Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-11-04
ARMY OF THE poToM,,
Our Position nd that OF thr R-t-ls--0kr
Of Gen. NcC1rIlsR's 80
Of Snicker,s Gap. r- "a ~

Of Snieker's Gap. r-1.l kk.
TCorrespend, nee Of the Baltimorv AunricnnI
BERLis, Mn, Nov. = y. P.M.-H1rpersfseF5<
Btrlin and knoxN lie have bsn r.,'urtr
almost 10 81 state Of quietude and dessrfioa. ~
speak, OF coursC, only comparatively, for <
have still at these points. especially HarpeX
q, l., whilst the multitude Of 1, amsiers,. guar
t'rmastrrs' assistants, and army foilowtrr.t
stll keep the noatlne population st rrelsecta.a
bie fe uIr. But the great army OF tn Potomasf
is 10 longer h.Te. BY brigad-s, divisions. aA4r
amy corps, IL has within the last fortRight
liasscd over the Potomac, and T. now massed
on a line aionr the Blue Ridep 20 the Potornac.
and Ranking the ,nsmy's o position Ht ktf aches-
ter. G' n NcCiellan-f followed the army On
saturday, and bic headquarsors are to~dayto some
miles south OF the Potomac. The probability
s1 ., lmpor'ant events following s easily under
1t b. evident that the preparatory move. totks
imps noing great battle have been made by the
Sensrais s,s..s on both sldes with keen eye .
see the Rebel side OF the hoard 20 this gatne a.
clearly as ives our own, but from what a
do see, the advantage Of all the moves naas
thus far appear TO be with Gen. NcClellan
The Rrbei obFct was 90 force us 70 advanos
direct on Winchester from the Potomac and IA
fight him with the river in our rear, whist his
line OF retreat was open. Gen. Mcclellan Ia.
refused 10 plsy the game i'm that was, and hss
SO Unanswered as 10 force rhe enemy 20 chans.r
front. BY threatening his aank, and will even.
tually, 10 IL believed, force him 10 abandon hls
chosen ground Immediately aroond winches.
t. T, and to give battle where Gen. McCleliaa
hoOsPs TO offer IL. -.
divisions of Gen. Sigel and Gen. Sickles, nc.
wing from the Eont of Washington, now occn.t
pies all the country east Of the Blue Kids
Mountain, the night ef the line resting on Hai..
per's Ferry and the left exteEding perhaps 81
far as the town OF Paris, on the upper ROAD
from Alexandria 10 Winchester. Our centre 4.
about Snickersville, with Snicker's Gap In oW
possession. The febel line Is on the south sid
OF the Blue Ridge, with the Shenandoah rive
i'm mediately in their front. Their ine prot.
ably extends from Front Royal dc wn TO Charles.
between Berryyille and winchester. The DC
sltion will he easily understood by referenceu u
map OF Virginia. Its advantage, In military
eyes, is TO give US the choice Of the line Of az.
vance, 10 enable US 10 attack Gen. Lee, not On
the strong positions where he has uassed his
troops between Bunker Hill and wfnchestef
bat 10 come Ola Winchester from the south sn1
force the rebels TO adopt a new line Of defenc<
themselves totally outfiank -
The great battle is not looked for immedlab-I
ly, unless the Rebels bring it on by some sud.
den movement. Our army, as IL now dravs
nearer TO the enemy, must move slowly, b.
kept well in hand, and BE- concentrated on thos<
positions where the burden Of the fighting win
fal. This work is now in progress, and viii
occupy the next few days, perhaps the nex
week. Then, with a continuance of the prr<-
ent favorable weather, We may look for ereux
and, We cannot doubt, good news The ARM
that has crossed the Potomac here. and been
since increased by the column moving south o(
the river from Washington, is amply sufscieni
Tor the work before it, IL Is by far the larepsi
army that this war has far seen massed 10 f
gether. There is now no lack of nnmbers, and
no holding back Of reinforcemenfs. IL il bpi
just 10 the Administration 10 say that IL hss
been prompt and energetic i'm placing az th<
command Of Gen. Mcclellan All the men and
means necessary 20 the contamination OF q
grand and successful campaign. / have faitt
always providing that the Rebels are nos
already retreating-that the next two weeks
VIII give us not only a victory, but also one 4
that Will have decisive results .--.i 2
The most important result OF last weeks skir-
mishes was that which resulted in irving q
possession of Smokers Gap through vhIcl
pas ses the Alexandra and Winehesterturnplks W
The best road across the Blue Ridge. learn
mar u was taken by sudden and well execss
ted movement of General Hancock's Divisio1.
who drove the enemy's cavalry out 50 rapids
that they hardly knew how the operation Wa
Eerformed until they found themselves oustec.
The Rebels attempted 10 bring MP reinforce
ments TO repossess the Gap, but they yer
too late. IL Is now securely ours. LISA sfronx
POSITION, and easily defensible from either side
Gems. fleasanton and SLOVENIAN and the Reb>I
rear guard, during Friday, Saturday and Sunr
cay, was exclusively with artilltry. On our
side we had very few casualties, and IN IN not
supposed the enemy suffered very seyerelr,
thoush the superiority Of our artillery was es-
tablished IN every encounter. The confidence
IN this arm of our service increases with aimoa
every occasion ON which AZ rs called into ser
vice. Since the battle Of Antietam IL has Sesn .
reorganized and curpd Of some defects, and n
the Sext great contest the most decisive results
may be expected from il.
The Rebel hive at Charlestown has been in
AN angry buzz for the last two or three DAYS
and our forces on Bolivar Heights and the
Niclnity have been kept constantly on the qsg
rire. What Is the object OF all the movements
they make i'm and around Charlestown IL .
mystery, unless they hope 10 divert Gen Me-
Sleilan rom ms movements on their flank 3
threatening an attack on the Ferry. Such an a..
tempt however, would be hopeless HarI5er's
terry cannot now be taken except through
regular seige by a large force