Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-14
rHE RETREAT FROM MANASSAS.

Why did the reOels leaFs -Aai'ase@s "heie
have thew gone and what shall be thought
of the strategy" that allowed them to go!
Most people ale just now asking these ques
lions with considerable anxiety and earnest
ness. but nobody can give satisfactory an.
swers.
We can see plainly enough that the rebels
left Centerville and Manassas in accordance
with some deliberate purpose Of their leaders,
They were not driven ay. They did not
go because anybody near Washington had
threatened 10 march out and attack them, 1t
is evident that they went in pursuance ofsome
change of policy, which will be FULLY disclosed
in due time. Perhaps they have concentrated
a strong force to attack Gen. Burnside, or to
capture our forces in east Tennessee, or to
make some other desperate attempt to win
some important success. 1t woald be easy
for them to concentrate large force in
east Tennessee, for they have entire control OF
the railroads; and they can still more easily
menace the command of Cen Burnside,
should he move away from his gunboats i'll the
direction of Norfolk.
In our view, that was very remarkable
"strategy" which allowed the rebels to retreat
so successfully. 1t will be very prominent
topic in all futrIe histories Of this war, and in
all elaborate sketches of our present military
leaders it will be mentioned 10 illustrate the
matchless generalship with which they have
carried on the campaign against Manassas,
during the last four or five months; and all its
consequences will be properly portrayed much
to the credit or discredit of somebody. His.
tory will tell how deliberately and safely they
went away, with their arms, ammunition,
stores, and almost everything of much value
Probably there has not been time, during
the last four months, when they would not
have fled or attempted to do so, if Gen. Nc.
Clellan's army had advanced upon them. 1t
is now admitted that during the whole winter
they have not had more than sixty thousand
men on the entire line OF the Potomac, and
probably not more than thirty thousand men
at and around Manassas and Center
vile; that their Notifications were much
more Insignificant than has been repre-.
sented; that a part Of their guns in the
Manassas batteries were quaker guns" thai
their vaunted Gibraltar, Of which such sur.
prising stories have been told, was merely a
big humbug and that the COMMANDMENT
chief of our army ON the Potomac had failed
entirely to discover all this until too late.
1t is not agreeable to know how little has
been done against the rebels by that army Of
100000 on the Potomac, near Washington
The men are brave, and anxious for NOR,
active service; and there are gallant and very
capable officers in that army. 1t was and i
an admirable army, sure TO win laurels o.
any field where it might be tried. Yet it ha
not been allowed to move on against til
enemy, nor has it even been used to prever
the escape of that small rebel army befor
which it has been SO long idly encamped.
the rebels at Manassas had been captured, a
those at Fort DonelsOn were captured, tn
rebellion would have been well-nigh ended
But they have gone away without bein
molested, and considerable portion of some
body's military reputation, We fear, has var
ished' with them. The Washington Repul
lican says -
1t is, we believe, no secret, that council
OF war called last week by General Mcclellan
determined by vote of eight to four, that
was not possible to move at present agains
the enemy at Manassas. The dissenting ion
are believed to have been Generals Mellow ell
Heintzleman, Sumner and Keyes. This de
clslon was oyerruled by the president and sec
rotary OF war. Mr.. Stanton has but two word
since lie took charge of the war department
'Adudnce? and Fight! As to the president
We suspect there is more truth than is genera
ly supposed in the report that he has said re
peatedly within three weeks, that if the arm
oil the Potamac could hot otherwise be mad
to move, he would take command of it in ne
SON"
Another account of this council claims thu
the only difference OF opinion related to ii
plan Of the onward movement. The ma
point, however, Is not denied, namely, th
such a council was held, and that it's delibel
tions assumed that Manassas was Il place
terrible strength which it would be almC
impossible to capture. III real character of
detenses had not yet been discovered. The
was also the usual talk about the bad roads, I
frightful mud, and the impossibity of movi
forward; to which Gen. Mcdowell gave t
most satisfactory reply, last Monday,
marching his entire command twenty fl
miles forward on that day. He had been an
ious TO go forward and drive the rebels fro
Manassas and to all those who had maintai
ed thai it was impossible to move that mar
was an answer that left nothing more to
said.
There was a rumor afioal last evening, til
Gen. Burnside had been attacked by an ov,
wheming force Of rebels, and defeated. V
mention it only to contradict it but the ext
ence of such rumor shows the prevalen
and activity of the fear that the rebels, hav
retreated safely from Manassas, may cause
sudden and serious disaster at some 9th
point. Let us hope that it will not be SO.
MAPLE SUGAR.-The season promises to
very excellent one for the production of tn
useful and agreeable article. More than fl,
million pounds of it were made in New Yor
alone, the last season, and, with the stimuli
oil high prices and the dizziness of many otht
pursuits, it would not be strange il that quar-
tlty should be nearly doubled the present az,
son. We have not the statistics before us Inn
the quantity made in Vermont is very lava,
as well as in some Of the other states s.,
is still made in the western portions of Mas,
chusetts and there are towns il, ,i;