Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-06-03
Lee's Strategy.

The telegraph to-day brings US revival
of the rumored advance of Lee towards
Washington. One of the Washington pa
pers even goes so far as to predict a battle
shortly at Manassas. We are still incred-
ulous of these reports They emanate
from no official or even Trustworthy source,
so far as the public can see. They are giY-
en- currency by the reporters of New
York journal which never hesitates to pur-
chase sensation at the price of truth
Who originates them it may be difficult to
judge. If we were to guess we should say
they are of rebel ma nutacture.
While there has recently been great &C
tivity in Lees command, it does not follow
that it means an advance on Washington
Under present circumstances it is impossi-
BILE to believe that his army is in any con-
dition for such an enterprise. There are
undertaking, and obvious reasons for dis
posing of all the troops that could be spar.
ed from the defense of Richmond in other
quarters. The great and pressing need of
them is at Vicksburg, and we must persist
in believing that the bulk of the troops that
have moved from Lees old position on the
south bank of the Rappahannock have been
sent thither. As long as our generals con.
tent themselves with appearances, they will
not know absolutely whether this is true
or not, though it must soon be known
through other channels If such is really
the policy it promises to be successful; for
it has been fifteen days since Vicksburg
was invested, and the troops if sent at all
must be near their destination, while SO far
from being attacked Lee has actually man
aged to inspire alarm of au attack from
him.
Another quarter to which Lee has prob
ably despatched troops is the Shenandoah
Valley. There are important reasons for
occupying the valley at this time. There
are splendid wheat crops in all the region
above Strasburg, and they are said to be
quite abundant and promising below there
They will be ripe within month"; If they
are to be secured now is the time to take
possession of the Valley. The wheat crop
of the Shenandoah Valley will be no mean
acquisition for the armies that have been
living on half rations of bread, and might,
if it were lost, have to subsist on less
There has been considerable force in the
upper valley for some time. Very late
reports from Winchester say they are gath
ering about Harrisonburg. The cavalry
brigade which made the late raid into
West Virginia came from about there, and
part at least have returned. The iudica-
lions are that the force in that quarter has
lately been strengthened by accessions
from the Rappahannock Whether an at.
tempt will be made to drive Milroy out o.
the lower Valley remains to be seem Per,
haps the rebels will be content with hold.
ing the upper part of it, and making base
for raids across into West Virginia, alter
horses and cattle.
We do not expect anything active or de-
oisive in Eastern Virginia until the stake
is lost or won at Vicksburg, though it
seems to the uumilitary apprehension that
this would be the time to make push for
Richmond. But it is evident that Hooker
cOntsmplateS nothing of the sort, while Lee
will be content with covering Richmond
UtrategiOally at the same time that the
solid part of his columns are elsewhere
helping to attain decisive results