The New York herald., 1863-11-17

thousand men into Washington. This force
with the veteran reserves of General Aurur
will constitute an efficient army Of sixty o.
seventy thousand men for defensive purposes
and will render the national capital and it,
surroundings absolutely safe, even against the
whole army of Lee.
Having thus amply provided for the protec
ton of Washington against any possible con
tingency, the government will be free to trans
fer the Army of the Potomac to the Richmond
peninsula. For this movement General Meade
will have some very important advantages
which were not possessed by General McClel-
Ian with the landing of his army on the penin-
sula. We now control the James river to q
point within ten or fifteen miles of Richmond,
the York river all the way up, and we hold the
peninsular strongholds of Yorktown aud Viii
liamsburg. Without difficulty, by either the
York or James river. the Army Of the Potomac
may be landed within twenty miles of Rich
mond, and with base of supplies at Fortress
Monroe, and broad river line of transporta-
ton which cannot be disturbed by the enemy.
Nor can all the rains of the rainiest Virginia
winter render the swamps of the peninsula as
bad for the advance of the army as they were
under the continual floods which poured down
over that region from the lst Of May to the
Sd of July in our unfortunate Richmond
campaign Of 1862. We have no doubt, on the
other hand, that the frosts Of December will
render the Chickahominy swamps comparatively
easy for the movement Of men, horses and
artillery.
But there is yet another consideration, which
ought to be conclusive in favor Of the opera
tions indicated. Numerous and sanguinary as
were the battles fought by General Mcclellan,
from Williamsburg around to Malvern Hill, we
have heard it said that they did not cost him
the lives of so many soldiers as the deadly ma
laria Of the Chickahominy. At all events, it is
probable that, could be have been spared this
malaria, he, in spite of all the blunders at
Washington, would have overcome all obstacles
offered by the enemy, and fought his way with
out check into the rebel capital. But this
summer ally of General Lee may be entirely
avoided in winter campaign on the peninsula,
or on either side of it, and thus thousands of
moA Wdy NC ooVcu w 0oAcIul Moudc WHOM
he will probably lose from sickness by any
route that he may take if his advance upon
Richmond be delayed till the return of spring.
Last, though not least, the cause of humani-
ty-as we the other day suggested-calls for
an immediate effort by the government to rescue
and relieve our starving soldiers held as pris-
oners of war at Richmond. They are literally
starving, and the local population Of Richmond
are reduced very nearly to the same extremity.
The rebels, In this straitened condition, how.
ever strongly their city may be fortified, are
not competent to Withstand siege of ten days
duration. We would appeal once more, then,
to President Lincoln to call temporary militia
force to hold the forts of Washington. and that
General Meade, with his army, be moved to the
James river peninsula; for we confidently be-
lieve that by this plan of operations Richmond
may now be speedily reduced to a surrender,
and that, with JEFF. Davis expelled from the
city, and with his rebel government and rebel
scrip turned adrift, without local habitation
or a place Of refuge, the rebellion will at once
come to an end.