The New York herald., 1862-10-13
The Rebellion and It's FOur Defeated
schemes for = Southern COnfederacy.

Ine Rebellion and It's FOur Defc cated
schemes for . Southern COnfederacy.
with the overthrow and dispersion Of the
rebel army in Kentucky, we have the total
collapse Of the last and most desperate war
programme Of the rebel chiefs at Richmond, to
wit: winter campaign in the midst Of the
bountifnl supplies Of subsistence and clothing
OF our loyal border States, so called, Of Mary
land, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri. The armies Of the rebellion are thus
thrown back upon the exhausted States involved
in it, where it is simply impossible that they
can hold out through the winter against our ad-
yancing aud overwhelming forces by land and
water
This is the fourth war programme Of the rebel
leaders which has been broken up since the Sc
cession of South Carolina, December 20, 1860
The others were:-
Fsrst-The revolutionary seizure Of the gov
ernment at Washington
Second-A defensive lin
1hird-Immense armies and great and de-
cisive pitched battles.
The seizure Of Washington as Southern
revolutionary coup detaa was first agitated by
Henry A. Wise, in the Fremont and Buchanan
campaign Of 1856. Again, in 1860, near tie
close Of the year, we find this project associated
with the name of Wise, but this time as the
chief of secret conspiracy Of ten thousand
traitors in Virginia, Washington and Maryland
The scheme also involved the secession and
revolutionary uprising of Maryland; but this
important branch of it was defeated by the per-
sistent refusal of Governor Hicks to call his
tire scheme was communicated to General
Scott, and how it was circumycnted by his wise
defensive precautions and by Lieutenant Jones
in the burning of the government arsenal at
Harpers Ferry; and how our national capital
and government were saved by President Lin
coin himself, in his "Scotch cap and long mill
tary cloak" need not here be recapitulated.
1t is sufficient for our present object that this
first grand rebel scheme for Southern con-
federacy-the seizure of Washington by numer-
Gus and reckless band of secret conspirators
and assassns--was abandoned with Mr. Llncoln's
military Inauguration.
We take up, then, the second programme of
the rebel leaders, involving defensive line.
Before adopting this line they deemed it expo
dent to drop all false pretenccs of concilation
by resort to actual. open war. in order to drag
into the whirlpool of the rebellion the hcs-
tating slave States of Virginia, North Carolina
Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky Missouri
Maryland aud Delaware. The first four OF these
States being thus secured a northern frontier
defensive line was adopted, extending from
Manassas and the Potomac. across Virginia
and Kentucky, to Columbus on the Mississippi
river AT the same time the powerful rebel
conspiracy which existed in Missouri was re-
lied upon to conquer that State and Kansas.
Thus, for the first eight or ten months Of the
war, our border slave States had to bear nearly
all its burdens of spoliation and destruction.
But in January and February last, at Somerset.
Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, this rebel de-
fensive line was SO completely broken down in
Kentucky that about the lst of March il was
abandoned in Virginia, with the evacuation of
Manassas by the rebel army and its retreat to
Richmond.
In his inaugural address TO the rebel Con-
gress on the 22d Of February, JEFF. Davis.
referring to these Western rebel defeats. said
that he and his confederates. in undertaking
to hold their exposed and extended defensive
line, had undertaken 'too much The Rich
mond journals, upon this hint broadly init
mated that new rebel system of warfare had
been adopted system of immense movable
armies, prepared TO fall back or advance at a
moments warning. Not long afterwards this
new system was reduced 10 practical expert
ment, in the mastering Of an immense rebel
force at Corinth, Mississippi, and in It's sudden
march and tremendous assault upon our army
at Pttsburg Landing. But, driven back to its
intrenchments. this grand rebel Army of the
West was next beleaguered at Corinth. and
next when sought for it was invisible, having
stolen of under cover of the night.
But, while this new system Of warfare on the
part OF the rebels had thus exploded in the West il
promised them the grandest compensations in the
East. Davis had collected an enormous army
at Richmond. and his generals confidently wait
cd ior their opportunity to pounce upon the
steadily advancing forces of General Mcclellan.
The results need no repetition mere. Against
overwhelming numbers. and through seven
successive days lighting, Mcclellan saved his
invaluable army. But the rebel chiefs having
raised the siege of Richmond, were ready for
bolder movements. Accordingly. with the first
evidences Of our proceedings for the evacuation
OF the Virginia peninsula. this last most inso-.
lent and desperate rebel programme was adopt
ed OF a march into Washington in advance Of
General McClellans forces. and general inva-
sion Of and winter campaign in our loyal bor-
der States. on both sides Of the slavery line, in
view Of the indispensable articles OF bread,
meat and clothing to the hungry and ragged
soldiers o. the rebcllion.
Thus it will be seen that since December.
1860, four successive schemes OF the rebel lead
ers in behalf Of the> Southern confejeracy