The New York herald., 1863-12-02
Gen: ns.ss,' 2esgfs,ea. n viss'1t....s

0en' MeeqSs YPeyeuo4s IN VAf9Antet
Sunday and Monday, 1t is now pretty
certain, passed by without battle in
Virginia, though the Army of the Poto-
mao and the army under Lee were ap-
pSrently only separated by a distance of a
few miles. Though this circumstance would
not seem to be important, it is yet new one
in the history of this war, and is to some ex-
tent significant of the new conditions under
which the respective armies meet. Hitherto,
whenever the circumstances have been such
that battle was in any way imminent for the
two or three days before Sunday, and could be
brought on by simple advance Of the enemy,
Sunday has brought the battle. But there is
far less confidence now The rebellion cannot
afford to bid its usual "gay defiance to mis-
chance" and venture all, after a doubtful
battle, on grand charge Of infantry. Southern
armies are smaller than they were, and their
immense charges Of infantry, exposed to the
fire of the most perfect artillery, across spaces
half mile in width, and met ct last by infantry
of equal spirit, hurt the Southern armies more
than they do any one else. Ssuthera generals
also have less stomach for the fight than they
had in the days when they saw the magnificent
advance Of their lines across the fields made
memorable by the earlier battles Of the war.
General Lee has, too, by this time very natu-
raj respect for General Meade, and he will not
venture, in the presence of this soldier, upon
any such desperate manGuvre as that by
which, in May, he compelled the retreat Of the
Ar,n oc kha Do f-n, ar I'm
which it lay on Monday last.
We need not be surprised, therefore, if an
extensive chapter Of maneuvres precedes, to
the great trial of popular patience, the battle
that we look for. Caution is necessity with
General Lee, aud to be ut least very careful is
natural to General Meade. Yet the latter's
free advance and REIMBURSEMENT Of his line OF
communications is bold movement for eau
tious man to make, and augurs we'll for our
cause in 80 far as it gives good evidence
of General Meade's confidence in bis own
plans.
Already VIC have achieved in this short cam
paigh two positive and important successes
first, by Meades passage Of the Rapidan and
formation OF line of battle nearly perpen-
dicular to the enemy's line and on his flank, Lee
was compelled to rslinquish the river as line
of defence, aud to abandon in great part a po-
sition that had been strengthened by considera-
bic labor, and that would have cost us ten
thousand men to carry it by assault; second,
by tho tenacty with which our line of battle
was held almost before it was fairly formed
we compelled the enemy to relinquish IN i'm
portant attempt and to seek safety in timely
retirement; for the rapid march of one OF
Lees corps from it's position on the Rspidau
and its fight with General French is, as far as
it goes. analogous to the march made by Stone
wall Jackson previous to the battle of Chan.
cellorsville and his defeat Of the Eleventh
corps, except in its result. Both attempts were
made on our right wing; but on this occasion
our right wing was at the other end of the line
and nearer the river. II, therefore, the enemy,
encouraged by any success at this point had
thrown his whole force there and won bat
tie, the resa't might have been disas-
trous to US; but the Third corps did all
that could ffave been expected Of it, crush
ed the attempt in its inception, and the
enemy saved his force by precipitate retreat
This fortunate initiation Of the campaign
promises we'll. 1t will doubtless be known In
few days ut what point General Meade will
open new base for the supply Of his army;
and that knowledge will cast considerable
light on his own view Of the prospects for the
ultimate destruction OF Lees army and the
capture Of the rebel capital.