Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-24

that perva6ed the community LAST evening, p
the character of the reports from the upper Po-
tomae, ezcept TIE rumor brought to Redmond
By passengers, aud telegraphed thence to the
press. that General LEE had re.crossed the Pote-
mac on Friday. Our reports from the Northern
press were up to The close of operations on Mon
day, the 18th, those we publish this evening
though taken from the ChieagO Tunes Of the
/ 18Th, only include the operations Of Tuesday
which our own reports have signifed were mere
/ skirmisbes. The Times Of the 18th apologies
for the non-appearaDce of any information Of
the situation on Wednesday, and accounts for If
BY saving that the wires were obstTucted by a
severe storm.
The Federal account leaves General LEE
with a large army-repoted 10000 strong
near sharpsburg, on Tuesday evening; Nc
GILLIAN in his front and q general battle was
expected to ensue on Wednesday, the 18th. OF
this, as we have remarked, the Northern press
has no account Our account Of the fight on
Wednesday, published on Monday evening, says
that the enemy was driven back nine miles and
completely routed. No intelligence to the con
trary has been received from any quarter up TO
the present Writing, Tuesday night and We
have no reason to doubt the correctness Of our
report that our victory was a decisive one.
The retogade movement of General LEE,
rumore5 only according to latest accounts, We
are rather disposed to look upon fevOrably.
May it not have been possible that his purpose
was accomplished when the Federal forces were
Withdrawn from the defense Of Washington, Of
which advantage was and is being taken The
Federals themselves scented danger in this par
t~icular, Of the extent Of which the following
paragraph from the St. Louis Republican, Of the
18th, is highly suggestive;
The taking up of the Federal army to Boons-
boro, twelve miles from W~iliamsport, wopld
seem to show that Mcclellan has no fears that
the rebels viii undertake to reeross the Potomac
below him. Otherwise that movement would
be exceedingly dangerous, for if our dispatches
of the date OF Tuesday are correct, General Lee
is now nearer TO Washington than Mcclellan is.
Crossing at Sharpsburg, the enemy might take
the road past HaTpers Ferry, through Hills
borough, 10 Leesburg and Edwards Ferry,
which would bring him within thirty-fve miles
Of the national capital, or he might march at
once to DreinesTille and Arlington flights, to
try the experiment Of Smelling the city from the
Virgins side. We are convinced that the latter
would be worse than futile, and that any attempt
Of the kind would be speedily repulsed. We.
doubt, too, whether the river is foTdsble al this
time below Point Of Roels Nor, in any case,
is Il to be presumed that so careful a general as
Mcclellan viii allow the rebels to get between
aud Washington, unless it is q certainty
that they would be crushed to powder By so do
ing. We suppose that as soon as it is ascertain
ed that the Confederate army has been driven to
t5e Virginia side Of the Potomac, the Federal
troops will fall back upon Middletown, and pos
sibiy to the Monocacy, unless, indeed, the for
mer has been so used up that they cannot resume
the offensive, in which case it might be the poll
cy to keep after them even up to the ~foTtihcs-
tons Of Richmond. We do not think any ap-
preEensious need be felt that Mcclellan viii be
out-geleraled.
OF course the Republicans ideas are merely
speculation. as would be any explanation we
might ofer. We cannot conceive that I" SO care
fl a general as LEE moved across the Potomac
without some strategical purpose beyond that Of
avoiding the enemy. His succession Of
victories certainly rendered no such move a mil
iaTy necessity, and we await further advices,
though anxious, entirely confident.
LATE-TAe telegraph to-day brings us com
p.eLe confirmation Of the success Of the Con
tolerate arms in the battle Of Sharpsburg, in
Maryland, On wednesday the I7sh inst, and
OF an addilouai victory gained by JACK
SONS division on the subsequent Saturday.
The anxiety Of the public for the last twenty
four hours, aud the lying reports Of the Federal
journals, has given place to g feeling Of Joy
which we have not seen equaIed during the war.
recurrence 70 he dates Of all reports, as al
Lude5 to above, explains as to how SO many
msled and We are satisfied the act of re-
crossing tie Potomac was one the wisdom Of
which viii yet be made apparent.