New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-15

garded as an enfamt perdu. There are
two ways by which such maneuyer
may be successfully accomplished. The at
lacking general may either distribute his
batteries so as to command every approach on
the enemy's side to the river bank and silence
his guns, keeping large body of sharp
shooters TO drive off the force which may dis
pute the landing, and at the same time making
demonstrations in force at distant points, so as
TO divide the enemys attention; or he may
conceal his real intentions, and battle his OPP
pouent's judgment, by making feInts IN one
place while be suddenly throws bis forces
across the river. The former is, OF course, the
more hazardous, and often entails an enormous
sacrifice of life; the latter calls for the highest
order Of military ability. The gcneraIshp OF
Lee and Jackson has been too frequently
proved to our cost to be disputed; and, with
that noble magnanimity which all concede to
the North, the loyal people OF this community
have praised these men ns soldiers whhe
cursing them as traitors. 1t is idle,
therefore. TO say that the Rebel lead
ers preferred 10 fight us midway to
Richmond to opposing Burnside at Freder-
icksburg. The amphitheater of hills on to the
southwark of that city with the land which
sweeps gradually upward from the river to
their base offer q position Of such strength for
defense against an attacking army, that Lee
would have deserved the contempt of oil good
soldiers if he had overlooked the fact That
he did not do so is proved by the rapid con-
centration of the Rebel army at that point,
BY the desperate zeal with which his triple
line Of earthworks were thrown up, and by
the very admissions of tho Richmond papers,
always so guarded, which prophesied that at
Fredericksburg we would meet our final crush
ing defeat Burnside seems to have known
Lees plans mud have determined to battle him.
so making it appear in one place that he was
going into Winter quarters, and on his lett That
he intended crossing at Port Royal, % miles
down the river, he drew oil 10000 from
the enemys center to his extreme right aud
at an unexpected moment constructed three
pontoons simultaneously at the Gty ITSELF and
poured his columns across under cover OF q
tremendous cannOnade.
Those who knew him best in hi, North
Carolina campaign predicted this very maneu-
yer last week, while others were doleiuly
bewnillng the prospect of his wintering on
: Falmouth Nights. He had displayed his
strategy before, and there was no risk
nor much merit in the prophecy, if be
should be suffered to follow his own course
without mocstation. When the Burnside Ex-
pcdiion lay inside of IIa'teras Bar, the fra
vessels grinding and crushing into each other
with every turn OF the tide, and there w.s
universal apprehension lest the next news should
be that disaster had oyertaken them all. Al
terward when ono by one the boats were
dragged over the Swash by powerful tugs,
our forebodings grew stronger, failure was
generally predicted. From one end Of the
Rebel country 20 the other, It was reported
that 5000 Of Burnsides men had persisted In a
single gale, but the construction OF deieu-
siyo works on Roanoke Island, aud at
Newbern, Warrington. and Weldon, moment
arily relaxed. was subsequently pushed with
renewed yigor. The Rebel authorities could
no. divine where our forces were 10 land, and
It was not until that beautiful day in February,
when tue fleet with colors streaming. bands
playing, and every deck bristling with bayonets
came 10 anchor below the Marshes, that the
Rebel War Department knew that Roanoke
Island was in imminent peril. Their mosquito
feet was sent to its succor, and heavy re-en-
iorcenents shipped by way Of the canals, but
the fleet was destroyed, and the reinforce
mcnts arrived only in time to be captured.
Then came the affair of Ncwbcrn the month
following. Al February Burnside lay on the
island recruiting his force drilling regiments
aud brigades and accumulatlng stores. The
Rebels sald his army was prey to ma
larla, was given up to sloth, and O'Bricn
Branch issued flaming maniiestoes to his troops,
in which he promised the Yankees death aud
destruction when they should venture upon the
mainland. All this while the naval gunboats
attached to Burnside's Expedition cruised up
and down Albemarle and Pamco Sounds
threatening this point capturing that town, aud
carrying terror along the whole coast while
''""' iViNV' vi iii"H'' "h' "lt"'''l "'iV suh'
to the salt works up Currituck Sound
to Plymouth aud Edenton. Baled at
every point now preparing for bloody battle
at Weldon, now massing troops for the defense
Of Washington, aud again concentrating bis
men at Goldsboro TO block the way TO Raleigh
Branch was 10 despair, aud the Commanding
General at Norfolk made his preparations to
defend that city. AT last Burnside moved, and