The New York herald., 1864-07-17

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Tue additional details which ws pubiisA Ills
morning Of The late destructive rebel iscursion
into Maryland; the doings and movsmenh Of
the enemys forces concerned; the property
appropriated or destroyed by them. and the
plunder carried on; the lines Of their retreat,
and the movements Of our pursuing columns,
&C., leave very little Of mystery connected
with the subject.
We have narrowly escaped the terrible dIsas-
ter Of the surprise aud sacking Of Wash
ington. The city, we are inclined to believe
was saved from a surprise by General Wallace
and his handful Of men in that henceforth
memorable fight of Saturday, the 9th inst, on
the Monocscy river. In that opportune and
well delivered battle the strength and great
design OF the enemys advancing columns
were discovered, the needful warning was
given to the War Office, and the incalculablo
advantages of . day were gained at Wash
iugton, to prepare to meet the enemy at
the exact point for which he was moving.
In this view, the battle made, though defeat
OF General Wallace, Of 1864, towards the
mouth Of the Monocacy river, will take rank in
its immense advantages to the Union cause
with the great victory OF General Meade of
1868, at the head Of the same stream. We
hope that the administration, restored to cool
reflection, will yet endorse this view of the
subject, and do justice to trusty and sagacious
soldier, faithfully disoharging his duty at bhe
right time and in the right place to render the
great enterprise of the enemy complete
failure.
But still the question recurs, why was IL that,
in order to open their eyes. our military au-
thorities at Washington required the warning
of battle and defeat Of our troops almost at
the very gates Of the city, Gen. Grant fort
night before had informed Mr.. Stanton OF this
movement of the enemy. General Sigel, in his
fight from Martiusburg. had reported the ad-
vancing rebel column down the Shenandoah
valley TO be twenty-five thousand strong; and
from the desperate situation Of General Lee at
Richmond, and the whole cause OF the rebel
lion, the War Office should have known that
this rebel force advancing into Maryland was
moving for Washington, and by forced marches.
How, then, are we to explain the lamentable
fact that, at the eleventh hour, the clerks of
the executive departments had to be called TO
the rescue of the national capital when the
War Office might have had, and should have
had, troops enough at the front to "gobble upr
the exhausted columns of Early and Brcckin-
ridge on their approach to the city.
The incompetency, incredulity and indo-
lence OF the War Office make the only
answer we have to give. In a word, saga
cious, experienced, cool and capable gene
raj is needed at Washington; and next
we want at Washington mobile army of
ono hundred thousand men, in order to clear
the country of the enemy between the Potomac
and Richmond, while General Grant is closing
around that last stronghold Of the rebellion
from the south side. We would therefore ap-
peal again to President Lincoln to appoint
General Mcclellan to the Department of Wash
ington comprising the country indicated and
to call for . force of one hundred thousand
three months volunteers and militia to serve
under him. In this way we feel assured that
Richmond will speedily be captured. the rebel
lion crushed, the Treasury relieved, and the
country saved.
The CAMPAIGN IN GEoRGIA-ATLANTA.-H
ing successfully abandoned the mountain re-
gion near Chattanooga, having been driven or
aanked out Of Rocky Face Ridge, Buzzard
Roost, Dalton, Ressacca, Kingston, Cassville
and Rome, across the Etowah river, out of
Allatoona Mountains, and away from Marietta,
Johnston has at length been pushed from the
south bank Of the Chattahoochce river, which
is the last obstacle Of Importance between our
forces and Atlanta The Chattaboochee rises
in the extreme northeastern part of Georgia, in
spur of the Blue Ridge chain of mountains
called Mount Yonah The stream ranges south
westerly, is about Eve hundred miles long,
forms the boundary between Georgia and
Alabama from West Point, and, joining with
the Flint at the Florida line, forms the Apala-
chicola. The lower portion OF the river is
navigsble.
Having left this line, Johnston will probably
show no fight, or at all events very little, at
Atlanta. That place is not of any natural
strength, and he will never hazard bis army for
its protection. The campaign ending in the
capture of the railroads will force Johnston
into another field Of operations But what that
will be no one can yet determine. From
Atlanta, with his powerful army, Gen. Sherman
will be strong enough in the open, lower country
which he has gained to continue driving Joe
Johnston till his weakened and still diminish
ing army lie destroyed. whether he may elect to
move southwark for Macon, or to the east for
Augusta and Charleston, OF southwestwsrdly
for Alabama and Mobile.
We think 1t very probable that General
Sherman, after gathering up supplies at Atlanta
sufficient for q new departure in any direction,
will be governed now in his movements to .
great extent by the events Of the campaign in
Virginia Holding the whole northern rail
road system Of Georgia in his hands he NAV