Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1863-12-05

tested It's own power Or that OF It's AseHol a0-
veysarv-and was probably last night encamp-
ed In its old quarters at Brandy Station, on
the line of the Alex2ndria Railroad. 1t was
Oh Thursday last that the great host, With
high hopes, steady step, and ten day 5 ratlons,
crossed the Rapidan to measure swords with
the enemy and before one half Of the ten days
have pa ed away, it has wheeled round, re-
traced it's steps, and is now promenadlng or
eucamping in the wretched desert that fronts
Washing ton. where it can fight to It's heat S
content the hornets OF Moseby-havlng, IN
the meantime fought 10 battle, achleVeo no
victory, and subserved no respectable purpose.
On Monday Gen Meade captured two corps,
or the whole Of Lee 8 army, by the Phlladel-
phia telegraph, and on Tuesday Lee captured
the whole Of Gen. Meade's army by te!e-
gram from Philadelphia; and this, with the
heavy cannonadiDg that the public heard, tor
several days over the wires, and the gallant
skirmishing of Friday and Saturday, constl-
tutes the sum total OF visible results from the
late campaign This mornings dispatch AYERS
that General Meade's friends claim that
the object Of the advance was not TO give pat
tie to Lee, but to prevent his sending rem
forcements to Longstreet in Tennessee; and
that the movement has consequently Deen a
success. But we fear that those who argue. N
this manner donot study the newspapers With
sufficient assduity for General burnside cross
ed swords with Longstreet as taI PACK as tlle
18th, or two weeks before Gen. Meade oegah
his advance, and during the whole OF thar 1ort-
night he was IN imminent peru unCA Lne zotn
ult.. the day Of Meades advance. at Wh!ch
date telegralns were received from gen; buEn-
side, announcing that he was fully a6ie 60 re-
sist the enemy ul4til such time as alG was re-
ceiyed from General Grant; and as buEnSlde
was under Grants command, and Grant was
then lust putting the finishing touches upon
bis great victory, we may be sure that that
energetic officer would not delay reIlef tor q
moment. Reinforcements were also Fastening
to Burnside's help, via Cumberland zap
Besides all these aIl-suficent aids, we cannot
believe that the Army Of the Potomac entered
upon such large and mprehenslye campaign
merely on the supposltlon that thus It might
prevent Lee from sending some regiments "a
aid Longstreet in extricating himself from
D0sition from which he bids fair to e1trlcate
himself without such aid.
The October campaigns and the November
campaign of the Army Of the Potomac, are
certainly the most remarkable episodes III the
remarkable history OF that noble and stout
hearted army. In October Lee followed our
army from the Rapidan neatly up to the :; de-
fences Of Washington; and immediately after
ward Gen. Meade pursued the kehe1I, army
from Bull Run back to the Rapldan-alI with
out battle Of any magnitude-all WITHOUT re-
suit. At the close OF November ten: Meaqe
army again started out to ind ana nsnt lee,
as was universally supposed; put alter week
marching and couutermarchlng, 1t IS again
putting space between II and the army 1t se1
out TO overtake, For vi are all these move
ments?
Several hundred refugees from East len