercst chids
NAV Those who sneer at .mud and "spadcs nov wH
have enough Of both then There will be again rcdobts
TO build and parallel after parallel TO dig And again the
heavy siege guns that did such good service at YORK
town. will thunder forth for days perhaps for weeks
their terrible music.
have had occasion, in former letters, 70 lay some
lived that when Richmond attacked again would be
nv combined land and naval attack tho latter up the
James river Fort Darling therefore, and the dsfences Of
tho city on the Manchester side have not been neglected
n IA believed therefore, that the reason why Gen. Lee
has left open and undefended the Fredericksburg route TO
Richmond IS because desires that Burnside should lead
bs whole army across Rappahannock at that point
ard advance with Il towards the Pamunkcy or It's
branches the North Anna and the south Anna Gen. Leo
beeves that even Gen. Burnside could, reach Rich
oud he could never take that city But he does nos m
tend that he shall reach IT, He Intends that he shall ANA
Cbckabomny in the natapcny, and another IN the Pa
nrssv and n he passes both or them that he shall nd
Manassas Mt saxtons Junction. But his grand Idea s
ha, vb,le be- with his main body, attends 10 Burnside
south OF the Jackson with nfty thousand
pcked a 70 dash through Manassas Gap and pre-
cipitate himself on washington.
such s an outline Of the rebel plan as Il understood
here am convinced that II has foundation IN truth
and that becomes the administration 10 see tnat every
step In the present expedition TO Richmond is wen con
sdcred II must not be forgotten that by means o. 10 cr
excellent system Of railroads. the rebels have the means
o concentrating during the last week and the next week
for the defence Richmond and Cor operations agans
washington enough troops to raise Lees forces to full,
,hres hundred thousand strong. Our army Is all tha
.ar,a no desired Our generals are sklful and brave
An tina, IL needed TO insure success part th
| proper management at Washington.
NJ ,neorma,on in regard TO tho former designs OF th
rebc armv in virginia full. and, have every reasc
| 10 believe accurate. II 10 as follows
BY the 5th Of October General Lee had arranged hi
p,an for the fall and winter campaign. The main body
his forces was At Winchester, and his communication
pcrfec. with Richmond Of the three roads lead
nr to staunton " Gordonsville and TO Cupeprsr N
tachmcns Of troops were cncamped along all these road
and his engineers we're busiy engaged In improving IN
l,ter. Seeing. then that the Union arpY manifested