Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-15
Gen. McoIellOn's whole Army Moving

Away from the James River.
Mysterious hints of ian important move
ment on foot by the army of the Potomac, :"
following letter from fort Monroe, which we
find in the New York Tribune, speaks of the
matter more distinctly =
FORTRESS MONROE, Aug. 10, 1862.
For week past it has been well under
stood here that the army of the Potomac was
on the eve Of an important movement, though
concerning its real character there was moth
ing beyond conjecture. For the last forty
eight hours transports loaded heavily with
troops are coming down tine James river, and,
without stopping here, have gone directly up
the bay to one of the rivers leading into Vir-
ginia.
yesterday the great body of the army had
orders to be ready to move from Harrson's
Landing, with six days rations. As they will
not cross to the opposite side of the James,
we get some idea of the real design of the
motions recently made in that direction. If,
as is said, the rebels were induced to march
large force out of Richmond toward Peters,
burg to meet the expected advent of Gen.
McClelian's force in that direction, presume
the only purpose he had in view in crossing
to the opposite of Harrison's Landing was
achieved.
''If that is feint, what is the reality? If
the rebels expected our army to appear on the
right bank of the James, they have been dis
appointed, for it has gone in another direction.
Where? That the pontoon bridges which
went up the river yesterday, accompanied by
a very large force of engineers and sappers
and miners, are destined for the Chcahominy
is not wholly matter of conjecture. Th
being so, the inference-not only from this
but from a variety Of other circumstance
and facts-is that the great body of the Grntl
of the Potomac as about to be rithdrGun dovl
the peninsula, while the remainder re-em
banks on transports and proceeds down til,
river.
''That this is the plan now in the process o
being executed is the current impression, no
to say belief-the result of the best informa
ton to be had on the subject Successful,
carried out. it will prove a great disappoint
ment and perplexity to the rebels, and the res
toration of the army of the Potomac to pc
sition of activity and usefulness. For the las
six weeks it has been little less than clos
prisoners. Moreover, while it will be com
plete confession of the absolute failure of tn
peninsula campaign, the withdrawal of tn
army intact will be an achievement highl,
creditable to Gen. Mcclellan.
Once across the Chickahominy, the ole
road back to Yorktown will be open to it.
though it can scarcely hope that its rear guart
will escape pursuit, and perhaps furious onset
by the enemy. For some time past Genera
Mcclellan has been sending away all til,
men, hundreds and thousands in the aggre
gate, who could not march and do heavy duty
He has disencumbered himself, so far as pos
sible, of what would prove a hindrance to ;
rapid movement; and he has, moreover, re
inforced Pope and Burnside with some of hi
very best troops, who will by this time have
arrived on the scene Of operation in that par
of Virginia
''Grant that Gen. McClellan's intention is
to fall back as far as Yorktown-what and
where then? We may safely conclude that
the first object sought is the cooperation O
all the forces operating against Richmond
thing impossible so long as the army of thC
Potomac occupies its new base Whethe
this can be done best by transporting tn
troops to Aqua Creek, fredericksburg, o
Urbanna, or by proceeding in transports III
the York river to some point where a Ian,
march could be taken up, are points doubles
settled in the general plan which | have de
tailed as the prevalent conjecture"