The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-09
General Meade's Retreat.


There seems to be general surprise
manifested at General MEADE's return to
his old camping ground. To say nothing
of the small-fry papers, the New York
Herald, among other Of the big-guns, al
most raves about it. Endeavoring, for our
q own part, to form our opinions upon such
facts rs are within reach, discolorsd neither
by what we may wish or fear, We were nm
able to see from the beginning any favora-
BILE prospect for the advance of the Army
oi the Potomac, in the condition which We
supposed it to be, and at this season of the
year. There seemed no rational motive for
the movement, except it might be to keep
LEES attention occupied for the time, and
we suppose, therefore, that must be the OBJ.
iect, and DO much has been done.
= Il might be well to remember that this
u not tho first time the Army Of the Poto'
mac has found it necessary to retrace its
steps, without any fault of its own 1t re-
turned from Bull Run, from the Pamunky
river, from Cedar Mountain, from Freder-
icksburg, from Chaneellorsvills. After such
experience Of the diff cult fortunes attend
ing march into the interior of Virginia by
the route chosen, it appears to us that those
who direct military movements might have
learned, that q successful invasion of the
rebel territory, which it is so essential for
the rebels to hold, could not be accomplish
cd without an ample force; nor by any 9TH
or way of access to it, except that original
~ chosen by Gen. MCCLELLAN, and which
was SO prosperously proceeding, until he
found himself deprived of so large proper
ton of the force which he deemed necessa.
~. to effect the object in view.
We cannot tell what number of troops
LEE has at present with him; but there can
be no reasonable doubt that it is formidable
and one expressly avowed motive for our
own retreat is, that his position was
found too formidable for assault, Civ
ing him great advantage, even suppos-
ing MAIDS command much superior in
numbers to his own. Nor can the actual
strength of the Armyco of the Potomac be
pronounced upon with certainty; though
we learned, about three weeks ago, from
authority every way competent to judge,
and worthy of all credit, that it did not
positively exceed $4,000 men. Probably,
this has increased considerably since, by
tho return of the voting soldiers to their
posts; but it seems clear to us, that very
much larger force than ne is likely to have
with him was essential to any substantial
success. We have often observed that an
invading army should be one of overwhelm-
ing strength; and especially in view Of
the extraordinary obs tacles, physical and
moral, in the way of an advance on
Richmond, our army ought never to have
moved with the expectation of accomplish
iug any such purpose as has been imputed,
unless fully able to overcome every OBJ
struetion to its march But we 60 forward
when there is actually call for 100000
more menl In this view Of the ease, so far
from being disposed to censure Gen. MEADE,
for retreating, we hold him commendable
for bringing back our brave men with so
little comparative loss. We want to see
no repetition of bull-head assault upon
intrenchments, like that upon the heights of
Fredericksburg, attended with the inev-
liable loss of thousands of brave lives, and
a repulse to be lamented, instead of any
advantage gained.