Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-26
BALTIMORE CORREsP0NDENCE OF
VIE NEW N0EEE ElEEEAE.E

H0D the Rebels feel Gt RichmOnd-A Council Of
Var held By the Rebel GeReraLs-Thei PIaas
for the Sumner CGmpGigR-They val Atempt
TO Rcc0ucr tie l0hoiGof Tirginiq, the BQltimoYC
and Ohio Railroad, Neto Orleans, Ho MiSsiS-
SipPi RiUeT and Tennessee and Kentucky-Thel
sal Dream Of the conquest Of Washington and
the hUasion Of he. N0rth-Theg Arc A,oart
Of Their Oson LgfeDoriy Ia Troops, bat Conf
IDENTIFY Rely N0u5 on; FOreign Aid-Sfatemeat Of
the SircRgb and Distribution efthe Rebel Forces,
etc.
BALTIMORE, July 12.-Inteligence from
Richmond has been received in this city up to
last Monday, July T..
Richmond was intoxicated with q delirium Of
10y when it became known that McClellan's
whole army had been defeated, and driven, as
they called it, forty miles from the city. This
element entered largely into the celebrations OF
the Fourth of July, Of which several took place.
Such an unexpected deliverance of their city
from the magnificent army which threatened it,
and on the eve of Independence Day, too, was
regarded as a signal manifestation Of Providence
in their behalf. They regard as Ominous Of the
speedy establishment of their own independence
A council of war, composed of all the princi-
pal rebel generals, was held at Richmond on the
4th of July. The conferences were animated,
and were protracted far into the night. They
embraced a complete review of the military ope-
rations of the past fifteen months, and plans for
the present summer campaign. Nothing was de-
ei1ed upon, and the council reassembled early
on the morning Of July 5. At this meeting the
plans fer the summer campaign were deeided on.
The general review OF military operations did
not appear to the council IN a very favorable
light. The amount Of territory that had been
abandoned caused the council great chagrin.
The evacuation policy was warmly discussed,
being unsparingly ridicBled and denounced by
some and defended by others. Every one agreed,
however, that in the case Of Corinthit was highly
proper, and indeed a mhslerly stroke of policy,
since it had saved Richmond. But the fact that
they had lost the whole Mississippi Valley, New
| Orleans, Norfolk, and the whole of Tennessee
and Kentucky, besides so large a part of Mis-
souri, appeared to dampen the aTdor Of the mem
bers somewhat. 1t was unanimously agreed
not only that it would not do to lose any more
territory, but also that what had been lost must
be re Eained.
The results of the defensive policy, which has
been hitherto the policy.of the South, were not
regarded as satisfactory. and its abandonment
was strongly urged. Both Gen. Beauregard
and Gen. Lee endeavored to demonstrate the
feasibility of an invasion Of the North at three
different pOints-nsmely, from Cumberland OF
Williamsport into Pennsylvania, from Louisville
and Cincinnati into Indiana and Ohio, and from
Paducah and Cairo into Illinois. 1t was not
/ certainly known whether The " invasion plank
Of the platform had been adopted or not. 1t was
s]trenuously opposed by JEFF. Davis aud one OF
two of the generals. but a large majority OF
them were in favor Of it. 1, is known, how
ever, that the following operations were agreed
on, es forming parts Of the summer campaign.
1. The immediate obstruction Of the James
river, so as to make it impossible for Mcclellan
to us5 it as 4 means for communicating with the
government and for the transportation Of rein
fJrcements-an nd army supplies.
2. The TeOccUpation of Williamsburg, York
town and the entire Peninsula.
3. The recovery Of the whole territory Of VH-
GINA, aud the rep0ssessiOn Of the Baltimore and
Ohio rnilread.
4. The recovery of New Orleans, Memphis
and the Mississippi nEer, and the expulsion Of
the Federal troops from Tennessee and Ken
lucky. When these objects had been accom-
plisEed, the Lee and Beauregard plan proposed {:
5. To make the Potomac and the Ohio rivers
at once their base Of operations and frontier line,
and to transfer the seat of war from Virginia to
Maryland.
6. To hUrl upon Washington from Richmond,
q column Of two hundred thousand troops; the
capture of that city, the liberation " of Balti.
more, and the invasion of the North at the three
points named above. By becoming in turn the
invaders, they hope to make it necessary for US
70 keep At home for the defense Of cur cities fully
FIVE hundred thousand troops.
The plan adopted for the obstruction Of the
James river was By the secret erection of per
manent batteries, to be afterwards mounted with
heavy guns of long range, and by the use at
present Of batteries Of light artillery, mostly
Iihsd guns, that can be moved from place to
plSc3. Several Of these batteries are already IN
the course of erection at various commanding
points on the James river, where they are com
pletely concealed by the thick woods and bushes.
This dense foliage affords, also, complete con-
cealment to the men who work on them, who
have instructions, also, not to show themselves
70 any passing vessels. Sentries are stationed
so as TO give notice Of the approach of vessels f.;
and as the latter pass the mon al work on the
batteries suspend their labor if there is any dan
ger Of their being either seen or heard When
sll the batteries are completed the trees and
bushes in front of them will be cut down, and
the river will be found to be closed. It will be
remembered that it was in this way that the
batteries on the Potomac river were erected last
summer.
The importance Of Virginia to the rebels has
been forcibly demonstrated by the events of the
spring campaign, and hence the strenuous efforts
which they will make to regain it. If. they can
restore there the stqtu qNO ante JeiIpa, or even
the state Of affairs as they existed in juno, 1861,
my LNANF1 sAoh w LNNCl aEoh "a II sAAL
State. rs capabilities for defense are superb /;
indeed, uneqUaled anywhere. And if, on the re-
currence of the cool weather of the fall, We can
DO compelled to begin the campaign over again
ct Msnagsas and R0muey on the north, and at
Fortress Monro8 on the southeast, the rebel lead
ers expect that we will fad the road 10 Rich
moud still less practicable in the fall than we
found it in the spring.
Such is their rather extensive programme for
the summer campaign. The means at their
command fori its execution are rather inadequate;
but they count upon the active assistance Of
both England and France. Both of these ma
tons, they think, will recognize their in6epsn-
dence, and their vessels, breaking the blockade,
viii take their cotton and sugar away and bring
them arms and ammunition in return. They
have now in arms 10000 troops, distributed
as follows:
hiehnlohd o. zee s'-Uu,-uJ
Central 4O,UJO
Charleston 5UOVO
Mobile, part Of these troops are from $1,000
N~icksDurg Beauregsrd's late army. 5000
West OF the Mississippi river. 40oOO
Interior Of Georgia and Alabama -.............. $4,000
Total 10000
So fer as Gen. McClellan's army is concerned
the rebels at Richmond are confident that by