Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-03

beeuijOiHed. But isinot in,his p6wsr 70
compel. General, saTtp fight until he
wishes. to-, or in. other position than
that which he hims has chosen. This is
disagreeabIe fast Bqt ii is q fact, uev-
ertheless, and 1t my be we'll to remem4
Der it. - y
PORTlFICATIoNs "a fsdoRD0SsVILLR,
GordonsvllIU Jupetipn is smother point
that has bsen stroRS sfpritds1 by, lhp reb-
els, This point rsasm6les Manassas juno
tion in its defensive features, and It would
seem to be the desiet ypfjthe rebels to hold
it with the same pefIinaeity. There is a
range OF low hills that runs from this poiut
to Hanover. and as .the Engineer officers Of
the rebel army spent several daysin March
10 exdminipg them, aHi In surveying the
adjacent country, L n probable that the
advantages which afford will not be
overlooked. aOfs ss.f' suli,
THR STRONG POSITION On fHR RRRRLs CANNOT
s7fi.1 -; n TuRhEn. sis s q
General Lee IS (, t6o, saud lifs esit.as
latiOns are based UPON be tact that all.
though General Grants objective point is
Richmond, yet still be will have to attack
aud defeat the Confederate army before he
can get there. aud General Grant himself,
ofcOurse, is fully aware of this fact. Many
people at the North who remember the
great strength OF the rebel position ut Niue
run, as dsmo1stratsd,by by General Meade in
November or December last year, and the
terrible slaughter of our troops uuder
Burnside in the attempt to take Freder.
lCksburg in December OF the year before,
no doubt fancy that General Grant, 10 his
advance, will try rather 70 turn any such
strong position as he may encounter, aud
push on to Richmond BY passing 70 one
side of them. But that cant OF be done.-
To do SO would b1 to leave the rebel army
in his rear, and il is TO gain precisely that
position for the main b0dy of his army, in
other words, to get between Geo. Grant
and Washington, that General Lees ma.
neuVres will be directed. ,-a'..s al
GENERAL LIB DESIGNS TO THROW his MAIN
BoDT BETWEEN GRANT AND WASHINGTON.
In word, depending on the vast advau.
tnge which his army enjoys in position; on
the various defensive Iines to which they
eau successfully fail back; and above ali,
on the impregnsbility OF the defenses OF
Richmond 1t is General Lees design, after
the Union army has crossed The RApidan,
to move the main oOdy of his army north-
ward; aud either to throw himself in
MeAde's rear, aud endeaVor to defeat the |
and rapid push toward either Washington
or Pennsylvania, while be leaves Meade's
army engaged with those of his forces that
are left on the Rapidan. Il. this plan seems
Improbable, let it be remembered that even
at the wO=st that portion of General Lees
army left on the RApi,Iau will do all that
his whole army could do if Worsted, name
y, fall back 10 Richmonj; and that the
pTeseuce'0f d large rebal aFly is not cou.
.idered necessary for the defense of that
,ity; and finally. the rebels ifirmIy believe,
md always act on that belief, that they de-
Sss ssbrassgn. s9Sls ssP a. n6S S6W fssF sg
operations OF, ours by way OF the psuitssti- +
~ They did uOt anticipate much ltronble
fqm tbat direction when General Smith
NO corps weEs 6sse- sent down, because
hey eSpscIed tl.t that OtficeRsiyoaId Id sus |.
'erSede Butler. But now that they >nsd derslI
Itand that BuIlerIs retained as the head of
hat department, they have 10 apprehen-
ions OF any military operations that may
be undertaken therein. =..a rS,