The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-08-08
THE POSITION ON THE PENINSULA.
From the New York Times August ? /


The tclegraphrr at lIarrison's Landing informs
us in regard to the caunonde opened by the rebels
on Thursday night, that - the II bells had it all their
own way i"r some fim", as our troops did not an
tiepate an attack. 1t is difficult to conjecture
what as anticipated 10y Gen. McClellttn's army
Isolated i'll a hostile country, with enemies swarm
inS every bush, b,vouacked i'll every grove, latent
behind every point OF vantage, cutnumberng cur
diminished force three to daring to cap
ttre schooner in midriver where the wafer is
covered with NltonNi yess els. and so active that
their batteries present themselves daily at some
new spot on the bank with AL th4se intnati"nS
that I'll" rebels have not iaii down their arms, or
oti'rcd An hrmisti,es II might ha supposed that
our troops could not be sup prisei by ans
attack orr Generals wuuii always be
prepared and on the Watch. Au attack from the
very quarter whence this made ha7 certainly
been anticipated by the people n large, and has i'll
fact been for several days princp pal source of pub
lie anxiety. There has seemed TO be why
the enemy holding the entire south bank of the
James, ard able 20 bring his artillery and Dortars
to bear upon the national encampments and gun
boats-shouid not shower a storm of shot and she'll
into our lines n any moment. Whatever might be
the an2Zgment Of the aAtonlshed telegrapter at
this catastrophe, he may rest assured there ID
one elsewhere to share il.
But whatever the previous dangers from this
source have been, the apprehension may now be
laid aside. The appearance OF Com Porter's NOR
tar fleet IN the James river renders Gen. Mcclellan
secure from the tnemys river batteries opposite
his lines or below them. 1t makes ii impraetcable
Tar the rebels TO continue at their labor Of throw
ing up sgfthworks, planting guns, and massing
troops at points NEST convenient Ter operating
against him. The mortar boats in conjunction
with the fleet OF gunboats already in the James
viii be enabled To keep up ceasetess shower OF
metal solid and explosive, 81 all points on the river
from which the Rebels ci:i annoy our shipping in
ierrupt our lines "t communication. or operate
effectively against Iigris0 Point. They able
10 drive away, drive back, the rebels who, on
the South side of the James, have crossed the Ap
&C
form eonv enient Judgments. And in regard to the
interruption Of the nAyi igation of the james river
there can be no danger whatever, now that such a
tremendous combined fleet plows its waters and
rih1es it's shores by night and by day. SO far
any apprehensons may have been entertained for
the safety of Gen. McC!elans army, they may be
dismissed. If he cannot. a. yet, attack the rebel
army with assurance OF Success there is not force
enough in all Virginia. nor III all rebeldom to make
6 successful attack upon his position.
In regard again TO the transportation of Gen.
bicCelliu's army from Harrison's Point 10 more
convenient base for active operations against Rich
nond il such measure should have been project
ed, or should be thought desirable. The diffcultes
al first sight, seem great and great enough they
undoubtedly would be- if we had not the means we
already have for overcoming them But they have
been greatly exaggerated Gen. Mcclellan could
move his entire army and all his hdttrisl from the
Peninsula before the rebels could by ahy possibiii
ty mass their forces or prepare batteries, as to
seriously interfere with the work,
leg; any part OF his force. There is al enormous
feet OF steam ard other transports already in the
James river and at Hampton Roads precisely how
many the Navy Department only can tell, aid the
public do not care m know so long they
slred that il il sufficient to answer any eNigency.
These vessels and transports were sent there
in the first inst ance not for any such purpose as TO
carry Gen. McClelians army down the river, or
across it but they hone the less available
for the work on that account. Under convoy Of
the gunboats-under gudrdianship OF the mortar
feet, these transports can navigate The James with
.s much safety as il there was not rebel gun On
either Of it's banks. Ii is now seen to be more than
likely since we have learned of the movements
and developments OF the last few days, that there
will need to be no such thing as transfer OF Cen
McClellen's army from the Peninsula, but that he
will remain there for the brief time necessary TO
give him strength to march onward to Richmond
Bat the public need to be in no way perturbed as to
his ample ability to defend himself from land at
tack, and ii it is deemed advisable to carry his
army safely down the James, or transfer II &c the
other side.
The rebel boasts as to what their new Merrimac
{or Richmond and its consort ram are going to do
against Gen. MeClellan's army, and against our
navy, are preposerous. We have q far greater
naval force III the James now than we had when the
first Merrimac committed selfslaughter, because.
as its commander has confessed, the contest with
the National fleet was hopeless; and that naval
force ii properly and boldly handled, Is sufficient
to fight and destroy half.a dozen Merrimaes We
learn this morning, from one Of our special cores
pondents with the arhy-what we had not pre-
Hiously learned by telegraph-lnat the new raoel
monster made Its appearance on "Wednesday last,
aud our fleet was promptly drawn up to give it
battle. OF the issue of the contest which seems to
be impending, neither Wilkes nor Mcclellan have
any fear
From all the rebel movements it appears, from
this distance, that they feel the need Of making
demonstf alton. aganst General Mcclellan
they possibly can. Oar army, however, is
stili strong well entrenehed, and we'll protected; !;
and our navy, always invincib!e, il now marshaled
Il greater thai. before. and a
siisn where it render effective service
than any previous occasion. II the rebels pro-
woke an engagement they may be grievously dis
appointed in its issue.