The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-04
BY TELEGRAPH
TO The
EVENING PAPERS.
Gen. Meode's Re,roorode Increment.

last evening says
The movement of the army Of the Potomac
has been abandoned. Ithas nearly completed
its return to the old base along the Orange
aud Alexandria Railroad at Culpepper, Brandy
Station aud Rappahannock bridge. The ret
rogradc movement was commenced yesterday,
and tonight some of our forces re-occnpied
the same positions held before the recent adj
vance.
The military critics now essay to call the
whole movement but an armed reconnaissance,
but it is nevertheless known that Gen. Meade
started out with wellconceived aud matured
plans for an advance on Richmond. His fail
ure to carry them out involves, without doubt,
the loss of his position as Commander of the
Army of the Potomac.
The army fell back in a safe and orderly
manner, the enemy not divining the movement.
There has been but little skirmishing for two
days past.
Generals Sedgwick and Hooker are promi-
nently named for General Meade's successor.
But ii a change is made, it will be some days
before it Is announced.
Another dispatch says: "The train from
Rappahannock bridge arrived in Washington
at 10 o'clock tonight. Gen. Meade's army
commenced its withdrawal from its position
in the wilderness, near Robertson's tavern,
yesterday morning, all the wagon trains and
artillery being first sent forward. During last
night all the infantry commenced the line of
retreat, and this afternoon the whole army
reached its old position held before the ad-
vance, on this side of the Rapidan. There
was no interruption of the retreat by the enc
my, who seemed to be entirely deceived"
The Tribune's special Washington dispatch
says: AT a council of war held on Monday
night it was concluded that return TO the old
camping ground was dictated by every aspect
of the case. The main reasons for this course
are these: Short rations and the difficulty OF
bringing up more; the enemy strongly n-
trcnched in a position which could not be car
ried in any event without great loss; very
cold weather, making it certain that our
wounded, in case OF assault, would suffer and
die by hundreds before they could be cared for.
These facts led to the orderxfor Il retreat
There was no fighting-not even a skirmish-
and the entire army recrossed the river with
all its trains intact. The entire loss OF the
campaign is six hundred killed, wounded and
missing, sixty Of whom were killed.
Another correspondent of the Herald des-
cribe's the rebel position:
Mine River is a stream of perhaps ten feet
in width, but very shallow, If we judge by the
depth OF clear water, but very deep when we
count in the mud at its bottom. At its sides,
extending several rods back, is low marsh,
miry and reed-grown. From the edges of the
marsh the land rises gradually to the hight of
perhaps hundred feet A half mile back from
either shore these slopes are open, and in
many places are cultivated patches of young
pines, which extend back TO the dense woods
which cover the hills. The run rises some
where south of the old plank road, and flows
lazily northward TO the river, in nearly a
straight line.
Tile enemy had fortified the western slope
by strong carthwork at Its summit, in front
nj xvh tlnI oil,
formed an impenetrable abattis. They had
also dug succession of pits half way up the
slope, within easy musket range Of the creek,
and another series of the same style of de-
lenses at the commencement OF the abatts.
His line OF defenses extended from Clark's
Mountain, south of the plank road, TO the
mouth of the stream, and was fully supported
by artillery, and was, in fact, said by military
men to be stronger position than lie held at
Fredericksburg"
The Tribune's special dispatch says:
"On Sunday morning Gen. warren's (2dl
corps, with the Sd division of the 9th corps,
moved down on the Fredericksburg plank
road, which runs parallel with the Orange pike
and about three miles from il, and proceeded
for a mile, when he encountered the enemy s
skirmishers, who were driven forward mile
and a half TO the west. The enemy then OPP
ened with artillery on the I'd division of the
"a corps IRON some temporary works on the
hill, half a mile south of the unfinished rail-
road, but were driven out of them, and the
corps rested for the night, with the intention
of charging and fanking the rebels in the
morning.
Early yesterday morning Gen. Warren re-
quested his commanders to inform their men
OF the nature of the task before them, and cx-
hort them to make gallant assault on the en-
emy's works in their front, which had been
thrown up during the night. He then made a
personal inspection Of the works, and for an
hour and half hestated to act. Amer Que
hours canuonading, he was to make grand
charge, and the men were instructed TO reserve
their fire until they entered the rebel works.
No charge was made on the left, and at 10 l-2
A. Nj. Gen. Meade came down to the left, and
was for long time engaged in earnest con-
versation with Gen. Warren. Gen. Meade
seemed to be administering a rebuke to Gen
Warren, judging from the demeanor of BOTH
The rebel works on the left were not over
$50 yards from our line, and were of formid-
able nature. made personal inspection oil
them. They were very deep and constructed
of logs and earth. A second line, similar to
the first, was seen two hundred yards TO the
rear OF them. A thick abattis was placed in
'front.'"