, 1862-12-09

to--te1l Gen Lee that Gen. Burnside will prob
.hv not throw his troops over the river di,
reetly in the face Of the batteries {inasked aud
othcsee) paesa to receive Us Il Int nefob bars 10
and here, and cross there or there: But Will
il be above Fredericksburg or below, and at
what paint, whether above or below. will it
be? Here come in the elements Of uncer-
sun Obliged to dctach 4 considerable portion
Of their force as corps Of observation to
guard long line Of river from surprise at
:;,,y point aud at every moment. They seem
10 l'c doing this ctfcctaally, for wherever o1tr
accommodating parties have gone for miles up
or down the river, they find rebel pickets
posted opposite.
It is a notable fact in military history, that,
though the crossing Of 4 river in the face Of
IN enemy is justly esteemed as one Of the
most difficult Of tactical operations, there is
no example Oh record Of The passage Of a
river being successfully defended against 4
determined assaiant. Napoleon crossed the
Danube at Essling and 1T Wagrlnl, in the
presence Of an army Of 12O, 600 men, provided
with 400 pieces Of cannon, and at 4 point
w1,crc the bed Of the stream is broadest.
This may be owing to tbe fact that, on ac-
tempted without good hope Of success. The
necessity Of subdiyiding the force and dispo=-
ing it over an extended line is Of course an
element Of weakness for the defensive, while,
if the line should not thus bc gi1ardea, tho
force would Ill the: time be exposed to flank
and rear assaults from the enemy.
Depend upon it, The rebel leaders arc scnsi-
hle Of all the weakness, as well as Of Ill the
strength Of their position at Fredericksburg;
and xon may at any time expect to lcarn th.t
they have taken advantage Of the nppartuni-
ties hcfnre the operations Of Burnside are
fully developed, to retreat, ere retreat is ren-
tlered peri}ous or Impossible. They hare
"l1yady derived from their occupancy i'll 1he
benefit it is capable to afford them; they have
delayed the army here now nearly three
! weeks, which is triumph enough for Fred
crickshnrg. As soon Is they lind themselves
Erriously exposed to Il flank movement which
will bring their rear. they will ,stela to
| t:yaeu.tc. Indeed. we know that already their
t;,!cf force is not al Fredericksburg itself. hut
| III Bowling Green twenty miles south oI that
| pi3cc-1nd which you will observe 10 he sig
lii;rantly placed with relation 10 the roads
I leading ohliYuc1y south fr',,a What you will
perceive, from a Typographical study Of The
nE'p, to he thc nl1st available point Of assault
| from this place.
There i, therefore, good reason 10 hope
depot nf:supp'ies for hos: osi:italaccommodations
tsc-Win get f:h into our hands without Il
fatal encounter. If so-tllat is, if we do
nor fmcct and rout The enemy, which it will
fG'iais aim to preventive u1,y rely upon being
ag.in met al one CT nois: points between
| pE;ce selected by The rebels fur q et;tad will
probably br f1le North Ann River, thirty miles
:;oiith If Fredericksburg, and about y mile md
:. half north "f Sextons Jinc.i i'm. We shall
h:sye here 4 stream equally formidablc.witl'
| the Rlpralrsnnock to trayeTsc, ut the same
lime that the strength Of the rebel position
the shcrtnc=s Of their lines of communications,
and the }cngth and exposed condition u ours
will work powerfully on thu rate! ride. Re
lying, probably, on that same "w:ant Of enter,
T
Shame, has lately said he has proceeded i'll many
operations, they will expect to .letain i: Al
the Nor1h Ann for an interval cr;;;al to !.a!
| which has kept rs 1T fredericksburg. As hi
main Object of sstieir maneuvers is understood
to be 10 delay us ',y second rate opera!ion:
and slcgcs till I'LL the good weather shall hayl
been exhausted, and the labor Of movement
shah have bcea an hundred fold Increased, :; hi
will be in tic direct line Of their prcsynt de
| sire.
But they will m;scalealate, or am rreatl,
mistaken, If They rely u9aen any s11n;,nseti wan
IF enterprise i'll Burnside Il d''ts moi ente
into his calculations to delay Que hour bcyunt
the time imposed By material conditions, bu
| IL push Oh steadily, directly and uniincll;ngi,
toward Richmond. Dismiss with contcmp
Ill reports you hear Of winter quarters 1lcrr
They arc nonsc,lsc. We are to :iayc :,n :,ci;7e
vigorous Winter campaign against Richmond
Tie army believe they are going there, ant
they have f,itl that they can put it through
Burnside thinks it just IS we'll 10 employ tt,
army i'll marching southwarl-r7cn if Tic,
Should advance but at the ra1c Of 4 mile day
{cycn then they could get in front Of Ricll
lnond III the course If !: couple Of months =
to:'Ilow them TO rot Of lnnttion in camp. "
ll,ye much TO hope from The practical push
ing, tircless temperament Of Dnrnsid., 9
Which we have new illustrations every day
Hc goes everywhere, sees everything with
bright. quiet. creative energy sill aci,iey
| ing, st i'll l,llr-uiHE.9
Lit the great impatient, wearicd, disgustct
5 despairing people Of 1hr loyal States, 1sler,
fore, have ttiti, Yet awhile. IA Iv;! Til
work viii 20 oni But remember it l.; a grea
and formidable work that lies before u:
2 When, after scTcral encounters. we do rcac
Richmond, it will br only to find nrw Tory;
Ttt11"s. and !,riStlll:g circun,v;,lIatlon work
/, Be- prepared f,r a siege agail,st tl.:Se. II in4
he tl,at a victory will be won i'll another IT:
than thr lshoriau= process Of tie ,icge--th
thu rehcl stronghold shall bc storl;lcd 81.
i t.Acn III 1ilr gnry and cl*:nar If the assam
. Bat l,r prepared il 1lle shower process shou1
WHEN WI come nearer, prove necessary. Lce
' at Ii. problem IN nil its proportions and til,
J. give BuIfsi1c Ill youT confidence and su
port. W. s.