Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-29
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
GEN, LEES LATE cAMPAlGN-rTs CHARACTER.

1o'vssfohdence o. the RetD York Tunes.
ARMY or THE Potomac,
" .rrentoa (Pa.) October %, 1863.
The Army Of the Potomac has at length settled down
after It's great race up and down Virginia The whir
and buse aud confusion of the backward and the forward
movement have 30 lar given place to camer moods that
~ Is possible now to survey with satisfaction the
series OF complicated and exciting events whose relations
and upshot It was at the time impossible to grasp.
1t must be acknowledged that the campaign of The past
fortnight has not been that brought much glory to
either army The operations, with the exception Of
variety OF kImishes and the Considerable brush at
Bstow have all been Of the kind included uuder the term
srafegy-that is marches and out Of sight Of
the enemy The rebels have inflicted no great damage
us. We have inflicted great damage on the rebels
10 truth the real results Of this invasive movement
the part of Gen Lee to be sought for much in
any thing that has been accomplished here in Virginia
Ia the relations Of operations here to the whole field of
war; In this regard it remains to bs how far the
progress and fortunes of the will be affected by the
late rebel movement AT present it assumes the chaac
ter OF diversion in favor Of operations 10 the Southwest
There is not the shadow of doubt that considerable
portion of the troops with which Lee threw back Meade
are now on their way to reinforce the rebel army Ten
nessee for active work against portion Of the great
line being held by the Union forces from
to the Gaps of Virginia
have had frequent opportunity Of learning the rebel
theory of Lees late movement having conversed with
many citizens of the country through which have dur
ing the past two three days. passed the Of Lees
army aud they all tell the story 1t is that the
movement made for the purpose of throwing the Army
Of the Potomac back Washington and then utterly
stroyng the railroad connecting Meades army on the line
Of the RapdAnn with its base thus relieving Richmond
from the standing which occupation of that
of had xhaus d,r
wnich 1t is possible for to make fall campaign, and
throwing till next spring, when the dissolution OF
our army and prospective rebel operations the South
west would secure them peace,
As to the results OF the movement the rebels did no,
succeed IN any considerable captures The movements
the leutepants on whom Lee relied to his plans
were too foW; the retrograde movement of Meade ton
swift and too skifll to afford him the fitting opportunity
for battle, aud The practical result obtained is the de
strdctiou of the railroad, ard whist that involves
This work has been very thoroughly DONE Lees whole
army having been engaged on it for two days. From
BrstOw to the Rappahan,ock the destruction is com
pete-brdges burnt culverts blown up, lies taxi up
and burnt, rails twisted and render useless cuts ed
up &c Tie engineers ray that it will be at least h
before it can be again put runnng orde. 1t with n
small modification therefore, that have comes th
rebels have achieved end July commensurate with tie
$500 $3.50 "
as it congns the army OF the Potomac to roIe of nso
tivty Virginia IS accepted By Generals and
will depend tie conduct of those who direct sry
operations the whole theatre of far the pass
to which the rebels have brought affairs Virgins vii
affect the fortunes of the other fields
1t remains to be what action the military author-
ties at Washington viii take regard to the Army Of the
Potomac 10 view Of the psss which agrs have bet
brought by the late campaign Every one in the arm,
here agrees that active operations against Redmond by
this line for this year. may say further that
every body is per uaded that nothing ever be done
against Richmond by this line. The map is against our
tver being able to do h eff ctye in this wsy by any
such force az we now have. Every General III the
agrees that the south eide of tie James river the only
hne on which to operate directly against Richmond If
therefore, the Army Of he Potomac for the preset to
do nothing, we should at abandon this barren will
dernese or!iy the fo1s tho Potomac the defnces
OF Washington ttorct " and send two three Of our
best 10 the theatre uf the Southwest
When the business there is well done up it viii be
no longer ques ion either Of ld or Virg gia
WILLIAM SwINTos