Daily union appeal. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-186?, 1862-08-13
The Rebel Army and its Leaders at Rich
mond, and their Plans and Purnnara

The Rebel Army and its Leaders at Rich
mond' and their Plans and Purposes.
Where, now, is the great rebel army of
Virginia? Is itengaged in strengthening and
extending the defenses of Richmond, or is it
moving off stealthily for sudden dash in
overwhelming numbers upon Gen. Mcclellan
OF zen. rope, in view of triumphal march
INTO Washington? What is the present pl o.
gramme of the rebel leaders-an aggressive
or defensive war; Are we prepared to meet
them, north or east of Ri9hmond, at a mo-
ments warning, or is Gen. Halleck satisfied
IN ina! they are not sufficiently recovered from
sneir laae terrible losses to resume for some
days or weeks to come offensive operationsP
Anese and many other similar inquiries are
now uppermost in the public mind
In reply, In the absence of any unouestion-
sole information, We can only advise our res l.
| ers to wait in patience for the satisfactory in-
telhgenee which viii soon be furnished l,y
actual events. Meantime, among the abuh-
dant rumors afoat, it is said that the bulk of
the rebel army of Richmond has been with
| drawn to The south side of the James river.
and 1t is conjectured that this movemen t&nea.ls
an evacuation OF the city from the presence IF
pestlience, or for the purpose of procuring
| supplies. But it is also reported that, while u
considerable rebel force is at Petersburg, med
ltating descent upon Norfolk via Suffolk, q
much larger force is spreading itself across the
|
and westward into the valley of the Shenan-
doah, from the central position of Gordoni-
Vifie. Inat there Is apretty strong rebel force
at Fetersourg, and another strong column at
Gordonsyille, we know from the actual recon-
nolssanees OF our own troops; and that the
| rebels have drawn back their lines from the
| Chlckahoniny we know from a recent explo-
ration from Gen. McClelan's army over the
line of his late retreat from Gaines Hill
1 faako .xl.s Al. -
the rebel leaders at Richmond do not antiei-
pate any further danger from the Chickahonl-
| my, tney are preparing for possible attack
on the south side Of Richmond, while threat
ening an advance upon Washington froul
Gordonsville, by way of Manassas or the She-
nandoah valley and Maryland. The seizure
OF Washington, and Southern revolutionary
eoapd etat at that point, comprehending the
reconstruction of the government of the whola
| Union or the dictation of the boundaries of \
separate Southern confederacy, was the origi-
nal scheme OF the leading conspirators in tho
work of this rebellion. Henry A. Wise hal
openly proclaimed this design in 1856, in view
| Of Fremonts election but he proposed 10
confne his threatened raid OF that day to tbs
robbery OF the Treasury aud the government
archives. In 1860, however, he became tbs
head of an extensive band of conspirators il
Virginia and Maryland, whose object was
nothing less than regular French revolution
airy coup d'etat to be consumated by q sudden
descent upon Washington of ten THOUSAND
armed men on or before the Inauguration day
of President Lincoln.
General Scott can tell how this bold, daring
and dangerous scheme was discovered and de.
t6ated but STILL by the iire-eating rebel lead
ers of the South, of the school of Wise, Rhett
Iverson, Yancey and Beauregard, the seizura
of Washington has been adhered to as tha
crowning victory of their Southern confedeI-.
acy. IL appears, however, that JEFF. Davis
has always been opposed to this enterprise a.
the most foolish and disastrous that could ba
attempted in behalf ofSouthern Independence;
and that his opposition to Beauregard had no.
a little to do in restraining the rebel army
from an advance upon Washington after the
battle of Bull Run. Davis and mis- party, then
had full faith in King Cotton, Southern frea
trade, European Intervention and Southern
confederacy, without much of a war but it is
quite probable that to-day the capture of
| Washington has become rs much an object
with Davis and his ruling confederates as tho
defense of Richmond.
Why, then, after all the boasted victories
over General Mcclellan, have the rebel lead ers
at Richmond delayed so long in pushing for
ward portion of their immense and vIctori-
Gus army into Washington We answer,
Z that the rebel has had to repair damages; that
General Mcclellan and a powerful cooper
ating naval force on the James river are too
close TO Richmond to be left in charge of half
the rebel army which lately attempted his
| destruction; and that, while a rebel force
. equal to the task of saving itself in a march
! upon Washington would have to carry its sub
{ sistence all the way from Richmond, the rebel
government has neither the transportation nor
the provisions for such an expedition. Be-
! tween the opposing armies all tho intervening
! country from Richmond to Washington has
been substantially drained of its supplies, and
cannot further be depleted without reducing
its inhabitants TO starvation. 1t follows, thai
before the rebel General Lee can push forward
to Washington he must be supplied with an
immense wagon train, equal to the subsistence
: of an army of two hundred thousand men for
distance of one hundred and fifty or two
hundred miles. We say two hundred thou
: sand men, for any thing short ot this would bt
: destroyed before reaching the Potomac.
q Without going any further, therefore, We
, find in this important item Of subsistence
/ sufficient reason for the inactivity of the rebe
forces in Virginia since the late battles on the
: Chickahominy. Their supplies have to b,
!, drawn from great distances, and their indis.
Z pensable railroad facilities keep them neal
. Richmond. Had they routed General Nc
!. Clellan, and captured his wagon train, they
! could have marched right on to Washington
y Failing in this they have lost their game, ant
4 we have now the men, the means and tn
! facilities of all kinds for the complete ex
pulsion of the rebels from Virginia army
8 government and all, before the lst of October
n IN. L. Herald august 7th.