Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-01
rnr aIruAT1oN IN vIRaINIA.

In Virginia the military situation pre-
sents even on the surface an aspect much
more encouraging than it has yet worn
since the army crossed the James. lfGen.
Grant is not seen assuming the often
sive on a scale commemorate with the
public expectations he is quietly working
out the solution of the great problem in.
trusted to his han6s-woFking out by a
policy necessarily somewhat cautious, what
he will gladly carry through by bolder and
more brilliant measures when he obtains
the means which the people will shortly
give him.
tanned on the Weldon road sewers that
important line, and what is even Of more
moment, gives position from which to
menace the main rebel line of communica-
tions with the South namely, the Danville
road, So vital is this to the existence of
Lees army, that It is accepted by all mill
itary men as q fixed fact that, could We
plant a force on that road, or even serious.
iv threaten it, IL tvouLd compel the abandon
Erent of Richmond and VIginid, and oblige
Lee to fall back to the line, of the Roam
oke, in which case, given the successful
execution of Gen. Sherman's programme,
and the entire rebel force tOouLd Be shut up in
the Odrolinds.
Without pushing speculation so far as
this, however, or going beyond the actual
elements of the situation, there is nothing
| in them to discourage, and much to en-
| courage, One great cause of fear in all
previous combinations on the military
! chess board of Virginia. has been the ia
ciIity which the rebels have had to throw
us back on our base whenever the Army
| of the Potomac has been pushed forward
40 as to threaten Richmond. In the pre-
sent state of facts such counter movement
is for the first time not to be feared, II could
only be undertaken by the rebels in fit of
desperation, aud would be certain to work
ont their destruction.
For the first time in the history of the
war the Shenandoah Valley-th0 gate
through which the rebels in each Of their
three invasions have entered loyal States
is thoroughly guarded. We have there q
fine army, under thoroughly able leader
4 shin, in a position which perfectly covers
MARYLAND, Pennsylvania and Washington
II isrtrue, and it is no secret, that this army
ia largely composed of troops that have
Ibeen withdrawn from the army South oi
the James; but so far from this having the
effect to put SO much available force out OIL
the way, and 30 far from it's being any
| source of humiliation or regret, the corps
under Gen. Sheridan are really doing more
for the general cause, and even for the spe'
cial problem before Petersburgh, than they
could If back in the Army of the Potomac
For while the Army of the Shenandoah
acts as defence of Washington, thus re-
Iievieng Geo. Grant from all solicitude or
that score. it plays something more thar
q merely defensive part. The time is not nov
fitting to reveal the motives of the late for
ward and backward movements in the Val
lev, far less to indicate the programme "a
signed to Gen. Sheridan in that field o
operations; but the time is not far distan
when the wisdom Of the present distribution
of force will be recognized. In the mean
while, il Is no small matter that the column
in the Valley while, covering Washington
nsutralizes Gnd keeps dtOdy from PeteT1bUT!
force of full forty thousand meH-a fore
which, had it been in front of Gen. Grant
would probably have rendered it impossi
BILE for him to have seized the importan
point he now holds on the Weldon road.
A RRREL INVAsIoN-IS IT PROBABLE ANl
WOULD 1T PAYf