New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-16

balte. When the premature contest of Saturday
was over aud IL WAS known that the Rebels were IN
great strength and receiving re-eniorcements, 1t be-
came evident that u sir purpose WAS to attack and
their hope TO destroy at blow the Army of Virginia.
Forwhatever Reason, the plan If abandoned and Jack
son IL retire ,ting. II is said that from Their position
on Saturday, the Rebels cOuid overlook the advanc-
my forces of BaDkr and amazed at bis sudacts
N beginning an attack with such handful Of Troops
against their of hrigader and divisions. They
could have been less surprised at the pesle enee
with which that attack was pushed, and the herolc
consistency of lroops under such weight of fire. II
TOO SOON TO say that jackson has relreaecd because
from that Experience he deads tie reru Of All equal
encounter. That may have been one reason, but
there -re others.
There is 10 we-fettled opinion in camp about the
engagement of Saturday, but at lest an intelligent
conjecture TIA TO the Rebel plans is possible. What
was first supposed to be an advance guard Of the
Rebels turns ont T. be their main column, and the
pan which Wa thought TO include only the surprise
and capture Of our cUrs dance proves 10 have been
all ,hvrI to crush the whole army. l have tee.
graphed the substance OF this mornings disclosures,
lam than by nall, and l give them here more ut
length.
IL was discovered this morning that the Rebels
bud abandoned their Position hear Cedar Mountain,
where tie battle OF Saturday was fought, and were
IN full retreat 10 tie kspdan. Though their amy
CONTESTED OF five full divisions, sixth under Lorg-
-tree, Was haoteDing up IRON Oran.o Court-llouse,
expecting doubt to cross the kapidan aut arrive
Ia lime Tor the battle, which seemed 10 be delayed
only for their coming. jackson may well have been
puzzled to know what r.eIiorcements had reached
Gen. Pope. Although, from his commanding p0ei.
ion, lac could look down into the camps at the foot
Of the mountain, and estimate with sJme certainty
he troops IN advanced battle line the reserves
were out Of sgbt, and their numbers we're unknown.
When il WAS known how largely the Rebels out
numbered w, an alsck from them WIS expected.
Wien they lay Tor two days inactive. It began to
he thought that they had found their advance to be
premature; and when Information OF their strength,
tb-ir expected re-enioroemenls, ard their retreat,
was simultaneously received, the failure OF t1elr
plan was plainly revealed.
Probably Gen. Banks should not have attempted
o attack. i be had waited, he would either have
been reenforced 10y the speedy arrival OF Mcdowell
Corps, OF he would have obliged the Rebels to move
N the SIme olen ground which exposed ~ own
troops os. aud where the slaughter was greatest.
Either there would have been battle It's result
would have been decidedly different If no battle,
next morning would have found Gen. Popes whole
army in position. and the p.rlty Of numbers lar
ess considerable
n, Ia pbnla az, a..
columns OF Jatkson aud EwelL PIronrrs report
that jackson coBtidsrod Linself strong enough TO
drive back the whole army Of Virginia. and u al the
Rebel officers had promi-ed Themselves TO take sup-
per that night ia Culpepper. The mornings advance
was DELAYED by Gen. Bayards Cavalry, ana much
OF he .titcruoon work was also THERE. The let
New-Jerey Cava!y, by ia enterprise the day be-
FORE aud lis etendin % under plugging TIRE ON Sat
urdny, more than redeemed the credit which, from
ID. fault tT.achery Of its Colonel, II lOst Isl HI.
n-Onburg.
Possibly, IL Jackson had pushed Oh when Gen.
Ihnk- fell Ia ava reformed his line lr origin al
prOuHd Though a. that moment, Mel 'Owells cOrIr
tad mrvc and Gen. Pope had takeo command, he
might have thrown s1nr portion vi the new liner
into ooninsipn, tor npou our iuuk Instead of dv
SION wlich was thought 10 cover The center, Wa
Only ,be Fragment OF Craw lorl's Brigade, which
bad mel'cd Away under hfe, and WAS completely
Gen Mcdowell bad thrown masses Of his troops
into the field ~ rear Of The bill mere Gen. Poo
and be were s,NiOn.d leaving thIs wing 10 tai
Of itself The line, therefore, twuug round away
rom the woods, aud chaoging Its tonr, Jeff the
G.uen,s beyond TER troops, aud ibls Is Why they
were exposed 10 the cavalry charge, hnd were 80
near being captured.
To return, however, 10 the plan Of the Rebel cam
paign, aud the ssge Of their experiment, II may b.
-ummarily said trat 10y crossing the RAP ian and
advancing toward Cuipepper, they assumed TIE
Offensive, which Thy had been compelled TO
abandon. Their OILY hope was, by force ol numbers
10 crl,h the advancing army before il grew 10 ils
fnu strength. They ~ 10000 men the
kalidin, fought a battle against single corps Of
lie, : thal ten thons,nd besitaied for Two DAYS la
front Of the army which can'cto fecveits ex'hr'ed
ad, ince guard aud then He'd back TO the RapidAn.
Ine cfossiug of that river is To tc di,patec, but
that is an operation OF deieuse, aud he who
DEFENDS waits I'LL BE- IL attacked. The kcumoud
pfogramrne which comIrired the destruction OF ten.
Pope by detacbiDg Jackson with Al overwhelming
lorre aud hen this annlhllalon Of Mcclellan by the
return # that victorious column, seems 10 be indeh-
,tely posrponed. LOng-tr-et halis on TIE southern
bank Of the hsil,dan, and the gathered strength OF
TIE Rebels tor The approach ~ the al my whore
Uni, al il wac appointed TO prevent.
Gen. Banks e. i'll IL Culpepper-too much IN
infed by the accident Of ,tunay To remain longer
IN The liz h. do not know low soon lie san rclOin
hi, command That may be re-enforced, bot IL viii
uut r.coyer iis ul strength til It's brave General
and best soldier r-snmes bis command. Gen. Baike
l. c, ,n soldier, perhaps, but he ID 6oioier.
Officer oi tie regular army, who have spoken dig.
truslfully of his capacity. ure enthusiastic IL his
praises. Perhaps lis soldiers love him even better
tecause he shared their caugers Ia the field.
Yesterday Was wholly quel-the TWO armies oc-
cnmed III bdryiDg th,ir dead. Accounts oil the m
lormal urmisiic-, and toleby iuil lists oi ki.led
,nd wounded, were sent you by last mail. ohciai
lists will bo ,ent & these headquarters IN day or
.wo, aud will supply the only complete details.
AZ soon ~ Information wan Received TINS morning
Df tue departure OF the Rebel, Gen. Sigrl was
ordered 10 send his cavalry win sufficient artillery
IN pursHt. They had been gone about Two hours