Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-09-25
Will Lee move North Again?

considerable earnestness. 1t is reported
that many Of the coolest and most saga
cious military men at Washington think
that Lee will move north again, and that
soon, while the secretary of war scouts
the suggestion as absurd. But it is not
absurd by any means; on the contrary
it is more reasonable to expect such q
movement by the enemy than any other
that can be thought Of The rebels can
not hope to drive back Rosecrans and
Burnside and recover the ground they
have lost in Tennessee, without taking
there so large a part Of Lees army as to
leave Virginia unprotected and run a
serious risk Of losing their capital, and
the surrender Of Richmond would dam
age their position before the nations and
dishearten their own people more than
the loss of half the remaining territory
OF the rebellion. The question of sup
plies for their armies is also one that
must soon press upon them with great
severity. They can get nothing more
from the trans. Mississippi region; if
they could nope TO recover Tennessee il
would give them but temporary relief in
this respect. Virginia and North Caro-
ina are now their chief reliance for
food and forage, but these will be ex-
hausled before Spring. They therefore
look longingly to the rich barvests Of
Maryland and Virginia, just gathered,
and it will be worth large risk to get
possession of them.
But il Lee moves north it will be for
something more than food aud forage.
The rebel leaders comprehend the mill
tdry situation quite as well as we do, and
they know very well that unless our
present military program is in some way
broken by new movements and successes
on their part, there is no better prospect
before them than to keep up a hopeless
resistance while our armies are steadily
closing in upon them, and Wrestling from
Them state after state. The anaconda
viii inevitably crush all life cut Of the
rebellion before another year unless Ly
some desperate effort its terrible folds
can be cut through. The rebels must
attempt this at once or resign themselves
to their manifest fate. Aud movement
northward is not entirely hopeless. In
deed there would seem to be fair
Glance at least of its success. II Char
lesion is sure to fall before .GjIImore's
engineering the rebels know it. and may
as well send most Of Beauregard's troops
to Virginia, as to keep them where they
can only delay the inevitable catastro-
phe and there is every reason for NOV
ing Johnston's and Bnagg,s armies to
Virginia, since there is nothing valuable
that they can now accomplish where they
are. 1t is supposed that this concen:ra-
ton of the rebel armies would give Gen,
Lee at least hundred,and itty thousand
men-the flower Of the rebel forces, and
generally in good fighting condition, not
witbstanding their reported demoraIiza
ton. With such an army 4 movement
into Pennsylvania and an attempt to take
Baltimore and Washington would not be
the hight of rashness, in the present
condition Of the Union forces. The en-
terprise is full of promise to the rebels.
If they can take Washington, at what
ever sacrifice of men, it viii more than
atone for all their losses at the West
and will gain for them tho recognition,
and probably the material aid Of France,
and possibly of England. Such a prize
is worth great effort and risk, and since
there sppoars to be nothing else the reb
els can hope to do, we may reasonably
believe they will attempt this.
And the rebels have an additional in
dncement for an attempt upon WASH
ington in the politica! complications OIL
the North. They understand that their
successes encourage the peace party Of
the North. When they are defeated the ,
peace democrats subsile; when they win
the peace democrats grow bold and defy /
the government aud trample upon the
laws. If they can take Washington
they tbiok the disIoyal men Of the North /
win rise in open instruction and aid
them by force and arms. They would
be disappointed as to the numbers and
power of the northern traitors, who
would really be able to do very little for
them; aud if they should take Wash.
ington, i! would only be TO destroy it, for
.Eoy could not hold it. That the north
em movement will be made there is rca-
SON to believe. 1t becomes the duty Of
the government and the army to be pre-
pared aud visilant, and to see to it that
the rebellion perishcs utterly in its last
and most desperate undertaking.
The current news Of the retreat Of Lees
army towards Gordonsvile and Rich
nond, and the advance Of division Of
he army of the Potomac to Culpepper,