The New York herald., 1862-11-23
The Campaign in virginia-The Losses
and Profits OF Experience.

The Campaign In virgtnia-The Losses
and Profits OF Experience.
Our latest authentic advices from Virginia
are satisfactory and encouraging. The army of
General Burnside, in prime condition, is con-
centrating its massive columns near its new
base Of operations at Fredericksburg. The
work Of repairing the connecting railroad to
AQUA creek landing, on the Potomac (nine
miles). is rapidly progressing. The rebels
threaten to resist the passage Of Burn
sides troops, and there may, therefore, be
battle and victory. The next thing will
be the construction of several bridges over
the Rappahannock, to replace those destroyed
BY the Union forces in their evacuation Of
Fredericksburg last August. The railroad and
the bridges may detain the army several days;
but this will be time well spent, especially as
the late rains have rendered the "sacred soil "
of Virginia temporarily impossible to heavy
army wagons and artillery over her common
roads.
With the shifting Of the grand army Of Gene
raj Burnside from its late interior base, at
the foot Of the Blue Ridge chain Of noun
tains, down to the navigable waters
Of Chesapeake Bay, all the intervening
and utterly exhausted region Of forty miles be-
tween Centreville and the Blue Ridge and be-
yond has been wisely abandoned Stonewall
Jackson may thus amuse himself to his hearts
content in dashing up and down the Shenan-
doah valley for hundred miles, and across the
gaps Of the Blue Ridge, and through the desc
lated counties of Loudon, Fauquier, Culpepper
and Prince William on the eastern side; but he
will gain nothing but starvation by such enter
prises Last spring and summer he gathered
at Front Royal, Strasburg Winchester and
other points a rich harvest Of provisions, cloth
quence Of the vain effsrts Of our War Depart
ment to hold the Shenandoah valley and the
extensive region indicated east Of the Blue
Ridge, with forces inadequate to the task, in
conjunction with General McClellaa's move
ments upon Richmond. Thus the rebel army Of
Jackson was maintained largely at the expense
Of the federal treasury; and the different de-
tachments Of Union troops, scattered about
over region Of one hundred miles square to
catch him, though insufficient for their object,
drew SO largely upon the army Of General Nc
Clellsn as to defeat his great expedition.
We are gratihed that General Halleck has
taken counsel from these dearly bought lessons
OF experience, in abandoning the Shenandoah
valley and the intervening country, from the
Blue Ridge to Centrevills, as free range, for
the time being, to Stonewall Jackson. Thus q
Union force in the aggregate Of sixty thousand
men, more or less, which was frittered away
last summer in playing hide-snd-seek with
jackson, il more usefully employed at Harpers
Ferry and In the immediate front Of the Virginia
Notifications Of Washington. If jackson chooses
to assail either Of these positions he must come
prepared for a siege, or be joined by
the whole army Of Lee. That Lee, as
o last resort would sacrifice Richmond
for the prospect Of capturing or sbslling Wash
ington, is altogether probable. But, If he enter
tains any such design, these late extensive and
liberal rains have rendered its execution, for
some days at least, impossible. There 10 now,
too, such volume Of water in the Upper Poto-
mac as makes 1t secure, not only between Lees
burg and Harpers Ferry, bnt up 70 Cum ber-
land against rebel marauder.
We II nA i altogether likely. therefore .,
jackson bas but sinall prospect Of any prof
ie work ftf ano tu" norl of tie Rarp.
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