Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-15

confessed, even by the warmest friends of our
generals a correspondent of the New York
World, who has been personally over the
whole field near Manassas, sums up his OBJ.
servations in this wise:-
81. The rebel army has made the most
successful, complete, and handsome evacua-
ton, the most secure and perfect retreat, of
which history furnishes an example. 1t has
safely escaped, with its entire right and left
wings, from Centreville, from the Upper ana
Lower Potomac, from every point threatened
by our lines.
1t has securely carried off its every gun, all its
provisions and munitions, and hree-tcurthS Of the
p9pulace, black and ,Chite, along lis route Gen.
Stewart threatened to come back to-day and
swoop off tile remaining people and houses,
and nothing but his sudden pursuit by our
army has perhaps prevented him from doing
it.
1t has blown up or otherwise destroyed eve.
ry bridge and culvert on turnpike and railroad
along lis route.
1t has swept clean every camp, except the
few at Manassas junction whence its rear.
guard evidently departed in fastened alarm at
The sudden approach OF our army. Never was
an evacuation more complete.
2. Gen jackson has escaped from Shenan-
doah Valley, burning bridges between himself
and Gen. Banks. This is positively stated by
escaped contrabands coming in to night.
3 The number OF camps and barracks scat.
tered tar and wide would afford, even as they
stand now, accommodation for near seventy
thousand men, and this only refers 10 those
within eight miles of Centerville.
~. A large portion OF this evacuation must
have been gradually accomplished during the
past two months. But nearly fifty thousand
rebels were here and at Manassas within the
last week, OF whom ten thousand went of by
the Warrenton turnpike, and forty thousand
by railroad to Warrenton junction and be.
yond. Trains were running day and night.
Gen. Johnston let on Thursday night, Gen.
Smith on Saturday, and Gen. Stewart on Sun
day evening"
Not only have the rebels escaped, but they
have possessed themselves of defensive line
which is much better than that of Bull Run,
which is nearer their. sources of supply, and
of course more distant from ours, but which
they have been preparing according TO the
best rules of military engineering for several
months. A writer in the New York Herald
who is evidently familiar with the localities
of which he speaks, says
The next stand of the enemy is along the
precipitory bank of the Rappahauuock river,
from Port Royal up to Fredericksburg, thence
along the south bank OF the river, up as far as
the junction of the RapIdan with the north
fork OF the Rappahannock, thence along the
Rapdan as far us the base of the Blue Ledge
Mountain.
The country Immediately south of the north
course just marked out is strikingly like that
on the south side of the Potomac above
Georgetown, very hilly, both wild deep ra.
| vines particularly is this the for some
| eight miles below Fredericksburg all the way
| up to the base OF the mountain ridge. There
is wooden bridge at Fredericksburg, leading
| over the Rappahannock in the county Of Stat.
ford, and one at the village OF Falmouth which
is in Stafford county, leading over the river in
the county of Spottsylvani Falmouth is a
mile above Fredericksburg, and there are but
three iOrds in the river between Fredericks-
| burg and the mouutain-one at the Wilder
ness which is about mile from the Rapidan !;
another where The railroad CROSSES; and a
third about three miles northwest OF Orange
Court House"
Beauregard, Johnston and Lee chose this
point as their line Of defence, and were only
induced to move on to Bull Run because it
was nearer Washington; but they have been
engaged in fortity ing it ever since. 1t is not
so easily hanked as Manassas might be, and,
"The abandonment Of the whole lower Poto-
mac and the Rippahannock below Port Royal
Is because they are untenable on account of
the ready approach of boats and being easily
outfanked by a force reaching them there.
The country is the best possible one for de-
fence along the whole Atlantic slope, and the
last and only stand the rebels can make is here
along the Rappahaunock river. They have
never made the extensive Notifications al
| hat hnv hoa
J. cksburg."
. The Richmond Examiner of March IL dis
}, cusses the retreat and new strategy of thu
e rebels as follows -
?, 1.-The most important movements that eve
ii occurred on this continent are now poinu n,
before our eyes. The brilliant and astonisl
. ing success OF the Virginia, in the waters q
- Hampton Roads, opens a new chapter in naya
81 warfare, and marks new era in the struggl
~ which the south is engaged in. The gran
d. movement OF the army Of the Potomac, i
withdrawing from ITS oBenSiUe line on The rtv,
&c Of that name, and assuming detenSire one on Il
is line of the RaPpahannock and Rdpidun river
ce places new complexion on the entire war
= Virginia
d, The policy of this change of position vii
ID reference TO the intended attack of the enem
~ is obvious. The Potomac was the proper ba;
I'd for offensive operations against Maryland All
- Washington City but as Il line OF detenC
- for Richmond, or for general resistance, it
OF the most dangerous that could be held III
lie line upon which the army under Gen. Josep
Johnston is now falling back, is the nature
-, the arc OF circle, of which Richmond is til
10 center. The enemy is put TO the necessity
ne marching a considerable distance inland beior
u engaging our forces. II defeated in geners
yo engagement, he can scarcely escape annihil;
ton; for he will then be too far from the PC
~ tomac and from Washington City to reac
nd safety by few hours flight, like that he mad
in after the battle OF Manassas. 1t, on the col
ho trary, he should be successful in his encounte
:, with our forces, lie could not take advantag
a. OF his victory on account OF the delay nece
ed sary to bring up his supplies from the distar
tts Potomac.
- Whoever will take the trouble to examiu
It" the map of Virginia will find that our line ,
&c defense, as now adopted, stretches from I'll
re Rappahannock, by grand circle, to Cumbe
~ land Gap, in the extreme southwestern corn,
:, of the state; embracing the Central and IL
~ Virginia and Tennessee railroads, the Chi
I'd cities OF Virginia. and the valley of the JAIME
e. with its canal and railroads, within the ci
4 conference. 1t will be seen, too, that this
" purely line of defense, assumed now as
u necessity, in view of the great force which "
5, have, by our supine policy for six month
d permitted the enemy to marshal and put
= position without disturbance, and at his lesui
= and pleasure.
III 1t is distressing to give up so large porto
~ OF Virginia, even for a season, to the dOmini