Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-06-15
Pittsburgh and the PennsyIvania
Line. 4--5
From tlle PhIIAaeIphIe INQUIRER.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Amid the doubt and uncertainty con-
corning the movements of Lees army, ona
rumor was that he was going TO advance,
upon the Pennsylvania border, and that
the chief point at which he would finally
aim was Pittsburg. Although ignorant OF
his intentions, and quite certain that thu
War Department will take measures. to
thwart such as even rumor suggests, our
people can lose nothing by looking little
into the possibilities of such Northern
movement on his part. This duty is all
the more important on account of the de-
velopments which led to, and which have
followed, Gen. PleqsAntOn's gallant dash
to the south of the Rappahannock.
Two years ago, Mr.. Schalk, 10 his ''Sum-
mary of the Art of War, pointed ont Pitts
burg as the point upon which the Rebels
would make their final attack, after having
assumed the offensive, aud where great
battle would be fought. The movement
thus made-to follow his dIagram-was
to be along the course of the Potomac,
until lie should reach the nearest point to
the forks of the Youghiogheuy and Mon
ongahele Rivers, and thence, crossing the
siug!a mountain range of these rivers, to
Wheeling, Pittsburg and the Ohio. Let
us look first in the opposite direction.
The difficulties which beSeE a rebel
march towards Philadelphia are very great;
we have detailed them again aad again.
The Susquehanna is a splendid barrier, for
midabe indeed at Harrisburg, but not
elsewhere above for long distance, and
nowhere easily SO below. The Cumber-
land Valley aud the approaches to Harris
burg are defensible, by throwing a large
body of troops across that valley any
where from the State Capital to the State
line. The narrow valleys between the
ridges westward, through Bedford and
Somerset counties, are dangerous places
for an enemy to attempt to enter, otherwise
than with cavalry for n hurried raid. Aud
thus it seems that the geographical prob
lem of the defense OF the State line is to
be found in the country watered by the
Houghiogheny and the forks of the Monon-
gahela. If so, it is evident that the stri-
6ingiy objective point is Pittsburg, from
its strategeIic Importance, its wealth, its
railroads and its relations to the rest of the
State. If such be Lees object, he will at.
tempt it by combination of movements,
via:-Along the Potomac, through Win.
chester, by cooperating force in Western
| Virginia, and by numerous frints and raids
in the valleys already mentioned.
Now the obstacles to such obvious STRAIT
egg are numerous and great, and he will,
doubtless, deliberate long before trying it.
|. Rockers army would be in his rear
and on his flank, harrassing and even at
lacking him wherever the forces are near
equality, and we have reason to believe
that measures have been taken speedily to
insure that equality, A great battle be-
fore he entered upon this campaign would
retard if not entirely put stop to the
movement.
II. The force of United States troops
now along the Potomac and south of it
from Washington through Winchester tic
Western Virginia, is formidable bar tc
such progress. That force has been
greatly increased aud Lee knows it.
III. An almost insurmountnble obstacle
is found in the present want of supplies
the difficulty of obtaining them to marct
with; the devastation of the country
through which he must march, and tn,
desGtution of great army which leave:
its base and finds less and less provision
the further it goes, and at last country
Thoroughly aroused by the principle of self
preservation.