Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-08-21
THE SITUATION.

Everything goes to show that Lee IL being
reinforced heavily, and that he is preparing
for desperate onslaught on Meade, with thu
hope Of overpowering him by superior mum
bers, and then for the capital. The follow
ing article from the Chicago Tribune on thi.
subject will repay perusal:
We believe the present hour in the history
of this rebellion is one of grave and anxious
watching, with those who intelligently
study, and upon whom rests the grave re-
spolisiblity of studying the campaign in
Virginia. We believe that the rebellion il
not dead, though sorely wounded. We have
no expectation that any immediate great ev.
ent will break the silence supervening upon
great events recently TRANSFERRED in the South.
| west. 1t is not there that the rebel leaders
| will attempt to rebuild their shattered edifice
They are not dead or even sleeping. Trust
no tales that their decentralization has reached
the extent Of rendering their arms inetfect
i've. Our generals do not believe it. Our
enemies mean mischief The wounded snake
can still crawl, aud hiss, and strike. We
believe the blow he is preparing is 10 be aimed
at the great primal stake and prize of this
war, the Federal capital.
We believe this because the evidences arc
that Lee has been largely reinforced from all
parts of the Confederacy. Because OF the
lull that has come upon the war in all other
parts of the field. Because of the pressure,
the vital necessity resting upon the rebel
leaders to strike blow which shall work us
harm. Our recent great successes, the dis
affection showing itself in various parts oil
the Confederacy, are among the reasons why
they must snatch victory from this hour OF
peril, or sink to rise no more. We believe
the greatest work, the sternest call for the
valor of the Army of the Potomac may at
any moment precipitate itself upon them
The battle when it comes will be the grand.
est of the war, for it is the desperate throw
Of desperate men. The tiger has been ringed
with fire. scorched, hunted into narrow limits,
but nowhere subdued, and the leap of the
ravenous and raging beast will be made with
power that must be powerfully and skill.
fully met.
The events of the next few weeks, it may be
days, in Virginia will, can, hardly miss prov
ing the central and major feature of this
campaign. If Lee is victorious, the victory
will throw heavy weight in the scale against
all our previous good fortune. If Meade
wins the battle we shall see no other grand
army of the rebels in the field. But that q
grand army of the rebellion is now stretch.
ing its formidable length along the Rapidan
and Rappahannock, is a fact as patent as it
is certain that it is preparing to launch thence
Il most formidable movement, to check and
,hwart which will require all the leadership
and the whole power of our opposing force.
If the rebels win the stake, it prolongs the
war. If we win, that victory virtually ends
it. So desperately arc the fortunes Of the
enemy poised on the brink of the approach
ing struggle, news Of which may now reach
us at any hour. so nearly has tho battle
cloud bent ready to burst over the two ar.
mics.