The New York herald., 1863-05-27
Oar Baltimore Correspondence.

BALnNoxx, May 22, 1853
Strength Of TIE Co,!fedeate Army-fian Of Me Con-
Jrderatcs for he Sta,ney Ca,npaign-Generai Lee WI
Hooa AsSyae de O6ensi,e, and Mepe Washington
wth Cne Hundred Fifty Theusaad Troops, else
{npade Pcnnslrgna- General Johnston's Plan for the
Defeat Of General Grant, dc.
From the sources of information mentioned in my last
have derived the following facts in regard 70 the
present strength and position OF the rebel in the
field, a nd their plans for the summer campaign
General Lee the line Of the Kappaannock, has
hundfed and fifty thousand troops. There twenty
ve thousand at and near Richmond. General Beauregard
has forty thousand troops at Charleston and Savannah
General f. Johnston has hundred and eighty five
Thousand troops in the West including those at Vcss
burg Port Hudson and those under General Bragg
There ten thousand at Mobile, and twenty Thousand
at various other detached points This makes total OF
hundred and thirty thousand troops which the
effective strength Of the Confederate army for the
mer campagn They all disciplined troops, In the
highest state Of efficiency. ~.Je
Their general plan Of the campaign that described in
ms letters of March 10 and April 7-namely to defend
Hichmoad Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, vicksburg and
FORT Hudson 10 prevent the opening Of the Mississippi
river to defeat the armies of Hooker, Grant aud Rose
Grams points south possible and then TO in.
wade Ohio Cincinnati Louisville and Pennsylva
MIA between Harpers Ferry and Cumberland This pro-
gramme has been remarkably successful up this time
Since adopted Charleston been attacked and
csssuy defended and the attack has not been resumed
ali the against vicksburg including the vari-
fszoo Pass expeditions Sun1ower expeditions, Taa-
hatchie expeditions, vcksburg canals and Lake Prov
dence caaals, have been defeated aud abandoned. All
the attempts to divert the Mississippi into channels
through the Tonsas and Atchaaaya have failed owing TO
the typographical and geological reasons set forth in
e,ter OF March 25 at the time when those attempts
being made The opening OF the Mississippi has been
prevented Hooker has been defeated, and that badly
that possibly che offensive before June
Rosecrans and Nashville in peril and Grant, iured
down Jackson has been compelled hastily evacuate
that place get out Of the trap that General
Johnston had .or him.
such the uasion at present, and my information Is
TO ,bc edect General Lee will very the
northwards ,ei.her TO attack Washing
invade Pennsylvania. He had less than 70 200
troops when invaded Maryland last September. He
will. move nov with fully l5O 900. His left wing already
point the Upper Rappahannock opposite the
Ssphar Springs miles southwest Of Warenton and
ouly afty miles from Washington. supposed TO be
his intcuton to move his whole army rapidly towards
Centrcve and Fairfax the Warrenon turnpike and
to thence either direct on the works on Arlington
Heights else by OF Vienna TO Matdavhle TO GROSS
the olonac at COons Ford, twelve miles above Wash
ingtou then directly cast TO Badensbug, tear
up the there, TO cut of all communication
with the North and East and then 10 attack Washington
from that direction. Or else 1t is supposed that making
fent on Washington he will really either on Balt
ut into Pennsylvania, by way OF the National
road through Rockville. Frederick City and Iagestown
with the view OF drawing after him the Union forces at
washington Ii he succeeds in doing that he will then
surely return and attack tha, city. Indeed, it is CONT
IDENTIFY believed by those from whom my iLformants got
this information that by the 4h OF July the Confederate
flag will Goat the Capitol This may be mere gascon
ade but well 10 remember what the Confcderaes have
already accomplished since this programme adopted
II 10 at the North that there are two great di
hcues IN General Lees way In carrying out this design
FIRST the difficulty OF sustaining such large army IN an
enemys country o course the idea OF carrying sup
plies out Of the question: second. that in moving from
fredericksburg TO Cupepper aud from ,upepper north
wards H. uncovers Richmond, and leaves Hooker fine
chance sweep dDwn upon that city. But the southern
o The case is that these difficulties are only ap
parcnt not real. Their idea u that the whole 0r
General Ices army moving together, can overcome any
cslstance, add that they will move so rapidly
they easily sustained by the products Of the
rich country through which they will pass A moments
reelection will convince any that In maching through
any part OF MARYLAND Pennsylvania army would be
in no lack Of food In regard the other dhcuy General
Lee believes, with General Mcclellan, that the
dcfences ot Washington before Eicbmond aud that
the de'ences OF Richmond before Washington.
I Hooker ilaleck had been wise enough tn have nst
tited peninsula campaign this spring Gen. Lee would
now be inside Of Richmond, defending that city II IL
owing tho fact that they did not do that Gen. lee i,
able TO menace Washington and that Hooker has TO
the defensive. Gen. Lee believes that the moment
threatens Washington seriously Hooker viii hasten u
defend that city which indeed will be quite necessary
for him to do for unless he does Lee Will certainly cap
ture Washington, while Hooker just certainly will
capture Richmond All the stories about the defenceles
coaditoa Of Richmond, whether published IN the Rich
mond not. arc the merest blinds and lures Ih
defence OF Richmond event. has been well provided
for, as any army that marches against IL will nnd
In vegsrd 10 operations IN the West. my Information
To the effect that Gen. Johnston has concentrated oil hi
forces Tor an attack on Gen. Grant and that the latte
does not retreat northxa bloody battle may be daily
expected.