The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-04-09
LANCASTER H. WEDNESDAY MORNING.
The Falling Back of the Army Of the
Potomac--The Enemy Foiled.

Potomae--The Enemy Foiled.
We learn that tn. Government not
only cordially approves the strategic
,nove,nen, Of General Johnston in chan
ging his line Of defence. bu, that the
question Of falling back from The old line
Of !hs Potomac ~as confL-d entirely 10
his own discretion some weeks ago BY
the Precedent himself
IL IL now nsc-rtaip-d that some three
or four weeks before the .riny tell t,sck,
General johnston visited the President
and disclosed to him the extraordinary
plans c"mp"ssed by the enemy. which
made II .r,usiiy necessary, ~ h:s upin
ION, 10 f.l back aud organize n new hne
of defence. He stated h,s CONVICTIONS
,iist the .n.'n,, b, n movement Of some
forty or tihy thousand troop. through
hsrp.r's Ferry aud the valley, designed
to tall upon his rear, anu proposed to de.
f.a, this object by confronting him Oh y
new line Of defence
For III. space Of three weeks before
the army left its entertainments At Man.
assas preparations we're being ,usde :or
falling back, BY the quiet aud gradual
removal Of the VAST sccu,nuIxtions o! ~.
my s,o,es and With such consnmn ate
address ~as this mansged that our own
forcss had no idea Il what Was intended
uni'I tho march ~ss taken up. The fire,
in,Itnalion the enemy had Of the evscua
ton "i Manassas, WAS the smoke of the
soldiers huts that had been fired by our
sr,n;, and ~ The last column Of OUT for
c-s retued. we are assured th.l the nd
vance uf the movement on Gen. John.
stou's resr WAS siready NJ Snicksrssi,le, n
yep !" tue Blue Ridge.
That ,h. sra,es'c plane Of the en- en,y
were completely ioiiei by this iu.s,srIy
movement VI Geu Johns,oa 10 quito evi.
de", !" the tone ot disapPo'ntWen, aud
v-xs,ion in which the Northern ne~sps.
1T ~ refer 10 ,iis evacuation OF Manassas,
which, unless there bad been some dis.
co"cert of their o~n s,stegy by ,uch 40
event. they would 10 likely to regard -
considerable advantage on their side in
letting them further iulo the territory Of
Fmy,uia.
The most, il not the only. suecsssful
s,rstrg,c mossu'sut of lsst yssSs cam.
ps,Hu MAS Gen. Johnston's evacuation of
Harper. Ferry aud his movements in the
upper poruor Of the valley. IL" <vscu'
alton VI the extreme line VI The Upper
Potomac ~as exclusively misuuderstood.
and brought = g'e~, deal Of poPslsr .ad
iyrofan. e~n.urs upon Gen. JoLus,ou,
who ~, charactsr'.,ic.lIy resolved TO
eave his nsindcslion 10 the progress ot
events. Ills movements th~n threw back
The eneIu.s plans t leas. ninety d.ys.
aud it is contidsn,ly STATED tha, the same
ex,en, of disappointment ard diseoncsrs
On tue sueny's aide will be the result ol
tue late change OF our lius Of d.fences.
The advantages accomplished ia ibs
falling back Of our army are, thu, i, hs.
foiied the s,ra,egic plan OF the enemy al
most NJ the instant OF ito accomgl,sb
m.n,. Lesides bringing our forces into I
position TO encounter any DEMONSTRATION
'hs, tue enemy may make in new di'ec
tons. The rxci,enen, Of locomotion snt
change of scene were said, ZOO, to hxv,
had The mos, happy effect upon the spi'
its Of our troops, who are, altogether. IL
better sighting Trim than they have eve
besu since the bSitls Of Msna.sa.. Ou
readers may roy upon il that the asPec
of affairs in the direction of the Po,oma
is. in every respect. cheering and sneos'
sgins.---Riehmond Exapsinsy.