The New York herald., 1863-06-13

The Movements OF the Rebels In vIrginia
sad Their Probable Designs.
While we are patiently awaiting the univer-
sally expected news of the capitulation Of
Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the movements
of the rebels in Virginia have become exceed
ingly interesting. The late cavalry fight on
the Upper Rappahannock developed a larger
force of rebel cavalry, infantry and artillery in
the neighborhood Of Culpepper Court House
than General Buford was prepared to encoun
ter while the masses of the enemy along the
heights of Fredericksburg appear to have suf-
fered little, if any, diminution. We may. from
these facts and from certain rumors aAoat, as
sumo that the army of General Lee, instead Of
being depleted to strengthen Johnston or Bragg
in the Southwest, has been considerably rein
forced from North and South Carolina for an
aggressive campaign in the East.
The Richmond Wing of the 9th instant says
cit is too generally known to raise any ques-
ton of prudence in speaking of it that Gen.
Lee has put uis army in notion" that "a for
ward movement on his part has for some time
been anticipated by the enemy and is regard
ed with very perceptibe uneasiness;" and that
should he cross the.Rappahannock, "events of
great consequence must speedily follow"
Upon this important fact that Gen. Lee has
put his army in motion" the question recrlrs:
what are his designs? The developments of
the late cavalry fight show that it is his inten-
ton, by flank movement, to push formida-
BILE invading column into Maryland, and per-
haps into Pennsylvania, upon destructive
raid. The letter from our Harper's Ferry
correspondent, which we publish this morning,
furnishes some additional facts confirming
this view of the subject. He says that
when our cavalry returned from the fight
on Tuesday they brought information that
the rebels had been moving in strong
force westward, towards the Shenandoah val
ley; that the column so moving was three
hours and half in passing the town of Sper-
ryville, and was composed of infantry and
artillery. Referring next to Mosby's dash
across the Upper Potomac into Maryland the
other day, our correspondent says it was as
certained from rebel prisoners captured from
Mosby's band that supporting body Of five
thousand men were on the Virginia side Of the
river, opposite the point where Mosby was
on the Maryland side, and that
General Milroy, at Winchester, had information
of a force Of about that number approaching
him, and, as he believed, with the intention Of
cutting him of. Our correspondent, however,
believes that a crushing raid into Western
Virginia, beyond the valley, is the real design
of the enemy, and says that such is the pre-
vailing opinion among CUR officers at Harpers
Ferry.
We entertain differens opinion. The noun
tain region west ct Winchester is too thinly in.
haSited, too poor too destitute ofsubsissence to
pay the expenses Of q great military expedition.
We suspect that the game Of Lee is the old
game of last year-a descent upon Winchester
and a. descent upon Harpsr's Ferry in over
force. The artillery, the borses
wagons and stores of ammunition and sabsist-
ence at Hsrper's Ferry would be WORTH more
to General Lee than all he could do and all he
could pick up or destroy among the mountains
of Virginia westward in q six'fnonths' campaign
with his whole army. We suspect, therefore,
that his designs are, first with different detach
ments to envelope Harper's Ferry as he did
last year, and then to move rapidly Stuart''s
whole column across Maryland into Pennsylva-
MIA, via Chambersburg, upon mission of re-
taiation in the way Of plunder and destruction,
because this route is a short one and will carry
him at once through some Of the very richest
counties Of Maryland and Pennsylvania, where
greater damages can be inflicted upon our loyal
people and more valuable spois collected
from them than by any other route before
sufficient force can be brought up to turn back
the invading column.
We think, therefore, that the War Onice is
acting judiciously in providing for the organi-
cation Of an army corps under General Couch,
whose headquarters shall be at Chambersburg.
We suspect, however, that the main design Of
General Lee is the identical game which, under
Stonewall Jackson in his pursuit Of General
Banks last summer down the Shenandoah val
ley, was so successfully played off upon Secre-
tary Stanton. Fifty or sixty thousand men
(half Of which force coming In TO the support Of
General Mcclellan at the right moment would
have secured Richmond) were sent out in
different detachments, hither and thither, TO
hunt up Jackson; and they were still hunting
for him when he was hundred miles away,
crushing the right wing Of our army on the Chick
ahominy. We suspect that Lees main object
in this aggressive diversion now is In the same
way 70 break up the Army Of the Potomac in q
hot pursuit Of Stuart, and then to pounce upon
what is left on the Rappahannock with an
overwhelming force, crush It and push on
to Washington again. AT oil events, and what
ever may be the designs Of the enemy In vir
rinia, their instructive lessons OF last summer q
disasters to us, from the scattering of our
forces, we hope will be wisely remembered at
the war Oaias.
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