Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-06-21
tFrom the Cincinnati oommercial.l

The Object OF JacIksonss ISn Id into the
Valley OF Virginia.
II is notorious that Immediately after the
news of the hppearancelof Gen. jackson
with formidable force in the Valley of
Virginia, orders were issued from tue War
Department, changing the destination. of
the main body of the army collected at
fredericksburg under Gen Mcdowell, from
Richmond to the pursuit of Jackson We
remarked at the time that the diversion of
Gen. SMeDOWell's army was ill-ad dViscd.-
The forces under Generals Fremont, Banks,
and Sigel, were sufficient to hold Jackson
IN check at least, aud TO render Maryland
aud Washington safe. In an emergency
the Militia could be called from the Eas-
tern States, to reinforce our troops in front
oftWashington, and those on dutyiin Mary.
land and in the Valley of Virginia. The
true policy would undoubtedly have been
to push Mcdowell forward as if nothing
bad happened in the Valley. The panic at
Washington caused different and 1nfortu-
nate counsels to prevail. We have seen.
that Fremont alone was able to drive jack
sou back over all the ground he won in his
advance, and the first fruit of the diversion
of McDowellls army is the defeat oftwo of
our brigades, worn down with excessive
marching, at Port Republic. There has
also been want of proper ico-operatfon
between Fremont aud Shields, or we must
credit the rebel General with extraordinary
skill in the management of his forces.
Light is shed upon the strategy of the
rebels, by the capture of some Of the pri-
vate corfespondencee Of their officers at
Winchester. This Correspondent was first
printed in the Baltimore American, and ii
bears intrinsic evidence of gennineness.
The most important letter is one from Gen.
Joseph E. Johnston to Gen. j Jackson, which
is dated 'AIay 9th, nine O'Clock and fifteen
minutes. The following is extracted
from it: ~ ;'a ggssi n 81
"You cRnnot, In your present position employ such
an army yours upon any enterpfiss not bsaring
directly upon the state of things here either In Ir
venting the reInforcements to McClallans army, or
BY drawing tsooPs from i by diversions These OBJ
proposed above, or by movement upon nioDOWOll,
although fear that BY the time thI! reaches you 1t
Nc. w gs Ds 'S0 e9 atS .Ss Gjse5 i Ls % g. s
lHTtier stFeRgt eHttg Of GtsEEa1'S SGTmy.7 p
Il thus appears that the drawing of
troops from McOlellan's army by diver
sions was the paramount object of the
movement made by Jackson, and i'm this
he was successfnlin a degree greater than
he could have hoped, actually preventing q
the reinforcement of Mcclellan byan army
of forty thousand men. Con. Johnston
undoubtedly stated the exact truth when
he wrote to Gen. jackson, ''The most inn
portant serviceyo can render the ecouutry.
(that is, the rebellion) is the preventing
the further strengthening of McClellan's
army" 1t follows that on our side the
most important service could be rendered
the eGovernmeent is the Strengthening of
McClellan's army. The diversion of No
Dowell's army from its proposed march on
Richmond was a grievous blunder. OF
this tact it is evident the authorities at
Washington are now sensible, and there is
rensonto believe they are doing theirbest
to repair damages. Tue essential thing
to do is to increase our force at Rich.
nond. a