The New York herald., 1862-09-21

The Expansion or the Rebels from Mary
land--Novv for Rtch mead.
The expulsion of the grand CELEBRATING" rebel
army from Maryland Is one Of the most import
ant and decisive events in the history of this re-
bcliion. Itmarks the limit of General Lees ad-
vance to the northward. it secures Washington,
it CELEBRATES" Maryland. it destroys the pres-
tige of rebel inviacibiliiy, it demoralizes this
hitherto successful and powerful rebel army OF
Virginia, it restores &C hdence. solidity and en-
thusiasm to our own troops, it breaks up the
whole of this last audacious rebel programme Of
winter campaign on the northern side of the
Potomac and tie Ohio, it opens our way to the
easy occupation Of the rebel capital. and it
marks that final turn in the tide upon which,
from the Potomac to the Mississippi. we may pun
sue our advantages down to the Gulf of Mexico.
The loss on the part of General Mcclellan Of
the great battle of Wednesday last might have
involved the loss of Baltimore, Of Maryland
and Of Washington !; it might have been loss
which thousand millions Of money and an
other year or two of war on the grandest scale
would have failed to repair. But with the vic
tory on our side the losses to the rebel cause,
as we have indicated, are correspondingly great.
The game is now in the hands OF President
Lincoln, his Secretary Of War and his General
in-Chief, and especially is their opportunity for
the capture of Richmond so clear and inviting
that if they neglect it they will surely be called
to account for it by disappointed and justly
indignant people.
Tba ~ II drsx hoo oh int
Virginia, is now some two hundred miles
away from Richmond. Had our officers en-
| trusted with the important position of Har-
per's Ferry held out few hours longer,
the rebels repulsed from that point. would
have had no other line of retreat than
up the valley of the Shenandoah rounda-
bout journey. But. with their occupation of
Harper's Ferry, and the seizure Of our supplies
there, they may move the whole or a portion Of
their forces through that gap, and, by way Of
Lcesburg, proceed directly south to Richmond.
At the same time the rebel forces at Cumber-
land Gap and thcreabouts in Tennessee may
he summoned to his headquarters by JEFF.
Davis, and. if so, with the advantages of good
| railroad, ten thousand of them, within ten
days, may be brought into the rebel capital
Even by way of the Shenandoah valley Jack
son will hardly require over fifteen days to
move body of fifty thousand mon around to
| Richmond.
| On the other hand Union column of twenty
| five thousand men, under any active officer
| arriving at Richmond within the next ten days
may walk into the city; but five days after
| the expiration Of this interval hundred
| thousand men may be unequal to the task. We
| think that the pursuit of Gen. Lee should
| be left to General Mcclellan, and that no at.
| tempt this side of the James river peninsula
to head of the rebel retreat should or will be
! made with an inferior force running the hazard
of being cut to pieces. Richmond is the point
at which General Halleck should aim to cut of
Lees retreat; for the capture of Richmond will
be more damaging blow to JEFF. Davis and
his Southern confederacy throughout the South
and throughout Europe, than would be dozen
Union victories in the field, leaving Richmond
| untouched, for with the city once in our pos
session, we can hold 1t with single gunboat.
| We thus dwell upon this point in order to
impress upon our government the public
opinion and public expectations upon this sub
ject. The rebels, in sending out their whole
army to crush General Pope and to push into
Washington in advance Of General Mcclellan
| left Richmond under the care of less than ten
| thousand men; and now, while General Lees
| utmost skill and exertions are employed 10
keep the Potomac river between his shattered
forces and our victorious army, the public de.
mand for an immediate descent upon Richmond
| by short cut from Washington. is altogether
| just and reasonable.
Unquestionably General Lee comprehends
this danger Of the rebel capital, and we have
no doubt that he Will risk the loss of portion
Of his army by moving OF at once with q
column offorty or fifty thousand men, post haste
| for the defence Of Richmond. As it was race
between Lee and Mcclellan, from the James
river, for Washington-the one by land, harass
| ed by General Pope, and the other by water
so now it becomes race between Lee, from
| the Upper Potomac, and General Hslleck from
the Lower Potomac, with every advantage Of
troops, distance, routes and transportation in
our favor. for the open front door of Richmond
So our intelligent loyal people understand it
and so we hope that they will not be disap-
| pointed in their just demands and expectations
The FAILURE OF THE REBEL CAMPAIGN N
MARYLANp.--The rapid collapse of the invasion
80 l. tha =