New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-01
TEE STRUGGLE IN virginia.

with defeat.
E~svs.sxvD~~S
TEE STRUGGLE IN virginia.
! We propose in this article to elucidate the
recent copncts in Virginia to tie extent Of
our present information.
Strat.elcaly, the State of Virginia may be
regarded in three unequal divisions or dis.
tricts
|. Ucst Virginia, lying westward and south
westward of the crcsts of the Allegheny noun
tans, which traverse the State from northeast
to southwest IN an unbroken chain, rising
from 1900 to 1000 feet above the ocean level
and of course no where perpetually snow-coy-
cred or impossible, though the roads which
cross them are narrow aDd bad, two o. three
great turnpikes excepted. The Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad crosses them al this end Of the
state, and is held by the Unouists; nearly all
/ the other railroads whereby 'de State is amply
cridironed are (save for few miles around
Washipgton) in the hands o the traitors. West
Virginia Is almost unanIu Ously jrcc-labOr ana
loyal. and is held by the Uniouis's. Little
fighting has been done there for months and
il is presumed nearly bare Of troops. The
Rebels predominant in the extreme southwest
Of 1t.
,. The Taliey Of Virginia, so called, is deep,
very fertile, aud from 10 to 90 miles wide, iy ng
between the cresis Of the Alleehanes ana the Blue
Ridge, which runs parcllel to them on the
souts-e east. Thus Valley is traversed By the
/ Shenandoah river, which rises south and west
of the center of the State, and pursues a
generally northeast cOurse to 10 Junction with
the Potomac at llarler's Ferry, forty miles
northwest Of Washington CRY Winchester,
Strasburg, Woodstock, uarrisonbure and otaun-
ton are The principal places IN the Valley. Tie
Blue Ridge is lower AID smaller than the Ale.
phates, (holdug much the same relation to them
as the ,Jura to the APPS, and is broken by re-
peated " Gaps" through one OF which tie Ma
nassas Gap Railroad makes its way into the
Valley (Which IT connects with AlcXandna) at
( Front Royal, which Is near the junction of tie
two principal branches oi the Shenandoah, some
twenty five miles above Winchester and fifty
from HaIpers Ferry. The White inhabitants
Of the Valley are mainly Secessiobi,ts. aud the
Valley above Front Royal was mostly an their
possession prior t. the events Of last week. We
presume that they now hold everything south Of
Winchester, aud may have t.at c!J.
3. E0siera Virginia consists OF The Residue Oi
the state Call south-east OF The Blue lidsr),
being ABOUT half the area, and probably con
taxing little more than hall the entire pOpu-
alion IT. Railroads mainly center apOn Rich.
moud (thc Rebel cspital), though one from
Leesburg Ga few miles north of Washipgton)
and another from the southwest reach tie
Potomac at Alexandria. The Manassas Gap
Railroad" dWeIges from the latter III Manassas
Junction Thirty miles south Of west oi " asblug-
ton City,, runs twardly through the Gap
INTO he Valley, and 50 to Sirasbnrg, whence
it follows ny the north fork Of the Shefta ndonl,
and comes o. a stand at Mount Jackson, hat
way between Woodstock aud llarrsoDburg,
which are the capitals respectively Of Tie Coun-
ties Of Shenandoah aud Rockingham, mainly
settled by Germans Of very old eng alton,
and famous tor always voting solid for What
ever ~ called the Democratic ticket.
I. The Rappahannock River rises IN The
Blue Ridge, but few miles from the eouth
fork of the Shenandoah, aud pursucs ali east
erly course to Fredericksburg. seine sixty
miles south.south.west OF Washington City,
where It il within ten miles Of lie Potomac.
II bas here become u broad, nav gable stream,
though IT'S extreme sources are hardly eighty
miles distant. From Fredericksburg, II has q
general southeast course Till 1t 10 lost IN Ches-
spcake Bay some twenty-five miles below the
mouth of the Potomac. For the present, its
cou So below Fredericksburg is commanded b.!
the Union gunboats. but above that city 1t be-
comes di.putnble, and has for months n good
psrt divided he Union from the Rebel iorces.
IL patulaly forks toward It's source into inpu'
Irerable streams aud rlvulets, but II lIsi,
some ten miles above Fredericksburg INTO I'VE
maiu branches, whereof that coming from the
uortb- west retains the name Of 'RaPpahahnoch,
wh,le that from the south. west Is known rs the
Rapidan.
3. When Gen. Halleck, after Gen. McClel'
!au's chapos of base 10 the James RIVER, vas
called 10 the Command-in- Chief Of tho UnloI
armT. II uppcon to have been resolved thai
Gen. mcCcIlen's army must be withdraw
from IL" fsnin.nln, and united with the Unloi
army then Govs'iua Washington On the soutl