The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-06-23

The Movements OF the Rebel Army Of
Richmond.
From General Pieasanton's official report OF
his brilliant and successful engagement of
Sunday last with the cavalry of the rebel Gene
raj Stuart, we think there can be no doubt that
the army of General Lee is now in the Shenan-
doah valley. General Pleasantons despatch is
dated "In camp, near Upperville." which is so
near the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge and the
convenient pass of Ashbys Gap as TO afford no
margin for any extensive military force between
the village and the mountains Assuming, then,
that the whole rebel army of Virginia is now
scattered along between Winchester and the
border counties beyond the Blue Ridge OF
Maryland and Pennsylvania, we must conclude
that the design Of General Lee Is . descent
upon the rear of Warrington or . summer en-
campment near the Upper Potomac. for the
purpose Of subsisting his army "a far as possible
upon the loyal States Of Maryland and Pennsyl-
vanis, while maneuvring to entice General
Hooker into some position where bis army may
be cut to pieces.
From the movements Of the army Of Gen.
Hooker, so far as they arc publicly known. 1t
Is evident that tho administration IL satisfied
that Lees grand object is Washington; and,
acting upon this conviction, we are grati6ed to
believe that the needful precautions have been
adopted by the War ONCE to bafie and defeat
the movements and calculations Of the enemy,
whether aiming for the front or the rear Of the
national capital. We incline to the opinion
that these raids of the enemy into Maryland
and Pennsylvania, in failing to bring about q
division of Gen. Hooker's army, have failed to
secure their main object, and that thus the rebel
army, considered Is an army operating against
Washington, is placed in q very dangerous stu
alton Our army is not only between Gen. Lee
and Washington, but between him and Rich
mond, and Is so disposed, on It's interior lines,
as to be able promptly to strike out to the
right or the left, en- masse, as the occasion may
invite or require.
But simultaneously from two different sources,
widely separated, the idea has been communi.
Gated to us that the programme of General Lee
involves, in all probability, nothing less than
the abandonment of Richmond as the rebel
capital, and the transfer Of the main body of
his army to a junction with the army of Gene
raj Bragg in East Tennessee, for the purposes
of demolishing the army of Rosecrans, the army
of Grant, and the recovery of the Southwest.
There is some plausibility in this theory. With
the fall of vicksburg and Port Hudson con-
siderable rebel army, perhaps thirty thousand
men, will be disarmed as prisoners of war, and
Union army. including the forces of Grant
and Banks, will be turned eastward, strong
enough literally to walk over the course from
the Mississippi river to Mobile, Savannah and
Charleston, and thence to Wilmington and
Richmond, unless Joe Johnston shall be sup
ported by fifty thousand veteran troops, who
can be furnished only from the army of Lee.
At all events, while our temporary militia
forces, gathering on the Pennsylvania border,
are competent not only to guard her border
counties and those of Maryland against any mere
foraging incursions, but can furnish conside
rable column Of troops for the defencss Of
Washington, the issue Of this campaign be-
tween Warrington and Richmond is clearly in
the hands Of our War Office. We believe that
the government can spare sufficient force
to capture Richmond; that that city is now
| almost destitute of troops, and that General
Dix, with twenty thousand men, could take 1t
without difficulty. Let him be promptly
furnished with the twenty thousand men
and with instructions 10 move upon
Richmend, and one Of two things will inevita-
bly, follow-the city will be taken or the army
Of Lee will be compelled to return to its relief
along circuitous route, which will enable
| General Hooker, on his interior lines, to reap
all the. advantages Of q concentrated against q
| divided and widely scattered army.
All the advantages Of the military situation
| around Washington are with u.s. all the disad-
vantages are with the enemy, and the results,
with the exercise Of only ordinary ability on
the part of our supreme military authorities
will be the winding up the rebellion. Grant
and Banks will finish their appointed work
handsomely We have no doubt of it. MOI
have we any misgivlng in regard to Rosecrans
He will come in at the proper time with an
other victory. Washington is our only weak
point; and there to-day we are strong enough
| to settle with Lee and to march into Richmond
Let the War ONCE do its duty, and let General
Hooker be wide awake, and the Army of the
Potomac will yet achieve the browning victo
ries Of the war;
| CONFIDENCE CASSIDY AND THE CENTRAL RAIL
ROAD Neutrality-suspicious. Cassidy, the smart
| little butcher boy Of the Central Railroad Re
rency, saws we have libelled somebody con.