Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-08-11
THE MILITARY SFTUATT0N-A NORTHERN
VIEW

VIE ~
The Baltimore Gazette, of the 9th inst, in its sum
mary of news, has the following:
Since the battle of Gettysburg, and csp.ure of
Port Hudson snd Vicksburg the Federal forces under
Meade aud Grant and Rosecrans ard Banks, respec.
lively appear have subsidized into comparative mac
tor. The Army cf the Potomac rests somewhere in
the vicinity of the Rappahannock, worn out by long
marches and greatly weakened by its losses at Wnches
ter and In Penn sylvania by the return home of the
PENNSYLVANIA militia Of tho Nov York troops hurried
forward by Gov. Seymour, and of the many regm ,nts
whose term Of service had expired Gen Meade seems TO
be In no condition 10 tske the offensive, and Will probably
conteut him cliff ne Is permitted to do so-with
watching tho movements the enemy until adequate
reiuforccments sha reach him. Bis position is said 10
be naturally strong one and 20 strengthen it still iur
Their he has made liberal nss OF The pick aud epade
Il may be that the authorities Q: Washington have
really ordered Meade 70 advance The Jurisprudence
of tie Boston Courier, which wetRaaished Yesterday,
indicates; but the commandment che of the Army
of the Potomac viii scarcely hazard his reputation by
taking the initiative in Campaign, unless assured
of sufficient support justify forward movement AID
we doubt whether such support could be had without
entirely stripping the deences OF Washington oil troops,
unless Grant furnishes portion OF his force for she
purpose. Ia the meantime, however, the Confederate
army under Lee now lying between the Rippahan-
mock and the Ripidan, may not be content TO re-
main inactive. It's numbers are said 10 be ut lea
equal to those OF the Arny OF the Potomac,
and if such be really the c9se, General Lee will
scarcely be mel ned to stand for any considerable length
of time On the defensive, unless he, too IL expecting
achievements from the S)uthWes. 1t is not, indeed
improbable that there will be concentration Of troops
on both Sides and that the next tremendous struggle
will be- on the che hand, for the possession Of Il ch-
moud and on the other, for the capture of Washing
tor.
Sine the retreat of Bragg, General Rosecral bss not
venturd beyond Tu hOna and for good aud sufficient
reasors--hs aruy strong enough TO advance any
further into the Interior ami keep up, at toe SINE time
his line of communication with the base OF his suFpies
at Nashville TO wha. point Gen. Bragg has faeu back
we arc not Informed. loftiun Of his forces, under
Harlee occupies Chattanooga and az the position ~
~ strong one and also well fortified, the latter is
not il any serious danger OF having it wiesLed from
him.
General Graat's army has been broken up into seve.
raj diysons-part of 1t glTrson5 Ncksburg, par las
gone I'D the river and part bis gone Go 'n to asi
Bank many OF whose troops have served their time
out and have been will b. mustered oui Of serve.
TIE capture OF Wcksburg AID Port Hudson was net
accomplished without heavy loss and apart from the
casualties Of battle, the sea.eB Incidental to tile eli
mate must be taken into accDunL These combined
causes have as matter of course, simply reduced tue
number of effective which Grant bad at his dis
posa whilst the co pparaively small force under Inl
has been 81 Il further reduced by the return home Of
those volunteer regiments Whose term OF service has
expired. Notwithstanding therefore, the successes
fest that any further operations at this
of the year. would scarcely b. with that pru
dence which governs sensible commander II is true
that we hear that Mobile and Savannah are to be the
next points o. attach hut il is far more likely bat
such troops as eau be spared will be seEt to Meade in
Virginia, and Gilmore before Charleston, whilst per
haps those that were drawn from Rosecrans, will DC
turned 10 him.
The war OH the loEcr Mississippi is evidently over
for the present and Meade pes not advance ard s
not attacked, popular nercs: will centre on Oh
ton where Gilmore is struggling 20 overcome the man
hold difficulties which bespt him every side, and
which are ev,p now taxing his engineering skill to the
utmost Wi.l he succeed eventually? There are those
who are s5ngune enough to predict that he will. Bu
Battery Wager st Il holds out shot aud she'll making
no serious impression upon the sand Of which the Sork
are composed The garrison and s supporting force
can be relieved or strengthened from charleston TT
vii; and cauno. be hlnked from the adj Iinirg Islands
as fortlfeadons equally Formidable have been con-
sructod there in progress Of construction three
thousand negroes having b,en called for by Governor
nham Tor that purpose in addition 10 those already
actively at work.
More than thirty iaysiave eRpsed since the Federal
troops landed on Morris Island assaults upon Bat:
terry Wagner have been made aud both vera rpu sed,
with such severe loss that correspondents inform us
there will be further attempt 10 carry that work by
storm. To take it ~ siege is slow and exhausting
process at best II is believed hOSever that although
Battery wagner may holi OUT Ior long time 10 come,
aud perhaps indefinitely tn. the heavy gius nov being
placed in position will bo lear enough to batter down
Fort Sumter and that Sumter once abandoned CSares
ton must fall We doubt il this result follows neoessa-
rly The complaint nov is, that tie Monitors
have been but OF little seryce ard that the capture Of
Charleston is necessarily dependent upon the Of
operations on land i t!s be true, and II it be also
true that Gen Gilmore has suffered oss Of one third
Of his force it IS at cas, matter OF doubt whether
Charleston can be taken at all Certain it H. tbs result
can only be attained by much srger army than is
under the command OF Gea. Gilmore.
MORGAN'S RAID IN KENTUCKY.