Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-15

The Significance Of The Present Rebel More
menfs-War to be Carried into Pennsylvania.
IFrom the Richmond Examiner

The Significance OF The Present Rebel More
menfs-War to be carried into Pennsylvania.
From the Richmond Examiner.
Intelligence has been received from various
sources that the enemy has succeeded in evading
or forcing the lines OF the Coniederates between
Manassas and Washington, and reached Airing
ton Heights with the wreck OF his army This
story lacks confirmation, but il comes from so
many quarters that we fear it contains but too
much truth. We know from the northern press
that it was the intention of their Generals, il de-
feated on the RapPahannock, to retire to Airing
ton Heights there to renew the war of the spade,
and TO reform their broken egions and new lines
during the winter. But il was the hope and be
lief of the country that the arrangements of the
Confederate leaders had been such as would have
completely foied that plan. Ii the news Of their
successful retreat to Arlington Heights is con
firmed Il will be another of those many disap-
pOintments which we have had To support much
resembling anu nearly as great as the escape of
Mcclellan after the battle OF Cold Harbor and
Malvern Hill.
But il il Is indeed true, we hope that our foes
themselves will be disappointed in their expecta.
tons of o seige OF Washington. The chief prize
of the late victories is not the possession of that
city but the opportunity which they would seem
to afford for the commencement of an offensive
campaign in the enemy's country. The capture
OF w aShnStOn Noulu pFouuct an ltnneice sen
satiOn, but ii unattended by an immediate ad
vance into Pennsylvania. aud menace of the
northern capitals. Il is impossible to say that the
said sensation would be altogether and necessarily
10 our advantage Ii would be a prodigiOus NOR
thcaiion TO the North, but would not cost fatal
or even serious loss of strength. The moral
shock might possibly occasion negotiations for
peace: but If the northern people possess a1y real
courage, il would more probably result in gene
raj rush 10 arms. Possession of Washington is
only desirable the open door to INVASION; and
ii il is efiectuaily closed against Us by the occu
patton of Arlington, We hope that this precious
season will not be consumed in picking the lock
or battering it down, while the wall Is full OF
breaches through which we may pass a. we'll
Reason indicates that the aim and object of the
COnlederacy at this stage OF the war Is, or should
be- a transfer of hOstities to the enemy's soil. IL
is ia fact matter OF necessity that we should do
So It is difficult 10 see how an enormous army
can be subsisted in Northern Virginia during tile
coming winter. Everything that it consumes will
have to be transported there from great distances
for il i now literally an army in the desert Few
who have not visited it know the extent to- which
the unfortunate portion OF the State has been des
olated. At the end of eighteen months it has
been reduced to condition nearly resembling
thgt of Middle Germany, after the thirty years
war
The drums aud trampllngs of three conquests
have not produced elsewhere the rayages and
waste which the struggles OF the Southern hosts
have caused in Piedmont, Virginia, during the
past and present summers. Ii will take one hun
drei full years to restore that country to the
dtiOn in which the war found it, Deserted a. il
is by the majority of its inhabitants II Is not east
" perceive ed how the scattered remainder of its
population hope TO escape starvation during the
coming winter: and the maintenance of army
of one hundred and fifty thousand men there, de
pendant on a single track railroad, when the
winter has rendered the other highways impassa-
BILE, will be an experiment not less dangerous than
costly.
Even il that difficulty could be overcome it is
evident that our army can not waste its tine in
protractcd operations Tor the possession of a
frontier city, unless il desires to lose the only op-
pOrtunity to make real approach to the end of
the war that have had since the beginning of
il. Such a delay would be all that the enemy
could now desire. for il would give him just the
time necessary TO organize and bring mp his new
army of six hundred thousand men; and while
Washington should be neither clearly lost or won,
but prize still at stake between the two coun-
tries the difficulty OF raising that army would
be greatly aIleViated.
Ii we can not take Washington BY "A coup dc
main il must be lett 10 take care OF itself The
true goals of our course are the de.iverance of
Mary land and the INVASION OF Pennsl lvanla: and
anu II We ever have an honorable treaty of PEACE
with the United States. il Will De signed on the
enemy's territory, and not on soil.
War i a game OF chance. and in all games of
chance there unaccounGable runs of good and
bad luck ln the latter part OF last winter and in
the beginning OF the sprins. We bad our season
of evil fortune Mishap succeeded mi>hap. loss
followed less and disaster pursued disaster IN a
melancholy series 20 long and unbroken that the
Coniederacy could realize The sensation OF Mac
beth when he asked: shall thy line stretch out
to crack of DOOM
The tables are now turned; the cards run the
otherwav The North has now IL dismal season,
while the winter oi discomfort l. turned to
glorious summer. Spleudidly victorious in Nir-
einia, our first organized advance into kentucky
i also marked by a success even more brilliant.
though of less magnitude. The battle near
Richmond, kealucky, although ten thousand
only OF the enemy were engaged, i one OF the
most encouraging incidents OF the war. If the re
port which the telegraph brings Is indeei true,
that the Kentucky regiments which the enemy
had raised by compulsory enrolment marched
over 10 the SIDE OF their compatrots 10 deliver up
the arms which their tyrants had forced into their
hands.