The New York herald., 1862-03-12
The Rebel Stronghold Of virGinia
Abandoned.

Manassas, the rebel stronghold Of Virginia,
the defence of Richmond, the Confederate capi-
tai. and the protecting rebel barrier, since July
last, against the advance Of our army from
Washington-Manassas, the scene Of the most
decisive victory Of the rebellion, has become
| the scene Of its most disastrous retreat.
The illustrative map on our first page will
show to the reader tho great importance to the
rebels of Manassas Junction as military posi-
ton for defensive or aggressive purposes; but
fully to understand its advantages, some know
ledge of the topography Of the country em-
braced in Its defences is necessary. The hills,
ravines and water courses, from the Junction to
Centreville, are well adapted for formidable
system of defensive works; and, facing Washing
ton, the hills, ravines and creeks on the right,
extending along the Occoquan to the Potomac,
and thence along the heights of that river to
Aqua creek, protect that flank for . distance
of fifty miles below Washington. The hills,
mountains and precipitous banks of the Upper
Potomac, on the Virginia side, for sixty miles
above Washington, enabled the enemy, in the
occupation Of two or three commanding points,
to secure their left flank up to Harper's Ferry,
while the railway from the heart of that great
valley, across the mountains, to Manassas June
ton, gave this great camp an abundant subsist-
ence and tho means of cheap and rapid trans
portation.
All this immense military line was held and
stoutly contested by tho rebels down to about
the first of the present month. There they
stood at Centreville, menacing Washington, and
inviting an attack, for weeks and months, by
their blockading Potomac batteries, while
General Mcclellan was patiently collecting,
arranging and training his forces and matur-
ing his plans. Now, while the rebel Con-
gress at Richmond are discussing various
measures of permanent" legislation, appa-
rently with the conscious security which pre-
walls in the Congress at Washington, the news
comes to US that this vast rebel Army of the
Potomac, from its distant extremities to its
great central fortified camp, has been hurriedly
broken up and is in full retreat upon Rich
mond.
This is equivalent to the abandonment of
Virginia by the rebels without risking great
and decisive battle. They have no other place
within tho limitsof the State where they can
make the stand which they could have made al
Manassas We-presums that that flying army
has been reduced, by sickness, expiring enlist
ments and desertions, and by detachments
drawn of to other quarters, to considerably lsss
than one hundred thousand mon. We presume
that the federal army in pursuit will considsra-
bly, exceed . hundred thousand men, and that
its most serious impediments on its way to
Richmond will be broken bridges and obstruct-
cd roads.
This evacuation Of Manassas 10 vlstually the
end of the rebellion in Virginia and the resto-
ration of that State to the Union. With the
close pursuit Of the retreating rebel army which
will doubtless follow, We may now reasonably
count upon the 6aal collapse Of the vagrant
government of JEFF Davis before The lst Of
May, and the reopening of the whole South and
its great commercial staples to the markets Of
the world.