The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-08-03

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| The War I'm virginia--Ramors AHoat-
| Our Late Reverses and Our Present Poo
sition.
How goes the war? What news from the
James river? We have no definite or satisfac-
tory intelligence; but, among the numberless
rumors afoat, it is said that General Mcclellan,
| in connection with the mortar neet, il preparing
| to attack Fort Darling; that he will probably
cross the James river, take Petersburg and
cut off the rebels from their Southern railroad
communications; that to avoid being cut off
from his own supplies by rebel blockade Of
the river we shall probably next hear of him
at Norfolk or Fortress Monroe; and that mean
time the rebel army has been withdrawn from
Richmond-a considerable portion Of it north
ward-to look after General Pope; large force
to the south side Of the James, in front of Nc
Cellan, and the remainder to his TANKS and
rear, putting him in . very critical position.
Where the truth lies among these conflicting
rumors we are left to conjecture. We know
however, that neither the army of Gen. Nc
Clellan nor that of Gen. Pope is strong enough
to advance upon Richmond; that each is calling
for achievements, and that, having nearly ex
hausted the ready materials for volunteering,
that system of recruiting is working very slow
ly, Notwithstanding the extra inducements Of
fered in federal, State, municipal and individual
bounties. We have every reason to believe
that, great as was the rebel army of Virginia at
the beginning and at the end Of those seven
days terrible fighting, it is stronger now than
ever before, from the reinforcements which
have been thrown into it from North and South
Carolina, Georgia and Alabama; and we know
GERS, and that they are watching an opportunity
for some damaging blow either to Gen. McClel-
Ian or to Gen. Pope, or to both
But, apart from all these details, ii is enough
to explain the present unsatisfed condition Of
the public mind to say that the prevailing idea
is that General Mcclellan and General Pope
are standing upon the defensive. A month ago
we were all anticipating the immediate fall Of
Richmond and the end of the war; now we want
reinforcements to our several armies to the ex-
tent of three hundred thousand men to enable
|
assurance of success Last spring, through the
malign influences of Senator Wilson and his
abolition colleagues in Congress and elsewhere,
the business of recruiting was suspended, and
our Army of the Potomac was advanced to-
wards Richmond without any reserve to fall
back upon, and, without tho means of raising
any, the government stood before the world in
the midst Of raging war. Thus, had General
McClellan's army been destroyed, the capital
of the United States would have fallen an easy
prey to the enemy, and President, Cabinet and
Congress might have been captured by surprise.
General Mcclellan, therefore, although be
has failed to take Richmond, has saved Wash
ington in saving his army. He would have
taken Richmond had he been supported, a. he
justly expected to be, by the columns Of Nc
Dowell, Banks and Fremont. Among the three
there were some fifty or sixty thousand men,
and yet between them and the War Office the
business Of catching Stonewall Jackson was
managed so bunglingly that, pell-mell, he first
drove Banks out of the Shenandoah valley; next
he escaped through the clutches of Fremont
Shields and Mcdowell, leaving them all with
their fifty or sixty thousand men in the
background and next this active rebel
Jackson pushed on to Richmond, and with his
army, strengthened in his march to forty thou
sand men, arrived there in time to turn the
right wing of General McClellan's army, and
to compel him to fight for seven days and nights
for its salvation.
1t was the old game Of Bull run over again;
and as Patterson served Mcdowell, so did
i Mn 1u H.
officer, serve Mcclellan, in failing to cut off
Jackson. Thus deceived and repulsed by the
same shallow trick in the two most important
| movements of this war, have we any assurance
that this trick may not third time be played
upon US. We think we may feel perfectly as
| sured that this thing will not occur again. since
tried and experienced soldier has superseded
| q mere lawyer in the general direction of our
armies, and since the army columns Of Nc
| Dowell, Banks and FremoAt-with Fremont on
the shelf-have all been placed under the su-
preme command Of General Pope. But still
the public mind reverts to the fact that after
fourteen months Of war, and the loss of many
thousands of brave soldiers and the expendi-
ture of a thousand millions Of dollars, our Army
| Of the Potomac is further from Richmond than
| it was two months ago, and from the offensive
has been driven to defensive position.
The disorganizing abolition factionists OF
Congress are mainly responsible for all our
past reverses, disappointments and disasters !;
but, as those disorganzers are now out of
the way, and as Congress and the country have
placed the necessary power, men and means At
the disposal of President Lincoln for speedy
end to this rebellion the responsibility will
fall upon him should the war continue to drag
on, from little victories to great disasters, until
the rains and SHOWS Of winter block up again,
till May, the muddy roads to Richmond.