Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-12-10
The New Yankee Cnieftain

The hopes o. the Abolition Government are hanging
toby upon o. man-Baruside. II Is aot that they be-
lsvs him 70 possess a superior order of military talent,
or that be Il 4g,eatsr strategat than Mcclellan, but they
rely on.hs gGa-hesd character, and the brute force of
the superior numbers he commands to crush US. y
Burnside does not succeed before Richmond, even Gree
ley and BeecSer Will despair Of subjugsting the South.
An absorbing interest and intense anxiety Is, therefore,
felt on both 4des in reference to the movements Of the
two armies. j is no; to be supposed that our General,
have not calculated, recoanoitered, snd put in defence
every possible route lesdineto Richmond. and arranged
al their plans o. resistance accordingly bu, Of particu,
lars our people must most properly, be kept in isno.
rance
Ii IS clear ;-4- Burnside has been fooled in his Sr,t
plan Of cauTs -- lie took command under eircum-
stances unpe-lg1-s requiring immediate action. The
winter vas rear a.. and aniso impressed we're the Wash
ingtoa authorities vrh tue necessity Of capturing Rich
mond before tie ricor OF the season should iu,erpose
iasuPerabic in~Pe8ments, that they did not hesitate TO
sacrifice a commander Who was the hvori,e both Of the
army and OF the people. The Washington theory va.
'a4' the srmy was in a condition To advance aud that it,
huure 10 DO so vs' the resll, Of McClelan's inertia
Nhen, therefore, Burnside accepted The command, he
tooS upon himself the obligation to move immediately
de dit move aud was hailed with accllmatioa- from the
North for a da-h which 6adplacci him. as they believed.
between Genera. Lee and Richmond. Ten DAYS it was
confidently asserted wolli give him the Capital Vain
hope. The river thar they had expected to cross wi,hou,
firing a gun VA. lined on the other bank by the army
they though; they bad el13ed Instead of at once oecu-
pyns Fredericksburg and speeding away 20 Richmond.
Burnside has been now three weeks ,kulkias behind the
hA.s on tho Other side, afraid TO put one foot before the
other, and completely bat8ed in his expectations and
plans. 50 muc- for HcClclans successor. We think
tie Fors; enemy OF 'hat isflnc; chiefain would admit
that he could have done fun a. much. and tbs, nothing
aES beNn zaiaedhy his decapj;a,iou.
II was always a par, Of the proposed advance from
me North that there should De a concurrent movement
from the SOuth-the latter originally designed. probably,
20 b nothing more than a diversion, or, a, most, anx-
iisry 70 the chief sssaul;, Which vas 20 be directed by
Gen. Burnside in person. A early a. the Sd Of No
vember, the Yankee Aajor-Geneal Foster leo Wash
ioc;on, y. e, 10 make r. reconnaissance in force towards
Weldon, with the yew OF taking the towns Of Williams
ton and Hamilton, on ths Roanoke river, and destroying
on Publications IN t7a; vicinity TWAS stated afterwards
blythe Fortress &onro. correspondent, Of The Pailaiel-
phia igyuir,- -hs- our eu,rpachmsnts, three miles in
length, were taksu and l-'roysd, VIr ios,-- escaping
o. flight Taasiu.omduu was premature anu US
a-ver realized ia fact. blf served To- disclose what the
o.e,, orras m1.aiacat .l>. aud rne ruterpri,iug CORE
snOu ie1t Was therefore VI under arrest. since thea,
demonstration s S.1g!-, aud other point, TO the South
aHd E.,r base -Hau shat she purpose OF a. advance
.-ou ,a-- I..-,- g. .Jl entertained The question
l0~ va.. s n l, the main movement Has Burn
-. despair. Df being sJ,e @, cross the Rsppahaunock
cad aiya-s- i-l4 -ag direction, and is he employing
bis grand army nos Tor a diversion, until a sufficient
io-cc can o. sr-1ml,Agsi belog for an onset from that
quarter. Or ~. be DIVIDE his army, a. ws done for
Mcclellan, leaving a par. uear fredericksburg with the
hops Of OBTAINING Gsu. lee there, While be moves the
remainder around ny water 70 the james: If so, il,
viii De = usre repetition Of the disastrous campaign Of
last spring ani slpuer.
In aly event We DO n,t see th4tbe threatens to be At
al more dangerous Than his vanqushed aud dissraced
predecessor. lie ~II have ahrger force, but it remains
20 be shown whs,.sr he possesses the ability to handle
them. His 6rst move ia failure. The purpose Of the
Washington dynasty 10 removing Mcclellan and placing
him in command. viz that Richmond might be taken
before IA severe weather. Of winter might render opera
tols diHculL II not impoSsble,-has been already
,hvartsd The probability is that his career gill be
bat Httls longer, and but hrle les, ,ignally inglorous,
than that Of Pope.