Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-10-28

AKHT OF TaE PoToHAc, wAEaKSFOS. Va,
THURSDAY, oet. -, ls6S,
! GEXERAL CHARACTER OF THE CAXPAIGN.
The Army o: she Potomac has at length
settled down. After its great race up and
down Virginia. The whirl, and hustle,
aud confusion OF the backward and the
forward movement have so far given place
10 ca!mer moods, that it is possible now
/ to survey with some satisfaction the series
| OF complicated and exciting events whose
( relations sDd upshOt it WAS al the time i'm i.
possible to grasp.
I X must be Acknowledged that the can.
paign Of the past fortnight has not been
one that h.s brought much glory to either
army. The operations, with the exception
9fa variety OF skirmishes And the one con
( siderable Urush at Brislos, have all been
Of the ki0i included under the term Sfrats0v
that L, marches and nAu9uVres out a.
5gkG Of the enemy. The rebels have in.
Rieted no gress damage on US. We have
InAietsd gFest damages on the rebeIs.
| In truth. the real resalts Of this Invasive
movement on the part Of Gen Lee are to
Be sOukSSItI BOt-sO much to -anytbi1g
that has been accomplished here 10 YiE-
gaia, as n the relations OF operations
here TO the whole 6sid of var. Ia this
regard it remains to be seen how far the
progress and fortunes CT the war will be
effected nv the late rebel movement. At
present it assumes the char ,cter OF a diver
siou IN favor oil operations in the South
wesr. There Is not the ssado~ o: a doubt
that considerable portion of the troops
With which Lee threw back Meade are now
OF their way to reinforce the rebel army
10 Tennessee for active work against some
portion of the great line now being held by
the Uniou forces, from Chattanooga to the
Cape of Virginia.
REBEL THEORY OF LEES FORWARD NovExsST.
Ibaye had frequent opportunity Of learn
ing the r,J.i theory oil Lee's late movement
having conyersed wi;h many citizens OF
the country through which We have, dur
ing the past two or three days. passed in
the wake OF Lees army, aud they all tell
tie same story Il Is that the movement
xAs made for the purpose OF throwing the
Army Of the POtomSc back on Washington
aud then utterly destroying the railroad
connecting Meade's army, on the line Of
the Rapidan With its base, thus relieving
Ricbm ODd from Fhe standing menace which
our occupation OF thLt front OF operations
held ont, eIbau-ting the season duriag
which 1t Is possible for US To make Fall
campaign. and throwing us over till next
Spring, when the dissolution Of our. army
and prospective rebel operations in the
Southwest would secure them peace.
These views we're stated to me as those
! Of tue rebel leaders by (among many 9TH
etsl an intelligent and cultivated EugliSh-
man named Green, who lives IN the style
OF an EagIish gentleman On Il charming
estate al Green wich, few miles north .:
" Warrenton, and with whom Gems Lee and
Eweli, SD their respective stafs stayed
last Sunday. while on the retreat
sEAL oBIEcr OF THE CAMPAIGN.
sact was the theory given out by the
! rebels on their bdckuGTd movement. And
rhough perhaps not the whole truth, it Is,
/ doubiisss, large element 10 it. plan ot
cnmpsign such rs that on which Gen. Lee
lately entered embraces. doubtless, q com
pIex of sius: and there cs0 be no doubt
| that, If the rebel GenerRlssimo had been
able to plant himself in u favorable posi-
tion on Meads's communications, he would
have given battle. The desperate daHhes
which they made at our trains show, too,
how greedy they were for booty. With
these adeodA ne have, perhaps, the whole
Of the series of motives that prompted Lee
TO the forward movement There iS nc
| PROBABILITY that be ever purposed crossing
the Potomac for a free invasion OF Mary
land or Pennsylvania, There 10, On the
contrary, very great certainty that be did
not design such q movement, for hIS army
brought no pontoon train, = fact In itself con
cluaivs againstany such design, and furthei
corroborated by the limited quantity O
.upoIies he had with him.
Az 70 the results Of the movement, th'
rebels did not succeed ia any considerable
captures the movements OF the lIeuten
ants on whom Lee relied TO execute hi
pIsSs were 100 slow the retrogrGde move
meut OF Meade 900 swift and too skiIliul, 1
i, afford him the fitting opportunity for bat
tie. and the one practical result obtained
the destruction Of the railroad, and wha
that involves.
1HE DESTRUCTION OF fHs RAILROAD.
This WORK hA4 besn very thorough
done, Lees whole army having been eu
gagged on II for two days, From Bristo
70 the RhappAhanuOck, the Destruction
lcompIete-bridges burnt, cuiVeIts blow
up, lies taken up aud burnt, rails twiste
and rendered HGslegI, cuts Gllsd n1J tte
g etc. The euginneers say that It viii 'ee
. least month before II can again be pi