New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-08
Gen. Pope's Campaign.
from Our Special Correspondent.
HEAporAk1ERs Amy OF VIRGINIA I
CANT NEAR SPYRRYyILLE, Va, Aug. 4, 1902


Since Gen. Pope Assumed command Of the Arm,
Of Virginia though no battles have been fought I'll,
no long marches accomplished, the campaign il
nevertheless so far advanced and the relations be
tween the Union and Rebel forces arc much
chsnged that it is worth while to mark its sallen
points and look al the present attitudes of the op
posing armies. IL Is too to have forgotten wha
disaster and confusion grew out of the divieion o.
departments ana commands in Western, Central
aud Eastern Virginia; how Mcdowell lay inactive
at Fredericksburg, how Banks was Weekend snt
then driven from the SbenaI doah. how Fremont
after an unparalleled march over the mountains
after eager pursuits Of jackson and successive vic
tories over superior numbers, was unable TO COM
mand tho assistance of Mcdowell and by rhe want
Of cooperation the part Of Shields at Port Re-
public, was compelled to give over the pursuit, aud
then, being denied re-euiorcements, 10 retire Gre:
upon Mount jackson, aud hiterwar1 to Middle
town, there, IN conjunction with. the recruited
corps Of BsLks aud Sig,l occupying "A defensive
position, Of great stIeIgih, indeed, but necessarily
defensive. IL might still have remained 20, for Gen
Fremont, though superior in rauk To Banks and
Sigel, was not III command OF the forces Of either
and his own arms was too much reduced ~ num-
beers and exhausted by over work, 70 make II pOs-i
be iOr hiu. unaided to have assumed the offensive
at once and with effect. From oanscs, then, foi
which neither OF thes. Generals responsible the
active eolts 81 the Union armies against the Rebels
were, for the time at least, para zed and The cam
paign in Norbern, Central, end Eastern Nrginis
which, politically could only be offensive had become
stialegcally defensive. Mcclellan ebiar gled IN biz
ow bitches and buried in The CLickahonii swamps
was driven TO the james 10 avoid The oDsl-ugh,
which for the time being raised the siege OF Rich
mond, while the main body ofJacksJns army, under
Fwell, hung upon the borders OF the Shenandoah
Valley, al thI eatened again 10 approach the bOr-
ders of Maiyand. Sach was the condition of be
national cause when the President, by lis SUMMARY
order, annotated three departments, created the
Army Of Virginia, ard put Grn. Pope at IL heao.
A month bas passed since then. The General COM
mandirg reu aiptd ~ Wa-hi,gton, but neither be
nor Bis troops were inactive. Tue forces at biGtc-
town were unfit 10 move-were in need Of repcee,
discipline, sapples.
lie gave them what was indispensable, then moved
them simply across the Blue Ridge, covering all
points as they advanced, sending part throu, Ches
ter Gap straight from Front Royal to ,,hlngton in
Rappahannock County, part by way Of Luray
through Thornion'B Cup and Speffyyille. To re-
move one object and one assistance to 4
Rebel advance rough the Sbenaudoah Valley, be
tra .ierrd 81 cores and cepols Of supplies ron re
stau Us OF the Bald more aud ono kuIi" Jad aban-
doned that road line Of sportaiion and hav-
ing bis troops BOW the eastern front Of The Blue
Ridge, cloae Wdrrcntou as bis depot aud drcw his
dOah was apparently abandoned from Port Republic
to Winchester tue latter place being garri-oned by
n force sufficient 10 hold its lnsTenchments against
sudden attempts. Front Royal, on the flank OF The
Shenandoah. was also projected by troops but. OF
course, neither force separately nor both combined
were strong enough long TO oppose the advance vi
the army which once, under jackson, had swept the
valley and suro Washington itself into a panic.
Did he then mean to open the highway Of the Sben-
aLdoah, tie only natural approach from the Rebel
center to the Maryla border1 What was 10 hin
DIR Stonewall Jackson II Le chose 10 make a second
advance by the road he had already in pur
suit and retreat
1T was known that this second advance was
promised and planned In every town tie Rebels
were eagerly expecting their famous chief, and so
certain vi LIS speedy arrival that tie undsgused
confidence OF then hopes often bordered on inso-
leuoe The most credible information was all 10 the
same effect, and the evidence was 80 strong that no
prudent commander could disregard it. H. was
finally corrobOrated hy the appearance Of jackson
al GofionsS lie and the steady movement of troops
by the Virginia Central to Gordonsyille aud al.
acent strategic points.
Bat before these movements Of the Rebels were
well under way, the dlspOti0ns Of Gen. Pope were
complete. jackson suddenly loud that bIs en-
trance into the Shenandoah was IA eilecluay barred
az if every road through the valley were fortified
and defended. The willy Rebel was NJ hst outgen-
erplled ard may wei have heard with dsinay thai,
while the Union forces were messed AT SpeIryville
and Washington, ready TO be swiftly moved IN
either erection they held also lh0rntons Gap ani
tbs Luray 10 New-MaIket road. II he eOtered the
valley by the Harrisouburg road, and marched
through Mount Jackson and Strasbnrg against Win
chester he left an enemy IN force On MS mack VINO
could close the door against bis retreat ana, before
he could enter Winchester, would break bis coinru-
nications and cut aim % pieces by attack IL the
rear or force hun 10 surrender without fight. The
valley in fact was protected by a force wholly out
side OF il.
Not content with this success, General Pope had
determined that the Rebel General should not only
he forced 10 ahhndon the offensive, but 10 assume
the def.usiye. The forces in Kappahannock County,
while covering the Shenandoah, and gestiDg reel
and supplies held also the rig1t Oi hue strategy
cnlly offensive, and were steadiIy Pusnins uo"h ny
divergent roads to the chief towns Of ladi'on ana
Culpepper Counties. From FREEZER, ksDuig, winch
WAS the extreme let the sudden and brilliant cav
olgv dash against Beaver Dam woke up the Kebei
TO learn that their interior lines OF communication
were in danger and were even Temporarily ne
etrOyed Before they had time 10 recover ITO" I'M,
surprlse second followed, aud the thrd SUCCESS u
Il similar kind was accom- ished TWO days ago AZ
other words the whole face Of the campaign ndo
been changed in "A month, and before Gen. rope mao
fairly taken the delf in person he had thwafieu Tue
Rebel plans, checked their advance, broken 'neii
communications, and forced them into defense
Meantime had been Issued the celebrated orders
directing the troops 70 subsist Oh tire country, de
nouDcing sun mary and seyereet penalties on Buer
Iillss compelling disloyal citizens to choose between
allegiance and exile, and Withdrawing the safe
guards from Rebel property, orders wbich equaiiy
inspired bis troops with confidence that the war was
10 be fought at last ride alec IN earnest, aDd
appalled, the traitors who bad confidently counted
on continuance of concillatOry measures but found
themselves suddenly discovered 10 he enemies, and