Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-10-28
The Late Campaign In Virginia.

LEES army, on the 9th Of October, crossed
over to the North bank of the Rapidan, with
cooked rations for fourteen days. On the 2lss
inst It reotossed the same river, returning to the
point from which it had set ont nearly two
weeks before. In that time the rebels made o
march Of some sixty miles, and had several
severe sklrmishes, one Of which appeMs to have
foiled their original design in the ADVANCE
This was the action at Bristos Station, Oct.
IA, In which Gen. WARREN, Of the Potomac
army, engaged cOrps Of LEE's army under
Gen. HILL. r-rs .rr aT.rs
General WARREN, 30 writes an eyewitness,
had formed his troops under cover OF the cut
and embankment of the railroad, constituting
resdy.made breastworks, Down rushed the
enemy, charging on the flank, when suddenly
the troops under cover rose up, and at close
range rained vslley after volley Of deadly FIRE
into the advancing and presently retreating
rebels. After twenty minutes' fght the enemy
was glad to make of, leaving q thousand dead
and wounded and FIVE hundred prisoners In our
hands! Night came on and put an end to further
operations, and 1t was well for US that It did, for
ust after our men had repnlsed the enemy,
General EWEIL who had been following In
WARaEN's rear came up and had just time to
form In line of battle when darkness prevented
his further movements. This enabled WAR
REM to psss on and join the main body Of Cen
eral MEADE's army, which had gone on be-
fore. u aHa v.a..t J
MThis repulse at Bristoe seems to have dis
concerted LEE. From that moment be abandoned
all design, If he ever entertained such, OF CIV
ing MEADE battle, and never advanced the main
body Of his army beyond Bsistoe. After max
ing detours with various detachments to the
north and west, destroying railroads and bridges
in pretty effeotual manner. LEE began hic
rstrograde movement on the 18Th inst.
The rebel theory of the campaign, as stated
by some Of LEES general officers on the retreat,
is said to have been this-that the movement
was made for the purpose of throwing the Army
Of the Potomac back on Washington; at the
same time utterly destroying the railroad con
nection Of MEADE's army on the Rapidan withits
base; thus relieving Richmond from the stand
ing menace Of our advance upon il; exhaust
Ing the season for fall campaign and throw
ing It over ill spring, when the depletion o.
our army and their anticipated success In the
Southwest, the rebels calculated, would rebound
greatly to their advantage.
This theory the rebels gave out on their retreat
probably to make 1t appear that their advance
had been success. That advance, however
indicated clearly enough that their design wa
to get the Army Of the Potomac into disad'
vantsgeous position; so as to cut 10 off and de
stroy it. But this, It 10 said, was prevented b.
the rapid falling back Of MEADE and the fght
ing and manoeuvering of Warren. Finding
they could not accomplish their main object, II
is probably correct to say that the rebels con-
oluded to put up with Lesser ons-thst of de.
stroying bridges, culver.s and the railroad 60
effectually that an advance could not be made
on our part for Geversl weeks, perhaps, mot be-
fore the sdven, of mud, when our forward
movements would be at an end for the fall. 10
this inferior or alternative plan, thp rebels ap-
pear to havebeen partially, If not wholly sue
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