Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-08-30
IMPORTANT FROM THE FEED
ERsAL CAPITAL.
Mrdsjon cf the West.
WAsHTNGToN, August 81.

W AsHINGTON, August II.
Information has been received here from
various authentic sources which confirms
the apprchcnsions that have been entertained
for some time, of an intention on the part of
the Rebels to invade the Western States
either this month or next and the proba-
bility now is that the invasion will hc
attempted at once. The Rebel force in
Virginia has never been near as atrong a.
has been represented. Instead of having
three hundred thousand troops at and near
Richmond during the famous Seven DAYS, it
il doubtful whether they had half that many
1t was supposed that General Jackson had
fifty thousand or sixty thousand troops
engaged in the battle OF Cedar Mountain
but it is now asccrtaned officially that his
total force III that engagement was only
Twenty-Five thousand men, of all arms
The wild stories of his now having seventy
five thousand troops, and being engaged in
an expedition towards llarrisonburg, with
view of getting in Popcs rear or attacking
him in flank, are wholly unioundcd He
knows his own and Pope. relative strength
too well to run into such trap a. that
would prove to be You may depend upon
ii, 50 far from entertaining any idea of often
sivc movements towards Washington. the
Rebels are sorcly troubled about the safety
of Richmond. They have got the impression
that llallccl has made up his mind to take
their Capital forthwith that hc had one
hundred thousand troops ready for that
service before the Peninsula was evacuated {:
that MCClrlan's army and the new troops at
Washington will make one hundred thousand
more and that within another month there
will be u third hundred thousand troops at
Washington. They think that these three
hundred thousand troops will be pushed
down to Richmond 10y the way of Gordons-
vile.
Instead. therefore, of indulging any such
foolish dream a. that of an attack on Wash
ingtOn, they are diligently engaged in pre-
pairing iOr defence against such an attack.
| The forts around the city of Richmond are
being enlarged and strengthened, and new
ones are being built But that is not ALL
/ The Rebels are determined that the Union
/ forces shall never cross the Rapidan. while
/ they shall find a Chckahominy in the North
! Anna. the South Anna, and in each of the
/ four branches of the Matapony, if they
advance by the way of fredericksburg. 1t
cannot be denied that the natural dctrncr-
/ of Richmond are very great, and the RChc,S
have improved them to the utmost. The
issue of the Peninsula campaign has demon
strated the almost insupcrablc obstacles that
capital by that route and the cXcrtion-
which the Rebels are making ~ defend
Richmond from attacks from the North,
show that the expeditions which are now
moving ION to Richmond,' will have no
! holiday task. The whole of the Rebel army
recently at that city, Is now concentrated ON
the line of the Rapidan, and somewhere
near that line the first great battle will b,
fought. Ii the Rebels feel strong enough
they will no doubt make the attack them.
selves
In such a case nothing is more prohahl,
than that jackson should make a circuit tc
the West and fall upon Popc's rear or flank
while General Lee, with the main body o
the Rebel force, attack him in the front
But is doubtful whether the Rebels ar,
strong enough for that \ great many
troops have been sent from Virginia To iuir
Bcaurrgard, in Kentucky. 1t is doubtful
whether they leave in front of Pope Owe
100000 troops, all told This is enough t.
defend Richmond and TO keep the Unior
army at bay until rcinforccments arrive, bu,
ii is not enough To assume the offensive with
The statement is made here, on apparent, |,
good authority, that the Rebels have in tn,
West armies amounting to $50, 900 men, anC
that they intend with them to cradicat,
every vcstigc of the Union authority from
Tennessee and Kentucky, and then to invade
Ohio Indiana Illinois and Missouri, an,
capture and sack Cincinnati. This may o.
may not be their intention. II is certain
that they have very large force in th'
" West, and that they will give us trouble il
Kentucky, The Gcneralin Chief, however
has, no doubt, taken measures to battle thc
Il. a. Ia nt.,..., q 4