The New York herald., 1862-03-15
IMPORTANT FROM THE SOUTH.
OUR BALTIMORE CORRESPONDENCE.


OUR BALTIMORE CORRESPONDENCE.
BALTIMORE, March Is, 1902
Where the Late Rebel Arrayof the Potonsacp-Dscriptos
Their Second Defensive Line-Opinions ofhe Secession
tas IN Bahimore-7he Retreat Regarded as a AaserIy
ssTdt<sc Aooemen-Sate Of feeling ut the Souih, dc.
ING e'acuaon by the rebel army Of their stronghold
a' Aanssas ana Their abandonment OF tho line OF tho
rotomac an event which completely changes the whole
aspect Vi lne war, s 30 important in its eonse-
quences az 70 JUSTIFY the closest scrutiny meaning
and purpose. The army which confronted Washington
the line Of the Potomac extending from tho shenan
doah 10 Matthias Point distance OF nearly hundred
miles could not have been less than ITS 900 strong That
they were superby armed, comfortably clothed wefed
well disciplined and prousely supplied with artillery
the most effective kind is sttested by ncontrovertibe
testimony That they have executed their with
perfect success in the face Of army OF superior force
carrying of all their artillery and baggage, and protect
ing their retreat by destroying the railroad bridges and
other bridges behind them thus executing the most dill.
cutfsat in modern warfare another fact which cannot
be disputed Where thcn the Army Of the Poo-
mac gone, and what do they propose TO dos
have some information throwing light these points
which deem reliable, because it from same
source from which have heretofore drawn useful hmts
which events have always verified. 1t learned
tho facts in regard TO the actual strength and formidable
armament Of the Merrimac, communicated to tho He
ten days before she attacked tho Union feet Ac-
cording to this authority the rebel Army Of the Potomac
commenced their preparations for removal three weeks
ago. pursuance OF Recommendations the rebel
War Department by General Beauregard When Beau
regard passed through Richmond his way Bowling
Green he told Je Davis that by the middle of March
the roads would be passable for artillery, and that by
that time there doubt that General Mcclellan
would attack the works Centreville That he made
the attack in front he would certainly be repulssd with
greater loss than the 2lst Of July but that IL
he succeeded in turning the position either by the way
Of Goose and Leesburg the north by way
OF tho Potomac rver batteries, 1t would be quite
another % nm, matter .aS and the issue M Of the battle
hghting on both sides. But II tho event
.re o % s 20 ps
not be mpeded, unless the deences of the Rappahan-
mock commenced in June last, should be completed now
(at the time he spoke) before the movement Of the
Union army should begin; and that IL there was any
danger Of their army being surrounded would be better
to evacuate soon after the first OF March, and save at
Il viii DO remembered that before the battle Of Ma
IL certainly known that the rebels would
be able to hold their position there attacked by Gen.
eral McDowcs army. And 1t was well understood that
second defensive line and that limo was formed BY the
Rappahannock and Rapdsn rivers. military survey
(June) but beyond that, and earthworks at Fred
| ercksburg and between Tappahannock and Urbanna,
nothing was done for months When the Barnsids ex.
podtion first ventilated In the papers, 1t
| thought at the South that it 70 sail up tho
Rappahannock ana march on Richmond from
hAd been erected between Urbanna and Tappahannock
were mounted with gun. Of heavy esbre, and a.til.
crists were trained 70 work them This all that had
| been done before the recent movement.
1t is believed by the Southern sympathizsrs in Balti
that the bulk of tho rebel Army the Potomac 10
distributed along the right bank Of the Rappahan-
mock and Rapdan rivers, at points which most likely
be attacked and which they have been fortfying for
several weeks past 1t is we'll known that .hey
mand the labor Of any required number Of slaves and
that few weeks time ID all that energetic commander
IN a In
curity. There are no very good wagon roads leading
direct from Washington to Richmond: There is an Old
turnpike road from Alexandria 20 Richmond, passing
through occoquan and fredericksburg, and another from
Cnlacpper 70 Richmond. passing east Of Gordonsvis,
the RApdan river has been destroyed BY the re-
IS intimst.a chat although Manassas has been ssau
reasons which make the new defensive Inc quite a. ser.
vceabe the Of the South that OF the Potomac
has All that part Of Virginia north Cupcpper
desert made 90 by its nine mcnths' occupancy by An
il advances to the Rspdan, eighty miles from washing
ton, will have 10 transport all s stores and neccgsares
s0ss .s.: Tho :' win na: 70 b
again resumed viii be fought perhaps In tho neghbor
hood o. frrsds,lcksburg but a. al events. whore the
equal advantages is thought By the southerners tss
the former on the right bank Of the streams above
named will be able not only to hold at bay tho latter,
IL is impossible ascertain by what the people
Of Baltimore who sympathze with the South Keep In
formed as the movements, plans TO extent ana
Of feeling At the South. That they do keep in.
formed has been too often demonstrated 70 BE-
| doubted. II Is believed by thom that tho recent
retreat OF the rebel Army Of the Potomac Is strategic
movement Of the first water and that while part Of that
only fallen back TO defensive line which they
protect Richmond to better advantage than they could at
Manassas. They laugh TO the idea that the
any nearer its termination than 1t in July.
They say indeed that the has only just begun that
the South has been invaded before now and that
the Union armies will meet with that will anni
hilac them before they gain permanent success
In the southern States They ridcus the idea Of there
being any latent Union feeling the South and say that
tho Southern States united In their deter
minaton TO achieve their Independence, and that their
recent will only nerve thom to renewed efforts.
They may be mistaken but this view s corroborsed By
all tine intelligent prisoners at Camp Douglas who
fesh from the SOUTH and Is certainly the part
| Of wisdom TO ignore II.